How does the Irish middle class compare to ours

[Norfolker]

My sister in law is from the Republic & she says the class system in Ireland is there but less obvious than ours.. Not as many private schools but more subtle markers.
She also thinks their state education system is far superior so private schooling is unnecessary. Any Irish on here want to elaborate? I found it interesting.
YABU there is no difference between UK & ROI. Exact same class system no difference in markets.
YANBU different traits contribute to the Irish middle class system

Yes the school systems are very different and in my opinion and experience of both I think ROI has better education.

Yes good schools. And theres a certain element of 'get off your high horse here'. People tend not to care what class you come from. I have very MC friends if we must call it that. And I'm very wc. Nobody cares really. Unless you're a pretentious prick anyway. But I've met those from all walks of life.

You cant show off what you have here or really 'act' middle class ...if thats a thing. People will just laugh and tell you to get over yourself.

To quote Deirdre O'kane

''The Irish could never produce a James Blunt. If any of us attempted to begin a song with the line ''My life is brilliant' we'd all reply

''Is it? Well we'll soon fuck that up for you'' 🤣

You wouldn't want to be getting notions.

Just came on to say “notions”

Not sure if they’ve the same saying in the republic but in NI if someone is talking about the new car they’ve just bought or the pricey holiday they’re likely to be told “poverty’s hard to hide isn’t it?” We don’t really let people “bum and blow”, they’ll be called on it.

The comments on the Facebook page when Centre Parcs opened in Ireland were utterly hilarious. Lots of notions and "who the f*ck do they think they are charging those prices?!"

Do you actually have any figures on the Irish private school situation? I don't but the Irish professionals I know all attended private schools, so I would have thought it is fairly wide spread.

Did a bit of googling, and apparently 30% of Trinity College Dublin's intake is from a private school background: www.universitytimes.ie/2020/01/fee-paying-students-are-three-times-more-likely-to-attend-top-universities/

So I doubt Irish state schools are utopian.

@jamesfailedmarshmallows

The comments on the Facebook page when Centre Parcs opened in Ireland were utterly hilarious. Lots of notions and "who the f*ck do they think they are charging those prices?!"

To be fair, I was quoted €5000 for a week in Longford Centre Parcs. I could get a week all inclusive, including flights in Spain for €3000. Their prices are ridiculous.

€5K to stay in Longford? Fuck that, I'd rather shit in my hands and clap

@tttigress

Do you actually have any figures on the Irish private school situation? I don't but the Irish professionals I know all attended private schools, so I would have thought it is fairly wide spread.

Did a bit of googling, and apparently 30% of Trinity College Dublin's intake is from a private school background: www.universitytimes.ie/2020/01/fee-paying-students-are-three-times-more-likely-to-attend-top-universities/

So I doubt Irish state schools are utopian.

70% are from state schools then? Seems good to me!

So I doubt Irish state schools are utopian.

Who said they were utopian?

I have a few family members who went to Pres or Christian Brothers for some or all of their schooling. But i think it’s harder to compare state education between Rep of Ireland and England because the focus seems to be so different - much less statutory testing, marking, inspection. Having relatives who have taught in both places, they seem worlds apart (with the Irish system seeming much better!)

Irish people are a class of their own!

I find the way you talk about 'class' on here really strange . People just don't do that in Ireland. You would be laughed at !
In fact when I read threads on here such as 'what class am I if I shop in M and S ?' etc. I am always waiting for someone to come along and take the piss totally but it doesn't happen !!

Tbf Trinity college is considered fairly elite, so isn't necessarily a good example. My dc go/went to UCD and consider Trinity as being very posh. There are a lot of private schools in Dublin, where Trinity is located, if 70% of such an elite university's students come from state schools, surely that shows how good the state schools are?

Poptart4 were you one of the commenters? 😁 Loads of people were saying they could get xyz in Spain for the same price, people were genuinely aghast and were tagging others to come along and berate CP. A few people said they had stayed and really enjoyed it and people were jumping in saying they thought they were above others and needed to know there station. I've never, ever seen such outrage 😂

Well they pretend there isnt a class thing but I have family who are D4s and I can tell you theres definitely an irish middle class and its just as nauseating, with a little added Avoca thrown in

*their

I find the way you talk about 'class' on here really strange . People just don't do that in Ireland. You would be laughed at!

Exactly!

The state school may not be utopian but there really is less of a gulf between state and private. The top school (in University league tables) is almost always state.

I don't know about Ireland, but I don't think Mumsnet is a good indicator of what class means to people in Britain... I mean, no one really talks about class here in real life, do they? It's mainly a Mumsnet thing, ime.

I don't think the middle class exists any more in the UK. We are a big amorphous working class with a 2% ruling class - the owners of global corporations etc.

Do Brits like anything about this country? Or is everything bad and the grass is greener elsewhere. Is there ever a reason to say the something is better in this country than elsewhere?

Well they pretend there isnt a class thing but I have family who are D4s and I can tell you theres definitely an irish middle class and its just as nauseating, with a little added Avoca thrown in

Ah yea we all know a few of those pretentious D4's. But I still know a few who are normal lovely unpretentious people.

And I'm very working class and shopped in Avoka for some xmas crap🤣