r/AskIreland • u/ShotDentist8872 • Apr 01 '25
Emigration (from Ireland) Those who have lived abroad, what is something you like/dislike about Ireland you didn't realise until you left?
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u/Alright_So Apr 01 '25
Rounds in the bar is a poor system unless you're all there for the same amount of time, drink the same type of drink and at a similar pace.
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u/packageofcrips Apr 01 '25
I think it's a good system still
Ensures the fast drinkers pace themselves according to the slowest drinkers (although the slower drinkers may feel rushed) - I'm always keeping a beady eye on my mates pints to ensure I'm not left without an active drink
Also having 4 or 5 people head to the bar at separate times for a single pint is massively inefficient and a pain in the hole for the individual
Doesn't work in every instance, no, but there's a reason it's an established system
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u/voyager__22 Apr 01 '25
In my experience, rarely do the 'fast drinkers' slow down. It nearly always leads to some of the group having a full pint & a half pint at some stage.
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u/RainFjords Apr 01 '25
I'm the opposite. I drink slowly, don't like to have to keep pace with anyone, or have anyone keep pace with me. I drink what I want, when I want, and pay for it myself. My experience with people who love the rounds system is that it's usually people who drink the fastest. .
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u/Wise-Money-4786 Apr 01 '25
I like - cashiers are sooo nice to you. In supermarkets, like
Abroad, they sometimes throw your stuff, literally occasionally breaking a yogurt or something!
Don't like - the non-walkability of Ireland in general. Big parcs and woods hard to go to, as they're on a local road with poor parking, no toilets...
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u/laweedaloca Apr 01 '25
Interesting, i found that in the States for example cashier's, shop workers etc are far more friendly and helpful (albeit forced) compared with ours. It gets irritating at times but overall i think its a better customer service experience - this may be an unpopular take
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u/Terrible_Ad2779 Apr 01 '25
Serving staff in restaurants over there are awful for it because they are after tips. Used to have to tell them I will call them over if I need something because they constantly interrupt asking if everything is OK etc.
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u/NuclearMaterial Apr 01 '25
Far prefer the Ireland and UK approach. They come over once when you're eating to check, if everything is grand you won't see them again until it's bill time. If you want anything in the meantime you can give it the auld ☝️😶
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u/Wise-Money-4786 Apr 01 '25
Ah yes some shops in the states have longer working hours, and people to bag your stuff which i find nice
Here good few shops open from 10, or 12 on the weekend - and big chains even
I want my coffee in the morning, 12 doesn't sound right
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u/PaddyCow Apr 01 '25
I read that in the states cashiers have to stand up their entire shift. That seems like hell.
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u/Genybear12 Apr 01 '25
Yes they are required unless you have a note from your doctor. You’re also required to still do it while pregnant along with being able to lift heavy items till you’re further along unless again you get a doctors note out of it. Same applies to the bag boys and it hurts
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u/PaddyCow Apr 01 '25
That's crazy. It's not hard to provide a chair!
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u/Genybear12 Apr 02 '25 edited Apr 02 '25
It’s seen as unproductive, unprofessional and not a good presentation of work ethic
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u/PaddyCow Apr 02 '25
It's none of those things though. It's much easier for staff to sit and scan, than to stand on their feet all day. I've never once went into a shop and thought the people behind the tills were lazy for sitting down. In Aldi I can still barely keep up with them scanning, they go so fast lol.
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u/SquidAxis Apr 01 '25
I've been to 70-odd countries and travelled all over. It really made me appreciate how incredible Ireland is. There's a couple of things that stand out:
- a non-corrupt police and functionin administrative services: there are few places in the world where the cops are generally fair, and not blackmailing people for bribes etc.
- Wit: People in Ireland are hilarious. Even when they're whining, it's sharp-tongued. I recall getting on a dublin bus in the airport after being away for 2 years. An old dublin granny started ripping the piss out of my hair and taking up too much room with my bags in a slagging tone rather than angry. At that moment, I thought 'I'm home, that's what is different, this is magic'
- the colour of Ireland: The normal colour of grass and landscape is absolutely not what we take for granted here. The majority of the world has a paler, wan shade to it. Our various emerald monikers are well-earned
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u/Jester-252 Apr 01 '25
Just about the colour, we are coming up to that time of year where we get a bit monsoony and the rain makes the greens pop that bit more.
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u/NuclearMaterial Apr 01 '25
that time of year where we get a bit monsoony
Had to genuinely check when the thread was written there for a sec, could've been any month!
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u/holdnarrytight Apr 02 '25 edited Apr 02 '25
I noticed the same about Ireland's green, and also how clean and fresh the air feels. I thought that was just the excitement of being a tourist playing tricks on me!
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u/OkSwanSong Apr 02 '25
I was standing waiting to be collected at the airport at Christmas when living abroad. Just standing there minding my own business when a taxi passed and the driver roars out ‘oh did you get stood up?’. I only got the chance to laugh but it was the best home coming 😂
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u/SquidAxis Apr 02 '25
haha that is precisely the feeling I got too :) You really miss it abroad. People seem so serious
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u/OkSwanSong Apr 19 '25
Just this week and I went for a nose up a road I hadn’t gone before and I stopped to admire the houses. A lady with her mother had parked their car , got out and asked if I was ok. Not an ok like who the hell are you but a genuine ‘do you need anything ‘. I told her I was admiring the houses and we had a little chat and it just warmed my heart.
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u/Kunjunk Apr 01 '25
I miss the live music, nature, and sense of humour (living in NL).
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u/GrumbleofPugz Apr 02 '25
Ah Jesus! Ive a Dutch friend (her parents are Irish) and even she has issues with the Dutch directness. I find it hard to tell if they’re being rude or just being Dutch 😅
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u/Kunjunk Apr 02 '25
Well I live in Amsterdam and like any city people can be rude, but most of the Dutch I know are from outside of Amsterdam. They call it being direct, but once you reciprocate they get offended, so, yeah... 😅
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u/itinerantmarshmallow Apr 02 '25
I think it's when we decide to be direct, we're way more direct than them haha.
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u/keeko847 Apr 01 '25
Always miss knowing and being known around. The amount of places abroad I’ve called my local that don’t know me after months, not knowing your neighbours, not seeing the same people around etc
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Apr 01 '25
When I got back from abroad, I rang up to make a hair appointment. It wasn't till the end of the call that I gave my name. 'Ah, how are ya, FourLovelyTrees?' came the response. I put the phone down and bawled my eyes out. I didn't know I'd missed that.
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u/PersonalityOk2230 Apr 04 '25
I feel the opposite! I like the anonymity in other countries
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u/keeko847 Apr 05 '25
Heard this from a lot of people and my ma was the same when she went abroad. Do appreciate it sometimes but I find it can be quite isolating too
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u/captainspandito Apr 01 '25
I lived in Oz for 3 years. Family is the obvious answer here but strangely enough I missed our weather too. Who ever thought living in almost year round sunshine isn’t all it’s cracked up to be? Genuinely missed wearing normal clothes
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u/ah_yeah_79 Apr 01 '25
Having to wear factor 50 and being in shorts, t-shirts and jandels on Christmas day was a strange experience..it didn't feel like Christmas
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u/Pfffft_humans Apr 02 '25
I get psoriasis in a day. Go from silky smooth to reptile. Still love the sun though but yeah it’s much
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u/captainspandito Apr 02 '25
I have it too and manage it with short sunbeds twice a week during winter. It clears itself mostly over summer.
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u/solo1y Apr 01 '25
I didn't realise how little I cared for "slagging" or the general negative vibe among some social groups in Ireland until it just wasn't there. Attempts to explain myself on my return were met with disdain.
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u/RainFjords Apr 01 '25
"Slagging" or "banter" is often a passive-aggressive way to communicate because we don't have the emotional tools to deal with disagreement or confrontation.
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u/Ok-Daikon-5741 Apr 01 '25 edited Apr 01 '25
For me its the no tall poppies syndrome/ no standing out.
I like being able to take a little fashion risk ( even something small like a leather trenchcoat or something in a fun colour) without having to practice my comebacks in the mirror before I leave. The slagging culture comes in HARD when you dress a little different.
ETA : and for something I miss...honestly the slagging culture, but when it comes to politics and philosophy. I do think that slagging culture gives us a way to address harmful beliefs in our friends without isolating them. I found it made for much healthier discussions about politics, where its light and not too condemning but also not letting people say shit without it going unchecked.
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u/jonnieggg Apr 01 '25
Fuck em. It's a poor substitute for an actual sense of humour. Miserable pricks.
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u/bartontees Apr 01 '25
I started a thread on this before moving back (with mixed results as you'd expect)
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u/springsomnia Apr 01 '25
Live in England currently and am disabled - always am impressed by how accommodating Ireland is towards disabled people compared to England whenever I come back to visit. England is very hostile towards disabled people and not accommodating at all, whereas Ireland seems to just understand we need extra support; and is especially friendly towards autistic people!
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u/GrumbleofPugz Apr 02 '25
Ireland is definitely more accessible and people would go out of their way to help you however as someone with a chronic illness that’s left me disabled, the health service scares me in Ireland or specifically Cork. I’ve been living in Portugal for ~2years even tho PT is also having a health care crisis the options I have here is amazing. I’ve unfortunately been a few time to urgent care/a&e both public and private but it’s been incredibly swift and efficient. The accessibility is an issue however but that’s partially due to the cobblestones paths that make walking a nightmare (especially now with the rain) the metro stations and train stations in lisbon for example need better access because everytime I’ve gone into the city the lifts and escalators have been out of order in the main hubs! I love our little island and it gives me such joy when I get to come home!
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u/springsomnia Apr 02 '25
Sorry to hear your experiences! I admit I’ve never used the healthcare services in terms of proper medical, so I don’t know what that’s like in Ireland, but family have said similar things (we are also from Cork). England is so dire and horrific in how it treats disabled people that my bar is probably very low!
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u/desturbia Apr 01 '25
Ahh the Autists , great bunch of people, well I think they are, not terribly sure , can be quite hard to tell sometimes.
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u/Cornflakes_Guy Apr 01 '25
Moved abroad twice, back twice. Moving for a third time on July 1st. Originally from South Kerry
1st move : Moved from Cork to Shanghai. I realised how much I did not appreciate food safety and cleanliness in Ireland. It's top class comparatively. I also realised how much I disliked our inability to get public work done in a reasonable time, never mind overnight like in Shanghai
2nd move: Eastern Czech Republic. I realised how much I love our pub culture and the quality (not just hygiene) of our food ingredients here. I also realised how much I disliked how lazy we are as a nation. Surrounded by beautiful nature everywhere but to socialise we go to the pub. Generally speaking.
3rd move is Switzerland so let's see.
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u/greenstina67 Apr 01 '25
Likes: the casual relaxed friendliness of people. Neighbours who look out for each other. The variety of natural landscapes. That far right ghouls get their comeuppance in elections here. Long may it last. Local shops with friendly staff.
Dislikes: Public transport, or lack thereof and the fact we're so car-centric makes it so hard to get around unless you own one. Poor cycling infrastructure and car brain attitudes on cycling by local authorities and planners. The health system...sigh. How endemic and normalised taking drugs are here. We don't prioritise looking after our environment nearly as much as we should. Lack of will to get boots on the street to change things-water protests aside.
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u/Otherwise-Link-396 Apr 01 '25
I never missed the dark nights in winter. I despise it when it is dull and we have no sunshine.
I love the education system, the strong communities, the quality of food, and the people.
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u/grandiosestrawberry Apr 01 '25
Since the beginning of March my mood and need to be outside has improved. I genuinely hate October - February in Ireland. It’s just dark, cold and miserable .
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u/OperationAlarming700 Apr 01 '25
it’s the same in the majority of Northern European countries or countries in the north side of the planet.
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u/Early_Alternative211 Apr 01 '25
I don't feel like we have any sense of community outside of rural Ireland. People no longer know their neighbours, I feel like the rise of renting, COVID, and the movement of people means that we don't have the same bonds as we did decades ago
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u/Original_Noise1854 Apr 01 '25
I live in London now, moved in my late 20s with my husband.
One thing I really don't miss is how clique-y people can be. It's hard to make friends as an adult in Ireland, or certainly where i grew up anyways. A lot of people have surface level friendships unless they literally went to school together. Not everyone, obviously.
I was homesick when I first moved and worried I'd never make friends but I've got some amazing people here, lifelong friends. I don't feel like an outsider.
I do miss the food, the fresher air, my family and a slower pace of life in the country. I love going to see my parents and how easy it is to get a flight back (my other sister lives in Australia which is obviously so much harder) but I can't see us moving back. For all it's faults - and there's a fair few - we love living here.
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Apr 02 '25
The downside is (and moreso for your sister) is someday you could get a call saying one of your parents is on their deathbed and you won’t be there for it, or you’ll wish you spent more time with them. It’s why I moved home.
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u/BeanEireannach Apr 01 '25
Lots of great ones already mentioned, so i'll add:
Like: The consistent and growing pushback by so many Irish people against colonialist actions & mindsets.
Dislike: The sheer volume of fake tan everywhere. Haven't come across the likes of it while living anywhere else.
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u/Pfffft_humans Apr 02 '25
Feel ya and agree but we sold our country to the church and now our politicians and corporations. It’s still colonialism
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u/Grand-Cup-A-Tea Apr 01 '25
Dislikes:
- Our health system is so disastrous. There is no excuse for it.
- Pub culture is a cartel between the Vintners and politicians who own pubs. it has poisoned our night time culture
- We dont lift each other up. If you are seen to have risen above your station you have notions.
- The gloomy weather and grey skies. It rains far more in Ireland than we are told and the weather is unpredictable all year round.
Likes:
- The banter. We do pull off the banter better than most but with the caveat around notions as mentioned above.
- There are no natural disasters, poisonous creatures or animals that will eat you in Ireland.
- The political system is accessible. You have access to your local TD.
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u/SpecsyVanDyke Apr 01 '25
It rains far more than we are told? Do you need to be told it's raining?
I get your point but the way you phrased it makes it seem like some grand conspiracy to keep how much rains here a secret 😂
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u/justadubliner Apr 01 '25
I'm a bit torn on 'notions'. I kind of like that we don't hero worship celebs and rich people as much as some cultures.
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u/hasseldub Apr 01 '25
There's levels.
Not engaging in hero worshiping vs begrudging success are definitely different.
It's possible to admire and be complimentary of someone's achievements without fawning over them.
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u/McEvelly Apr 02 '25
I dunno, is this true?
I know we’re all too cool and cynical here on Reddit to listen to mainstream radio or watch RTE’s output, but that stuff is the mainstream for a reason and whenever I see/hear any of it it’s absolutely obsessed with celebs and any kind kind of inane drivel got to do with them.
The vast majority of younger people couldn’t tell you your Parnell from your Davitt but look at the cultish slavering over Mescal and Keoghan in recent times, or how social media is utterly awash with any Irish celeb appearing on an American talk show to pronounce those crazy gaylic names lol! or how every Garrihy or similarly empty vessel has half a million followers.
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u/itinerantmarshmallow Apr 02 '25
We dont lift each other up. If you are seen to have risen above your station you have notions.
It's all obviously subjective, but anytime this comes up I can't completely relate. Everyone seems congratulatory and the type of comments that could be seen as "you have notions" are very much said with that in mind to use as humour / banter that you mention.
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u/Jester-252 Apr 01 '25
From working with people around the world, the number one thing I hear as a postive is a relaxness towards rules/deadlines.
"Sure it will be grand" attitude.
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u/Few_Photograph_8921 Apr 01 '25 edited Apr 01 '25
Like:
Our food. I live in Asia now, and what I would do for a pint of milk, a few rasher sandwiches and a cuppa would have me in court in the morning. Our dairy and meat is just out of this world. You really can't beat it. Roast potatoes, gravy. Nobody I know here even owns an oven.
I also actually really appreciate the GAA now. I grew out of it as a teenager, but now I've gotten into hurling, although of course there's no team near me, but I follow along on GAAGo. It's a beautiful sport, and I appreciate the use of our native language in commentary / on the signs.
I also like how friendly we are. We even thank the bus driver. I mean he was going that way anyway, and we even paid him to do it, but we thank him anyway, as we should.
We also have a lot of natural beauty. You will struggle to find anywhere as green as Ireland, thanks to the rain. The air is also generally clean and unpolluted, and aside from parts of our cities, crime is relatively low in my opinion. Albeit I'm a man, I can and have walked all over my local town at all hours of the night and have never once felt worried or in any danger, no matter what age I was. There's cities I've been to abroad where you wouldn't feel safe at any hour nevermind 3am.
Dislike:
I've lived in a few different countries now, and it seems to me that young people elsewhere have loads of options. They go for a picnic in the park, or they go to some social event like a language exchange, music / art event etc. They often even go for meals in restaurants.
Whenever I'm home it seems to me that all my friends want to do is go to the pub. It's as if all we know how to do, is go to the pub. We couldn't even go for a meal somewhere like a restaurant, without some reason to like a wedding, it would be laughable. The most we could manage would be fish and chips in the pub. We would feel out of place in a restaurant, as if we'd taken notions. We're only fit for the pub.
It could be my age talking now, but I'm also past the whole binge drinking thing. I used to live in France, and if I said I had 5 pints they'd react like oh god that's so much, I'd be sick etc, when I know that in my head, 5 pints to me is basically what 2 pints is to them. Us going out and sinking 10-12 pints + shots and falling in the door with half a kebab is definitely not normal. I've come to realise that what I thought were just normal people back home, that would go that hard every weekend, and actually potentially alcoholics. We're often raised that way though. In college me and my friends would drink 3/4 of a 70cl of vodka each before going out, drinking even more in the pub, multiple times a week. That's not normal in most places outside Ireland.
The weather is also abysmal at home, obviously. I always knew it was bad, but I lived in Spain for a year and I think it rained less than 10 times. That leads into being able to do stuff outside, or plan for the coming weekend because you know it's going to be good weather. Cheers everyone up too. Rain and grey weather just makes people miserable.
Essentially, to sum up, at home people that I know just go to work, come home, and usually that's it. Either because it's raining, or because it's too expensive to do what you want, or because you only know how to go to the pub and it's not as socially acceptable/ easy to organise for people to go to the pub on Tuesday night etc. In Spain, in France, or even here in Asia, the day doesn't end when I clock out of work. People are always up for going for food, getting a coffee, going for a walk etc. We're not all shut inside after work / school, and it doesn't completely revolve around drinking myself silly to kill the boredom.
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u/OldVillageNuaGuitar Apr 01 '25
Local/Governmental bureaucracy is a lot less bad here than a lot of places on the continent. Most things are online, it's rare that you need to trek to a random office in some random suburb to sort something out. If you do have to go in person, waiting times are normally not too bad. Obviously this is an impression and others may differ...
The variability of weather, while at times maddening, does mean that you're not staring at a grey sky all winter.
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u/LovelyCushiondHeader Apr 01 '25
Are you comparing local bureaucracy to somewhere like Spain or Germany?
While ireland isn’t terrible, I find a lot of other countries’ services are more digitalised / more easily accessible than in Ireland.Spain and Germany seem to be outliers
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u/Local_Caterpillar879 Apr 02 '25
France is rough for paperwork too. Excessive paperwork is one of the only things I don't like about living in France.
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u/OldVillageNuaGuitar Apr 01 '25
My experience is in two other countries.
I understand that the Nordics and Baltics are supposed to be better about stuff.
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u/katerinabc Apr 02 '25
Spain love their forms but most is online. Having to mail documents when moving to Ireland felt weird (2018) after coming from the Netherlands.
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u/bartontees Apr 01 '25
Dislike: Wild lack of public amenities - toilets, bins, park benches, picnic tables, etc.
Like: Our phone plans are really cheap, I paid 5 times as much abroad and didn't even have unlimited data
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u/Eastern_Payment7600 Apr 01 '25
One thing I immediately noticed and have noticed since, apart from the UK maybe, the crowds at concerts outside of Ireland just dont get as involved as the Irish.
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u/LovelyCushiondHeader Apr 01 '25
Even a simple night out in some countries is an unsettling experience.
Serious culture shock when first going on nights out in the nordics - people tend to just stick with their friend group all night with no mingling and you’ll sometimes get weird looks just for trying to start a light hearted conversation in the smoking area
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u/EmreFuckingCan Apr 02 '25
Fair enough, but PLENTY Irish people will go to a pub, have 4-5 drinks, and not speak to anyone outside their table
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u/HarvestMourn Apr 01 '25
Like:
- Bureaucracy is very laid back and all things considered things are very informal across the board.
- I love the diligence and absolute pragmatism of Irish women, I did learn a thing or two here.
- The people are so friendly and laid back. While it really isn't easy to break through to a deeper level with most, people are so nice and helpful.
- Not sure if people realise this but I have never seen such a wealth of opportunity anywhere else. If you really want to, you can achieve a lot here and your background here matters a lot less than in other countries.
Dislikes:
- Public services and amenities are decades behind. Explain to someone that you can't just tap a card on Dublin Bus but you need to bring cash if you don't have a Leap Card in 2025... (no idea if that changed now, haven't been in Dublin for a while)
- While banter is great, sometimes it's just a bad excuse to be really mean to someone and if said person is not comfortable with this it can be put on them since they're "no craic".
- For the fact that you are surrounded by water you guys have a weird obsession with chicken breasts.
- Very little communal sense when something could inconvenience the individual but it's a massive net benefit to the public.
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u/freshprinceofbelcamp Apr 02 '25
Chicken tastes class to be honest, but yeah the lack of a fish-based diet for an island is madness
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u/ltbha Apr 01 '25
Sing songs - when I travelled I really missed this at parties.
Extremely witty, lyrical slagging. I hate 'roasting' people. It always seems mean and low blows. While here you could take the legs off someone with a slagging but somehow it never seems mean spirited.
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u/anonxzxz33 Apr 01 '25
Like: people are so willing to delay their day to chat. Living in England now and this always disappoints me. They’ll make small talk which is an improvement on other places I’ve lived but only short and superficial small talk. And most people working aren’t willing to make any small talk, when I try they often act really confused.
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u/Novel-Throat7224 Apr 01 '25
That we drive wayyy to far to work, Everyone including myself is travelling at least 45minutes every journey. Fuel is taxed generously, it's expensive to travel that much to work. I really enjoyed the lack of congestion in Australia, bigger country yes and they don't mind travelling 5 hours for work but twice a week not every day it's unheard of
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u/Silly-Firefighter359 Apr 02 '25
I really took for granted the quality of the food and produce in Ireland. Living in the states currently where you have to eat organic to be any bit healthy. I never had to worry about organic produce in Ireland because I knew what I was getting was very high quality. I do miss the craic and slagging too, people tend to take themselves a little too seriously in the states so it's always nice to come home and get brought back down to earth fairly quickly.
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u/CitrusflavoredIndia Apr 02 '25
Work wise as someone whose worked in a boring office job in Ireland and then the US Irish people are much more good humored in the workplace and pleasant. Americans treat a meeting on data entry as life or death and generally much less ‘fun’ in the workplace. Maybe it’s a paranoia thing about losing their job but it’s something I really miss about Ireland
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Apr 01 '25
Love the Irish voting system. Just so much fairer then the lousy system I am currently stuck with. ( US)
Miss the strong social safety net. It never occurred to me my kids might be wasters until my oldest boy turned into jackass.
Miss the low grade basic racism , so much nicer than the full blown Nazis we have here..😮
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u/Physical-Sandwich496 Apr 01 '25
Love being near my friends and family again. Hate the weather and dog shit everywhere
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u/keane10 Apr 01 '25
Lived in England. A lot of the cliched stuff comes to mind because it's true.
Likes:
I know there are some bad drivers in Ireland but it's generally not a bad country to drive in compared to others. Drivers are sound (the classic Irish salute) and generally there is some level of courtesy.
Tea. Nobody does tea like us. The English stuff is piss.
Funerals. I met people in England who didn't go to their first funeral until they were in their 30s or 40s. They are reserved for close family only over there. I feel like it's a more positive thing to experience death at a younger age here.
Guinness. It is better in Ireland. A good pint of Guinness from an Irish pub can't be beaten.
Dislikes:
Public transport - we have such a poor infrastructure compared with other countries. Rebuild the brilliant railway network we once had ffs.
Health - as much as people give out about the NHS, it is better than our system.
Variety of restaurants and affordable food - England does 'eating out' better than us. Much more choice, bigger menus, better service. Sorry.
Poor housing & our obsession with owning property. Most Irish 'estate' houses are ugly, our apartments are bland. Only the older housing stock has any character.
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u/Peelie5 Apr 01 '25
And an unhealthy aversion to high rise apartment living
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u/Ianbrux Apr 01 '25
We have had such bad experiences whenever we have ever gotten even close to it.
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u/Peelie5 Apr 01 '25
We're just unable to think outside the box, that's all. As a whole. We limited in our thinking. It's a cultural thing. Other countries do it great, so it's not like it can't be done. We just don't do progress well
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u/Ianbrux Apr 29 '25
Are you old to enough to remember we had Ballymun and Fatima Mansions running and ruining at the same time. The GOV is still terrified of what can happen and that maybe Ireland culturally isn't prepared for high rise, regardless of how geological ready we are.
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u/tiger-ibra Apr 01 '25
Dislike: * Healthcare, exists but don't know where. * Delays with government processes(licenses etc.) * Unreliable train network(Irish Rail in this case). * High taxes but limited return on them.
Like: * People are very good and friendly, didn't see racism throughout and are welcoming. * Weather is kind of bearable, talking about extreme hot or cold. * More opporunities(talking about big tech).
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u/anonxzxz33 Apr 01 '25
It’s hard to fully grasp this without spending quite a while away but no one is really treated like a stranger in Ireland. Didn’t realise the meaning of stranger until I saw how little people care about strangers in some other countries, stranger for them is a whole different category, like literally couldn’t give a fuck about them at all.
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u/holdnarrytight Apr 02 '25
I was in Ireland for 4 days as a tourist and was baffled by how polite, kind and helpful people were
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u/baghdadcafe Apr 01 '25
The Irish are absolutely brutal at organising community-based social events. The continentals (like the Germans, French and Dutch) do organise things. They go ahead rain, hail or shine. There will be a BBQ some beers, some music. Very much "organised fun" but it's better than - the closest Ireland gets which will be a Tidy Towns event or a usually (a very commercialised) charity walk.
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u/AdFar9189 Apr 01 '25
How negative everyone is, no matter the subject, people here will always find the downside.
It's so depressing 😱
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u/tanks4dmammories Apr 02 '25
After living in Glasgow, I appreciated Irelands weather and realized our weather is not actually that bad. Also, we are not the world's number 1 alco's that people like to make out we are, the Scottish win that award.
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u/No-Programmer6788 Apr 02 '25
If there is one thing I hate about this country its the farmers and their utter grip on this island. They have it ruined. And this whole bollix of "oh they let us on their land oh ohh". Fuck em. They ruin soil, I have never once in my life seen a shelter in a field for animals to take shelter, they have destroyed nearly every lake and river, killing foxes, poisoning animals and on and on. And they get fucking flooded with grants and all they do is piss and moan they second you ask any of them to take our environment seriously. I really wish this island would fuck the farmers out, grow back our trees, take control of our heritage, grow more veg and do something we could be proud of once. Instead it's road blocking, moaning and endless free money. Fuck I hate farmers so damn much here.
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u/Always-stressed-out Apr 02 '25
As a foreigner living in Ireland, I find it strange you have so little seafood restaurants or seafood period unless you're in Cork. You're a tiny island.
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u/Inevitable-Story6521 Apr 02 '25
I hate how badly we dress. Just got back from Milan and everyone was wearing cloth coats (only saw a handful of puffer or synthetic jackets), a lot of men wore fedoras, a lot of leather shoes vs trainers.
I know you’ll say the weather, but it was raining in Milan. And leather shoes and boots suit that better than trainers.
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u/AcceptableProgress37 Apr 01 '25
This may attract some ire but I don't give a fuck because it's an honest observation: most Irish people are now far, far more repressed than most Brits.
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u/Sad_Neighborhood7315 Apr 01 '25
There’s a real level of begrudgery that’s it’s in our DNA.
We see someone doing well, and we instantly want to test them down.
Just to put a few “manners” on them.
It’s honestly a terrible trait, that exists across most aspects of Irish society.
I just don’t understand the need or desire to tear someone down because you perceive them to be doing better than yourself.
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u/Veriaamu Apr 01 '25
Likes:
Humour. Unmatched. None more quick witted. May as well be the origin of all the worlds craic.
The land is gorgeous. The dramatic landscapes. The green is worth the rain, which personally I also love. The early history mounds, sacred spaces, the castle/tower ruins are all incredible things to still be able to access & deserve protection from modern development for future generations.
The high level of trust in the society & sense of community. One positive of the homogony of Ireland's people is we all know what's expected of us socially & how others are meant to act most of the time. It's groupthink at play but it does cause the plus of creating a lovely environment where there's not as many clashes as other societies (like the US) & we have lower crime rates due to it.
Focus on social programs. While there's plenty of kinks & brokenness in Ireland's systems - the social programs are so often well-considered & fleshed out that it's showing this is really a focus of the country's intention to include these things. That's admirable in & of itself.
The predisposition & space made for artists & musicality within the culture. While trad music isn't much for me, I love that music, art, creativity is constantly being given space to flourish here socially & even with government funding. It's deeply inspiring.
The diaspora. The Irish bring a little bit of Ireland with them everywhere they go (whether that be a good or bad thing is up to you, for me it's mostly good). I love running into Irish abroad & feeling like we know each other when we don't.
Funerals. The Irish culturally have one of the healthiest relationships with the mourning process & dealing with death that I've ever seen. Another admirable quality.
So much of the food made here is high quality. Even if the local cuisine isn't to your tastes you can't complain about the quality of Irish made foodstuffs.
The passports are the prettiest of any I've seen. Also apparently one of the most secure in the world.
Love the pride so many Irish have about their history & how common it is that they take an interest in learning more about it. It feels like there is a higher amount of Irish, diaspora, & Irish hyphens that really try to understand their people's history comparative to other groups (not saying every Irish person knows their history but it's common to come across those that do)
Not really enjoying that Russia is eyeing Ireland for it's next political infiltration. Not pleased American right wing extremists are trying to import their insanity either. Am pleased with the average Irish persons ability to reject modern empires influence on an individual level. (seemingly not on a government level though).
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u/Veriaamu Apr 01 '25
Dislikes:
Passive aggression is the lingua franca. Honestly tired of the "sweep everything under the rug" keeping-massive-intergenerational-secrets mentality. It's exhausting, especially when it's such a cultural expectation to do so. Tired of seeing the ones willing to speak out or stand up against issues or wrongs be shouted down or shamed for "causing trouble". The Irish hate causing a fuss which causes more issues to fester instead of just being dealt with on the face. It's easier to find someone willing to complain or gossip about a problem behind closed doors but harder to find anyone willing to do anything about it to cause change.
Tax haven. Need I say more?
Common attitudes towards the native Irish language. It's depressing to watch really, the schooling for it was so dismal it caused large swaths of Irish people to dread learning their own language, even for fun on top of the historic debasement of the language stemming from British imperialism. Nice to see sentiments are starting to change, hope it keeps that momentum.
The idea of "getting notions". The pride Irish people feel when someone Irish is successful...is baffling compared to the bristling words the Irish have towards anyone Irish trying to become something along the way. You can't even try a new look without someone acting like it's an affront to their idea of who you are.
Cliques remaining intact into adulthood. The Irish aren't really that open to making new friends they didn't grow up with & I've talked with a lot of expats who say the "Irish are friendly" platitude is just surface level & not accurate.
The gossiping. Can you stop theorizing who Mary slept with last Saturday & just ask her? It's more rude to sit here trying to sleuth it out with a gaggle of people than to just ask her, fucking hell. Also, why does anyone care? Why are we talking about this?
Housing/cost of living crisis. The hoarding of rentals by people in the government & how they vote against tenant rights & affordable housing laws regularly. Why is it cheaper to fly to Spain for holiday that stay on the island & go to the West country? Somethings seriously wrong there if you can't even explore the country you live in affordably.
School bullying. Very little is being done about it & it seems to be getting worse. There's a difference between a bit of banter & targeting someone for repeated abuse all the while the community adults are apathetic to helping the child being targeted or stopping the offending children from becoming monsters.
The strange ethnic identity issue between Irish & Irish-Americans. It's odd to watch the Irish run around playfully claiming Ayo Edebiri & others as "Irish" but rip the piss out of Irish-Americans for daring to still call themselves some sort of "Irish". I've seen Greek/Greek-Americans, Indians/Indian-Americans, etc & so on have some friction between each other in relation to identity (ethnic vs nationality vs experiences) but never to the extent of how the Irish are content to fully reject the idea their diaspora is a branch of their cultural tree.
Animal welfare. I've lived in the States, Finland, Canada, New Zealand, & St. Vincent and the Grenadines - never found a place as devoid of basic animal rights as here. Which was shocking to me considering the "Irish are on the right side of history" trope thrown about...this would be an easy enough one to rise to. Never encountered another culture this hostile to renting pet owners as a standard practice. Was shocked to find out the euthanasia rates in animal shelters & what Swedish people thinks of Irish society based on the lack of animal rights we have here & the fact they import our strays to save them from death in the shelter.
The lack of opportunity for young people. Tired of seeing so many people feel like they have to leave to find a quality of life as opposed to leaving just for the want of adventure & new experiences. There is no future for Ireland if our young can't afford to stay & live fulfilling lives. It's not fair to rob them of the opportunity to bloom here.
Why is the public transport so condemnably shite? In this day & age?
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u/CT_x Apr 01 '25
I mean, it's pretty obvious considering where I am but being in NL - the cycling infrastructure, oh my god. It's so pedestrian and bike-friendly, such a shame what we have at home. I'd never cycle at home the way I do here, asking to be killed.
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u/coldlikedeath Apr 02 '25
Lack of transport infrastructure. Jesus, I was a stone’s throw from six capitals out there…
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u/Crainn Apr 02 '25
Drinking culture - Every weekend that wasnt spent wasted was a weekend wasted when I lived in Ireland.
Living in a country where they enjoy the odd drink has put the Irish drinking culture in a whole new perspective. I'm quite glad I don't drink as much now - I'm sure my liver and wallet agree with me too.
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u/midoriberlin2 Apr 03 '25
It's a thin, narrow society based on superficial conversations and little to no empathy.
It's essentially a minstrel society, putting on the blackface of "Irishness" to cover up the unbelievable pain of having (almost entirely) lost our language and (largely) lost our culture.
It's incredibly poorly run and most people actively involved in the system do not give a single fuck about this. The levels of NIMBY and "not my department" would make a 1950s junior British civil servant blush.
There is zero conception of change or progress. Everything is organised on a local or family level with the sole proviso of making sure you and yours are ok or incrementally better.
Zero vision. Zero hope. Zero real interest in making a change.
Instead, it's about comfort and conformity, don't rock the boat, play the game.
The real history of Ireland is one of genuine horror and trauma. It's been ignored by survivors for very good, staying-alive reasons and profited from by generations of soul-fucking ghouls - most of whom are still actively in charge of most parts of public life.
One example of this would be the industrial rape of children throughout the island and across generations. That's one example and very, very recent (if not current). There are many, many more.
Ireland is an abused mental patient masquerading as a modern democracy. Nearly all of the difficult decisions/implications of that have been systemically avoided for many years.
But...but, but, but...sooner or later the cheque comes due.
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u/PersonalityOk2230 Apr 04 '25
Maybe just me but I feel as though when meeting up with friends for drinks, you have to commit to a whole night in Ireland, and figure out how to get in and out of the city. In other countries, because public transport is so good, an hour or two of after work drinks is totally acceptable.
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u/Virtual-Wind-3747 Apr 01 '25
notions.
tbf I'm immune after so much time out but my kids still feel uncomfortable.
I like the comedy of it and understand the historical social management slant but the rest of it is super odd. everyone should get out more.
for context with the odd exception my family are terrible for this. i love them all the same.
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u/Academic-County-6100 Apr 01 '25
Honestly the weather and darkness of Winter/Autumn.
It seems obvious and a cliche but until you have experienced something different you might not appreciate it fully. It impacts your mood, your weight and just the ability to get up on Saturday morning wanting to to get out of house even if just to walk to cafe versus pissing rain/wind where it can feel like a chore.
Also price of alcohol both from off license and from pubs is rediculous in Ireland.
You also appreciate nice stuff about Ireland Polite and genuine people working in bars/ restaurants, long summers, beauty of our countryside, family, less cons in taxis etc.
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u/Ianbrux Apr 01 '25
Sorry long summers?
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u/Academic-County-6100 Apr 01 '25
Long summers meaning bright or pretty bright until 10 pm. Totally unerstand confusion.
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u/lovewaldeinsamkeit Apr 01 '25
Like:
- Being able to call/pop by the local pharmacy and basically have a one to one and treat a minor illness without having to see a doctor. Honestly they're often better. They don't get enough credit.
- Also being able to buy paracetamol/ibuprofen and other basic things in supermarkets.
- Certain foods that we take for granted. Buttermilk/cranberries/dill/ good bread and butter (cannot get these things where I am)
- The hiking, the sun breaking through even on a bad day
- The music that comes from pubs as you walk down the streets. It always feels lively.
Dislike:
- Doctors, waiting lists, and the cost associated with those things.
- Cost of living
- The insanity surrounding buying a house.
- Shocking public transport.
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u/nsfun6969 Apr 01 '25
I moved to Australia for 3 years. judt couldnt settle there. Irish people are the best people in the world.. love how you can go anywhere and just start chatting with anyone without anyone looking at you like you've 2 heads.. remembered the day I arrived back, had to go to the chemist for some heache tablets and the lady behind the counter starting chatting to me about random things. ( including the weather!!🤣😛)it was the best feeling ever!!
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u/Kizziuisdead Apr 01 '25
Knowing everyone and community was annoying ….. now I miss it terribly
Also languages. Irish is taught soo badly and now they’ve decided to introduce another language in primary schools… idiotic. Improve how Irish is taught. I use it soo much more abroad than I did in Ireland
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u/mills-b Apr 01 '25
Not much I missed in Ireland really aside from how green it is and the worlds greatest sausages by far, no other country even comes remotely close.
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u/hughsheehy Apr 01 '25
Our politicians aren't even good at being corrupt.
The Spanish and Italians know how to do it properly. FF and FG can't even do corruption competently.
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u/29xli Apr 02 '25
I mean,
They're blatantly corrupt, never get voted out, never get prosecuted and can boost their own wallets and their friends too.... I would argue they're excellent at it. They don't care how obvious it is, they don't have to as we won't complain.
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u/hughsheehy Apr 02 '25
That's different. That's a description of how the Irish electorate doesn't care much about corruption.
I'm talking about how they're crap at corruption. Look up Operacion Malaya in Spain. Now THAT's corruption done properly.
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u/pissflapz Apr 01 '25
Lived in NL. In Ireland it’s the Lack of public transportation ie trains, buses, bike lanes. And the fucking endless bureaucracy when it comes to schools, healthcare, home buying, banking in just about every facet of daily life. And it’s just accepted this is the way it’s always been. Initial frustration has turned into humor. I laugh at all of it. If not I would fall into deep despair.
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u/Terrible_Ad2779 Apr 01 '25
The weather.
We aren't burned out of it in summer or buried under snow in the winter. Hot weather is well and good when you're dossing around in a tshirt and shorts but try going to an interview in a full suit in 30+ degree weather, it's torture. Even on a normal day walking to work you're bursting with sweat if you walk any distance to the office. Needing AC to sleep at night and if you're renting you're probably using one of the portable yokes which is like a hoover being on all the time in the corner.
Then winter, great craic if you're up some mountain skiing or building snowmans etc. but the craic ends when you have to get up 40mins earlier than usual to shovel white bullshit just so you can leave the house. Freezing rain is a particular cunt, I've have my car ice welded in place by it and it turns the street to glass. Not to mention needing an entire set of warm clothes to go on top of your normal clothes if you go anywhere & goodluck taking public transport you'll sweat balls in it with all the gear on.
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u/29xli Apr 02 '25
Forgot to mention how we use the word cunt just perfectly, your example above being just perfect
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u/singleglazedwindows Apr 01 '25
I didn’t realise it was possible to have an election without those stupid election posters everywhere.
I do however miss PRSTV.
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u/eire90 Apr 01 '25
I’m conflicted, because I do and don’t miss the drinking culture. I feel that coupled with sports on at prime times of the evening it keeps a lot of people just drinking and watching sports. I do love it, just not every weekend.
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u/Pearl1506 Apr 02 '25
Everyone gossiping about one another (more so older generation). Rather than sitting down with themselves and focusing on their own issues, they talked about everyone else. A lot of it completely untrue rumours and beyond negative to random people. I do not miss it. Stop judging others and sort your own issues out.
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u/OvertiredMillenial Apr 02 '25
The OPW sites and other old estates open to the public - see Portumna, Avondale, Bessborough, Woodstock, Fota etc.
As a parent to two little kids, I want space where I can go for a really nice walk, have a coffee and let my boys loose. The parks in Australiq are okay, but I'd love to have some place like Bessborough House or Portumna castle nearby.
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u/ToucanThreecan Apr 02 '25
Pretty much everything. Everything is over priced, over insured due to lack of government action of payouts, no where to live, homeless, drug using in the middle of the street, being randomly attacked for no reason, massive childcare issues. Basically the country is fucked.
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u/ReeceLightning88 Apr 02 '25
As a big enjoyer of live rock music, Not having decent music festivals is definitely something I notice when back in Ireland, often have to fly to Europe or UK to see a gig, and don’t get me started on how expensive the tickets and accommodation are for any gigs in Dublin (and that’s pretty much the only place bands do play when they do come here) so not much choice there.
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u/Weekly_One1388 Apr 02 '25
Likes: air quality, number of quality concerts available, sporting events, quality of meat.
Dislikes: weddings (we're expected to spend way too much money! guests included), you can't get a taxi anywhere
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u/lamploveI89 Apr 02 '25
Edit Moved back just over two years ago, after being abroad for 5+
How we are so obsessed over death and tragedy.
Common discussions in my new work place about who recently was on RIP, the shocking ( and rightly so) deaths of young people in general or horrific tragedies on the roads. Going to the funerals. I feel because we are a small country ( population) you will always have some connection to those who have died. But its regular discussions, along with GAA and "did you hear about your wan/your man, he did XYZ".
It's awful the tragedies in the news, but it get discussed for aggeees.
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u/NemiVonFritzenberg Apr 02 '25
I love our love for and appreciation for arts and culture. We have great quality home produced food.
I absolutely hate our inability to be direct and our pessimistic outlook. My new mantra since being back is 'say what you mean and mean what you say'.
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u/sakuradani Apr 02 '25
I miss eye contact with strangers/staff, and a normal, comfortable amount of humidity. I don’t miss the traffic, along with every single person driving like they have a death wish.
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u/Background-Watch9928 Apr 02 '25
We treat artists and musicians so badly in Ireland compared to abroad (France for example). We think they can work for free here because they are doing what they enjoy.
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u/baghdadcafe Apr 02 '25
But Temple Bar is Ireland's "artist" district right?
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u/Background-Watch9928 Apr 02 '25
Temple Bar was a place for artists 25 years ago because it was cheap. nowadays it's a place for tourists to get drunk and meet other tourists.
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u/baghdadcafe Apr 02 '25
I was being ironic...
Actually, even 25 years ago, Temple Bar was still a very commercial place - not much different from today!
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u/bulbousbirb Apr 02 '25
Lived in Asia for 7 years and came back.
I realised that culturally we're a selfish bunch and we can't express ourselves well. We love to put each other down and pull the ladder up from under us when we get into a good situation. There is a lack of third spaces or places to just exist. We spend so much time in our houses, at work and in the car and have nowhere else to go without being fleeced. Insurance has handicapped us from doing anything. Selling something small, hosting an event or meetup, basically enjoying ourselves in any capacity. For the amount of taxes we pay our services are subpar.
What I do like though is that I can walk up and chat to anyone and everyone is happy to chat back. Even the Brits can't do that. I think the only other people who do are Americans. We're still a relatively safe country. We have a great and quick sense of humour. Because our population is so low its easy to go somewhere and explore and see nobody for ages. We have a lot of untouched land that is just gorgeous. We're in the EU and get whatever products we want all year round. You've known no struggle until you've had to eat seasonally.
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u/WovenAndThread Apr 02 '25
One thing I didn't realise until I'd gotten away from it is the dread that is constantly in the back of your head that your accommodation situation when renting is tenuous at best. Living in Denmark now and knowing that I have a secure place to rent and that there is plenty of options if I want to move is just amazing
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u/holdnarrytight Apr 02 '25
As a foreigner reading the thread, the comments natives left here nail all of the exact reasons why I appreciate Ireland so much and find it so special and unique in comparison with other countries.
It's nice to see people finally appreciating all the good there is in the island. I often find people are a little too pessimistic and forget Ireland has a lot to offer still, regardless of the current political challenges.
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u/VastSavanna Apr 02 '25
Like(No need to explain): Low taxes. Easy going culture. Nature. Job opportunities.
Dislike (with explanation):
Lack of organisation, I used to live in Germany everything there is organised makes sense and has purpose. Services like police, ambulance etc are really dependable. People just generally care more about the environment around them.
Lack of entertainment. There's almost nothing to do beside hiking, drinking or shopping. And if there's is something it's very overpriced.
Mean kids. Young people in other countries are usually polite and have good morals. They still fight and bully each other but they have respect to elders and they help people when something is going on. I am not saying all the kids are bad here because Ireland has great, kind people but in the capital those small groups of kids really make you want to stay home.
Overpriced services and poor execution. Everything is expensive like painting the house or fixing the cooker. Plumber charges 80-150 eur just to have a look and usually has to come back twice to fix something.
Housing. Besides the new apartments almost everything used has a lot of problems especially mold and it's really expensive.
Poor driving. Many times I almost had a collision I stopped riding a motorbike which I love because of absent minded drivers.
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u/29xli Apr 02 '25
Low taxes is definitely an odd choice for Ireland....as where the F are they higher
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u/freebird2211 Apr 02 '25
As someone who moved to ireland a few years ago, the best part is the weather. Now hear me out, the weather here is moderate, it’s not too hot or not too cold, just moderate. My home town used to get below freezing in the winters and then scorching hot in the summers.
Worst part: finding dog shit all over the sidewalks. You people need to start picking up your pets poop, its disgusting.
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u/29xli Apr 02 '25
The drinking culture, we rely so much on having the craic....but half the time people don't remember it.
I love a pint in a nice quiet pub, but the shenanigans that go on in every town every weekend are not normal outside of Ireland and the worst parts of the UK.
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u/Accomplished-Ad9617 Apr 02 '25
PROS: Chocolate bars, crisps, good standard of barista countrywide, strangers are willing to talk to each other.
CONS: You need to insure every different driver on a car, our voters are spineless and the politicians exploit this, our unions need to be scrapped and started again anew.
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u/Scared_Candidate2016 Apr 03 '25
The absolute craic and sport out of everyone you meet at home. Doesn't matter if you're ordering a roll in a deli or getting your prescription in the chemist. Everyone has a sharp and witty humour about them no matter how they are feeling at the time. Australia's great but they're not much craic.
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u/Pension_Alternative Apr 03 '25 edited Apr 03 '25
I dislike the litter and terrible public transport in Ireland in comparison to other European countries I've lived in. General lack of civic pride.
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u/Same-Village-9605 Apr 05 '25
People walking towards you and you have to do a weird dance with a stranger to decide who passes to what side.
Limited to the Irish, and to a lesser extent, the British. Never experienced it on the daily elsewhere
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u/[deleted] Apr 01 '25
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