Irish in Ireland AMA

[SrSteveOskowski]

Following on from a Dane in Denmark, I'm Irish, living in Ireland AMA

Planning for private homes is a pain in the arse. Apparently you'll get rejected just for having white PVC windows now.

Business would have different planning regs though and would be big employers so it might be more relaxed there.

Taytos "taste good" because they're packed with MSG ...

I met an Irish woman who lives in northern Ireland who kept talking about "southern Ireland". I was surprised as I thought you are supposed to say Republic of Ireland, and that "southern Ireland" causes offence. Is "southern Ireland" a term that Irish people can use, but not English people? Or was she odd?

I grew up opposite the Cadbury’s factory and the Tayto factory in Dublin. My mum worked at Cadbury’s for a year or so. Good friend’s mum across the road worked at Tayto. We were sorted for both!

E621 is monosodium glutamate (MSG)

I was devo when I realised

HopelesslydevotedtoGu - North/South and Northern/Southern are routinely said by people all over the island, without anyone batting an eyelid, but will send some of MN into a froth

Can you send me over a rake of Golden Crisps?

Is it true that the dark almost black hair of some Irish women is traced back to Spanish sailors who were marooned following the Battle of Trafalgar and who later assimilated with the locals?

3. Why do staff not approach you in bars to serve you (it seems like you need to shout your order at least twice before they take you seriously)?
You have to shout Howrya first.

Yes there is a Spanish and Portuguese element around Cork. I only learned that recently.

Rake of Spanish blood round Galway too. Fairly diluted now though.

Is it true that Vikings settled in Donegal?

My DM claimed that when she had previously been to Donegal (in the 1930s!) she had seen people who looked like they had Viking ancestry.

She meant the town not the county.

I think @Pishogue has answered a few questions for me :)

@Iamdanish, weather wise I'm afraid there's never a 'best time' to visit, but come in July or August and the rain will be warmer
The best of us? Well, we are a friendly nation and will pretty much talk to anyone.

@zod1ac19, the border with NI is probably the biggest concern here about Brexit

@x2boys, I have indeed been to Skib. West Cork is a lovely part of the country. Tell you Dad to have a look on YouTube for the Irish comedy series "The Young Offenders", based in Cork.

@MeInGeneva, oh yes. I just can't get my head around the fact that so many people don't undestand that we're an entirely separate country and don't even get me started on people who say "Southern Ireland". Unless you're talking about Cork or Kerry, there is no such place as "Southern Ireland"
Agree on the whole Prime Minister thing too, but worse again is hearing Leo Varadkar referred to as "The Irish Prime Minister". I mean we don't call Teresa May "The British Taoiseach"

@AI203, no idea about the German community I'm afraid
Yes, Fungi is still alive and kicking (or flipping I suppose) but personally I suspect that current Fungi could be the great grandson of original Fungi.
We have a more relaxed approach in bars here
"Bogtrotting" is a (slightly offensive) term used to describe a country person. I'm a culchie myself.
What do I do at weekends? Well tonight I'm going to a 40th birthday, so I have to head out shortly and get a birthday present for the birthday girl.
I grew up near a small village which was rumoured to have a bit of dogging going on in an isolated carpark. I wouldn't call it mainstream though
Planning laws for a private dwelling are a pain. I don't know about commercial premises, but I'm sure many brown envelopes have changed hands!
Re: the Spanish sailors, it's believed to be from when the Spanish Armada ran aground off the Irish coast. The descendants are sometimes known as "The Spanish Irish", most prevalent around the Cork area.

@Panicatthebistro, my Irish friend in Newcastle informs me that 'proper taytos' appear in Poundland every so often.
Present day Donegal has what is believed to be a Viking settlement.

@HopelesslydevotedtoGu, yes, she was odd. Very odd

@Iamandler a 'rake' of Golden Crisps is the only measurement!

Great questions. Keep 'em coming

Best time weather wise?
The first week of June is glorious. As you know there are an ancient traditions of human sacrifice to appease the gods worldwide. In Ireland, we have a similar custom of sacrificing 18 year olds to the Leaving Cert exams.

Are people resentful of the many Brits who are suddenly formalising Irish citizenship

Sure we know that most people are really Irish anyway.

Is it an Irish thing to talk in circles and not get to a point or is that just my family. I have lived in UK so long I assume I have been influenced by this culture. I notice a certain discomfort when I asked direct questions and more discomfort when I try to pin down an answer.

Also what do you think of us folk that moved overseas and when we return our accents are a bit diluted.

@Ancailinalainn, yes, the first week in September is also a good time to visit. As the kids go back to school then naturally the sun will be splitting the rocks

@jewel1968, both my mother and MIL definitely do the talking in circles thing.
I think the accent depends on the person. My friend is in New York for almost 20 years now and still has a strong inner city Dublin accent. My cousin moved from Ireland to the UK to go to college, Went in September and came home at Christmas with the strongest English accent ever.
We'd knocked it out of him by Stephen's day ;)

When I first came to UK nobody could understand me cos I spoke too quickly. I deliberately slowed down my speech and then everyone thought I was American or Canadian... My kids think I have very Irish accent.

Are most Irish people superstitious? My ex MIL comes from Cork and she had superstitions for everything lol

@Sauvignon, no not really. What superstitions did your ex MIL have?

Have you left the immersion on?

@Dbrook

When I first came to UK nobody could understand me cos I spoke too quickly.

I suggested people might want to speed up their mental processes by doing a few star jumps if they struggled to keep up.

Ah now we had a gorgeous summer last year but I think that only happens every 50 years or so. Yes we speak very fast, especially in Cork but honestly i have cousins who live in London and I can't understand them because of how quickly they speak. Our conversations are great, it should come with subtitles

My English friend was staying with me last year for a few days. She's been here lots but still thinks we talk too fast.
One evening we were in the sitting room and the 6 o clock news started. Michael Healy Rae appeared and my friend just said there completely confused, turned to me and asked me what language he was speaking. Ah, that'd be English

She nearly combusted the night the O' Donovan brothers (the Cork rowers) were on Graham Norton