Alcoholism is a world-wide problem which effects a large section of the Irish population. It is estimated that as much six per cent of all drinkers in Ireland drink more than the safe limits. This study provides a review of the literature dealing with the influences on the development of alcoholism to date and it reports on the results of an empirical study carried out on the causes of alcoholism in an Irish sample. An alcoholic group and a control group, each consisting of twenty eight people, was interviewed using a standardized questionnaire. A qualitative approach was adopted which best suited the exploratory nature of the study. Data rich in detail on personality, family background, and social environment was gathered. Responses were categorized and tabulated for each question, and the differences between the two groups were tested for significance. The results of the study indicate that the four models of alcoholism tested, ( medical, psychoanalytic, behavioural, sociological), achieved support. The strongest correlation was seen between psychological influences and alcoholism followed by sociological and medical factors. This suggests that people who develop alcohol problems are disadvantaged psychologically and socially. Added to this there is the implication of genetic factors in the development of the problem. It is concluded that there is a need to disentangle the various models and to define each one clearly. Also it is recommended that their respective influence on the development of alcoholism should be tested in a larger study.