Mayo: Free lollipops are 'gobstoppers' for late night revellers

An Irish council is giving lollipops to people leaving nightclubs in a bid to ensure drinkers stay quiet, behave themselves and get home safely.

Mayo County Council's road safety officer said he hoped the complimentary confectionary would act as "gobstoppers" for late night revellers.

"If they're sucking lollipops, they can't be shouting," Noel Gibbons said.

He said the lollies had a dual purpose as the wrappers are printed with the message: "Get home safely."

The scheme is being supported by the police and local nightclub owners, and the lollies will be distributed by nightclub security staff at closing time over the Christmas period.

Mr Gibbons told the Irish state broadcaster, RTÉ it was a "sucker punch" tactic to "placate aggressive, drunken men at the end of a night out".

"Like giving candy to a grumpy baby, lollipops are said to have similar effects on grown men and women. Moreover, arguments fuelled by drunken bravado and macho attitudes often escalate following verbal exchanges, but stick a lollipop in their mouth, and it becomes a lot harder to shout," he said.

The road safety officer said the scheme had been successful in other countries, including Canada and the UK, and cited nightclubs in London and Devon that had tried to soothe drunks by giving them a mouthful at the end of the night.

Lollipops are a familiar symbol in road safety, but the council's use of the edible variety is aimed at drawing drinkers' attention to the dangers they face on night out.

Mr Gibbons said many pedestrians have been killed walking home from clubs in the county and there is also a risk posed by drivers who drink.

He said he hoped the novel campaign would "start a conversation" among Christmas party goers about the need to arrange transport home in advance.

As for the cost to the public purse, the lollies cost 2 cents (1 pence) each and Mr Gibbons has bought "hundreds" of them to deliver to Mayo nightclubs over the coming weeks.

He told the BBC that the attention the lollipops have attracted so far means it had been a "very cheap" road safety campaign.