Calling all rep-of Ireland Mumsnetters!! Main differences between Ireland and UK??

[Neighbour1]

Just that really, posting here for traffic!

What are the main differences that you can see, about lifestyle, wages, attitudes, work, education, people?? In general I can see a few on here so thought I’d ask, as the two countries are so close (and were once 1) there seems to be a lot of differences!!

Phew curlywurly 😆

vbt2 If there’s no post code then the postie knows every house they deliver too 😁

Thanks, DaftHannah (apt). I do know my history, which is more than can be said for you it seems (all copied and pasted from this page). Ireland became republic in 1949. Do you dispute this?

We now have Eircodes, which is brilliant as couriers no longer have any excuse for not knowing exactly where my house is located.

I'm in a rural village, with no house numbers or names. The postman knows everyone and once delivered a package for my neighbour's dog.

@okpedro I know, but how do they know in the sorting offices? It’s just too mind boggling for me. My ILs live in a big town but somehow everyone always seems to know “oh yes, tiny purely residential road of no repute whatsoever, on the outskirts, of course I know it.” How????

Magic vbt2 magic

dafthannah I have no idea what your point is regarding the non existent ROI (at that time) sending condolences to Germany on the death of hitler

The food is better in Ireland, people will not accept frozen veg!! Ireland has the "baby bowl" which is usually mashed potatoes & veg/gravy, often given free for babies.
The majority of Irish appreciate all that come to Ireland & work hard to provide for their families.
Work experience is part of school & most are expected to volunteer in the community.
Your local gaa/soccer club is part of the community & is involved with all the local schools, senior citizen groups, health & wellbeing etc.
School holidays are end of may for secondary & end of june for primary.

With regards to sport, everyone in the community gets involved. If the county or local team are playing gaa, rugby or soccer you will see flags on cars, kids wearing the jerseys & business's putting up posters etc, I love that community feel.

Time seems a much more flexible issue in Ireland.

I do remember going to my Irish cousin's wedding in convoy, the groom leading the way. We were tight for time in the first place so when the first car pulled into a pub car park, I assumed there was some sort of problem. Not at all, they'd just stopped in for a quick half. My English DH was outraged.

My DF's family used to stress my English DM because coming for 'lunch' would mean any thing up to 5pm. One time, they caught us out by actually arriving at 1pm and absolutely nothing was ready. Not even started.

My DF loves to sit around the dinner table for hours, chatting about people he knows, the neighbourhood, the state of the world, old stories from his country childhood. My DM is up and away almost immediately, doing 'busy' things, can't see the point in all the talking.

I’ve noticed as well, in Ireland - if you announce you’re leaving you can’t just say a quick goodbye and be on your way. The leaving process involves maybe 20 - 30 minutes of backing towards the door whilst trying to finish your conversations

ROI don't have postcodes!! (Well some are being brought in but it's pretty recent) i have no idea how anything gets delivered and it confuses sat navs lol

That's so true about the goodbyes ethelfleda. With one group of friends in particular, we'll all do the extended goodbyes, hugging etc in the restaurant. Then leave and realise everyone's parked in the same direction and do the same as we reach each car in turn.

The Americans have a phrase the Irish Goodbye which makes me laugh - it means sneaking off without saying goodbye to anyone. Couldn't be less Irish if it tried.

I think the Irish goodbye is what you do if you really need to leave and don't have a spare hour to do the usual goodbye ritual so you sneak away instead.

If there’s no post code then the postie knows every house they deliver too

Postcodes in the U.K. don’t tell you the house number. Just the street. So without a house number the postie in the U.K. would still have to know who was in every house.

Rural Houses in Ireland don’t seem to have numbers the same way as the U.K. though so in that respect, the postie would have to know who was in the house. But that’s nothing to do with postcodes, just house numbers.

Some of these are true and some are gold as a generalisation but as Irish people we suck it up cos we just cannot be arsed getting offended by things that are directed at our entire nation! I was born and dragged up in Ireland and sometimes reading threads like this I wonder did myself and my friends/family have different upbringings than others but then I realise it is just an 'outside looking in' scenario. It gives me a giggle :D

I live rural Ireland and we all got given postcodes a few years ago but they are never used. Even official letters to us don’t have them on. We also don’t have the name of a road or a house number, just an area or district.The postman only knows where to deliver because of our names.

Every restaurant that isn’t cuisine specific (Eg Chinese) in Ireland will contain one or both of: 1) Caesar Salad 2) bowl of soup accompanied by home made brown (soda) bread.

@JudefromJersey

Likewise, every family 'do' or catered family event will serve lasagna and Thai green curry. Dems the rules!

Likewise, every family 'do' or catered family event will serve lasagna and Thai green curry. Dems the rules!

LOL So true.

I'm Irish, lived in London for 24 years and now back in Ireland.
There are fewer people here so easier in post offices, shops, train stations and roads as fewer if any queues.
Teaching here is a million times better.
It feels more integrated class wise.
I find more casual racism in Ireland ( I had to conduct a nation wide survey type thing on this).
I find Ireland is just more relaxed about everything. Work is means to an end .
It is easy to get top end crafts people and services ( plumbers etc) as everyone knows everyone.
I find the Irish more anti English than vica versa ( I hear terrible things and I always pick people up on it ).
I'd rather grow old in Ireland.
The welfare system is remarkable in Ireland generous and easy.

I have NEVER seen a that green curry at an Irish family do! This must be a modern thing. Lasagne and coleslaw - oh yes!

I have to point out that the UK is not a country. It also drives me nuts when people talk about the UK and England interchangeably. Many points already made about the UK are only relevant to England, e.g someone said uni fees were £9000, they’re only £1800 in Scotland and the Scot gov will pay this for you in most circumstances.

I'm moving to Scotland. Or sending my 20 year old there.

Thai green curry? Notions. Ham sandwiches more like.

Never ever seen a Thai green curry at a "do" here, sausages, goujons and sandwiches with chicken curry if it's a hot buffet.

Remember when you'd get a chicken curry in the nightclub as part of your entry fee? Good times.

We have eircodes (post codes) here and they are definitely being used more frequently here