Irish in Ireland AMA

[SrSteveOskowski]

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

I read that many years ago.

@Peridot1, don't worry, you're not alone. We're all still having nightmares about Peig

I'm laughing at ''do your parents have rip.ie as their home page! you're killing me.

Is their a British equivalent?

"Sean bhean is ea mise anois go bhfuil cos léi san uaigh is an chos eile ar a bruach."

Name that book?!

Fucking Peig.

"This was my miserable life. Nothing happened except people died and I washed their bodies and I wish I died too. Oh well, shit happens I suppose"

@deadringer, you're right. I was told I had a 'strong Irish accent' in the UK. I don't! But when I was in the USA I was complimented on my British accent. This was Florida. I don't know if they're more clued in in other parts.

I'd have gladly given her a nudge Constance

Why can’t I sit on the comfy sofas in the lounge when I visit?

Op can you speak for the entire nation and tell me where (as an ethnic minority person) would be nice to visit? Good wifi, nice views are my requirements. Thanking you in advance

Thanks, Derxa. I will look out for it.

Soundings was a fine book. DH can still recite both Thomas Kinsella poems, and my version of ‘Inniskeen Road: July Evening’ would draw tears from a stone.

And I kind of enjoyed Peig. I’ve aleays suspected a racier subtext (were all those times she nipped off home from her cailín aimsire jobs because her ‘health had gone back on her’ actually pregnancies? Did Cáit Jim actually pretend to be a double amputee so she didn’t have to send Peig the fare to the US?) and my copy, which was about tenth-hand, had Peig wearing a Hitler moustache, devil’s horns and a lacy garter.

LOL Elspeth

@ElspethFlashman, may the devil make a ladder out of your spine

There is nothing scarier than a bit of direct translation from Peig.

I'm outing myself but I knew Peig's granddaughter. I thought she must be her great granddaughter but no, at about 46 she is Peig's GD. Lovely looking woman as well. Good genes. :-p

Laughing at the tenth hand copy of peig with a lacy garter and a hitler mousstache.

I want a copy of soundings. I might order myself a copy.

What is it about drinking milk with a roast dinner? Or is that just DHs family? Bacon and cabbage.... Yum yum.

Why do Irish people say 'bye' a million times. I love Ireland. Going Waterford /Cork border this week.

Thanks for that SrSteve, I wouldn't have thought of asking a local I'd never met to look it up for me! I'd forgotten about how friendly and generous Irish people are. Maybe I could make a wee donation to the church (or organise a delivery of a nice bottle of whiskey....), if the priest did help me out.

'bye bye bye bye bye bye bye'.....definitely a thing with us Irish.

because anything less would sound curt LOL.

@SeaweedDress Someone gave me a copy of the re-released Soundings book. It was a lovely thought as I’ve been living abroad for many years now so it’s nice to have something tangible from my teenage-hood —though it was the bane of my fucking life at the time—.

Like your DH, I adore the Thomas Kinsella poems. Austin Clarke’s The Lost Heifer is probably one of my favourites. The idea of a free Ireland as a lost cow obscured by the mist actually makes me a bit sniffly in these Brexit days.

Ugh, strike through fail.

@CountessConstance, I remember trying to mentally translate it into English. "I am an old woman now, with one foot in the grave and the other on its edge.
I think we'd all have given her a nudge @Elspeth!

@Redskyandrainbows67, of course you can sit on the sofas in the lounge. They're reserved specially for visitors. It's the people living in the house that aren't allowed sit on them. Now if you really want to blend in though, say 'couch' and 'sitting room' instead of 'sofa' and 'lounge' ;)

@wizzywig, I really don't think there's anything to worry about as someone of an ethnic minority. Ireland has a huge amount of people living here now from all races and creeds, mostly Eastern Europe, Africa and Pakistan.

Co Kerry is a beautiful part of the country. The scenary is absolutely spectacular. Wi Fi will be fine in most parts, but maybe may a bit more difficult out around West Kerry, basically the further towards the coast you go. If you're on Instagram, just put #Co Kerry into the search box and it will thrown up loads of amazing photos for you. Tralee and Killarney are the two main towns in Kerry, and it's easy to explore from either of those bases. Lots of beautiful beaches too.

@SeaweedDress, lol @ Peig in Hitler moustache, devil horns and most of all, a lacy garter!

@DuchessOfPhysics, is Peig's grandaughter in Ireland? I think with the exception of one, all of her children emigrated to the States.

@Teanocoffee, drinking milk with dinner is definitely a thing, No just your DH's family. You heading down around Youghal for the weekend?

Sorry, hit enter too soon.

@Tolleshunt, Castletownbere does indeed have a website. www.castletownbere.ie, and there's an option to 'contact us' on the drop down menu, so give them a shout. One of the committee members is called Deirdre Harrington believe it or not. You might end up talking to a distant cousin!

Her's my copy of Soundings. Much loved and battered to death. An original 1969 copy. Was about 10th hand when I got it too.

I've been rooting around for my copy of Peig, but I can't find it. I'm sure it's around somewhere. It's the one with the wine cover.

For the love of all that is holy SrSteve leave it where it is!

OP do you have any favourite UK accents? I'm partial to a NI accent (father hails from Belfast) and I speak to an Irish customer daily on the phone - his lilting tones make me all sleepy and happy

Ps I know you all have different accents in Ireland but I can't tell the difference

Speaking of Tralee... the Rose of Tralee. Now that was fascinating viewing when I was last over.

My FIL gleefully informed me there’s a competition held here (Yorkshire) to be a Rose. Sadly I couldn’t qualify as I don’t have a ball gown or a special skill

I looked her up on facebook and she lives in America now but she grew up here. She could have been pretending to be Peig Sayer's grandchild but it seems a strange thing to pretend given how UNpopular Peig was at school.