Irish mn'ers, how much can you relate to UK mumsnetters?

[Anotherdayanotherdollar]

I read a lot of different threads on here, and recently I have come across so many issues/practices that I think just don't happen in Ireland. Now, I could be completely off the mark here, obviously there's local/cultural differences everywhere!

I don't know any parents who attend childrens birthday parties with their children (unless family etc),

I'm not aware of any dads who work "compressed hours" to care for their children. Although I know a lot of parents who work opposite shifts I suppose.

Funerals and the culture and practices surrounding death are all very different.

I don't have an abundance of parks/softplay/childrens activities nearby. If I did I'm sure they'd be too expensive to just pop in after school etc. 2 within 40 mins drive of me are €8-10 per hr.

Most children just go to their local school (baptism barrier dependent)

New mums here all seem to be inundated with visitors in hospital after their babies are born. I've never come across a new mum who isn't having visitors for the first week/fortnight etc so that they can bond.

Just a few examples there. So, are these typical observations of Irish people? Or just where I live/work? I know that local amenities are dependent on funding etc but it just seems that despite our close proximity to the UK there are big differences in day to day life.
I hope that all comes across ok. I'm just curious really.

Don't take it personally MrsOD. We're comparing Ireland to England on this thread.
I don't know a lot of French people personally , but know lots of Irish people who allow their kids to take the car out (with only provisionals licences) I think /hope that is changing now.

I agree with the better treatment in France once they know you're Irish and not English idea, experienced it many times. It's a bit odd but there you go.

@Ophelialovescats So you apparently knew some Irish people who used to "let" their children drive alone on a provisional licence (back when they existed) and therefore you are appalled by driving right now in Ireland as a whole. Right. No unreasonable generalisations of a whole country there.

I am Irish and it still goes on (although less so ) and the driving is worse over there in general due to people driving on provisional licenses. My mother never had a test and is still driving. Why are you so defensive about this ?

In fairness to Ophelia the situation that used to exist of it being perfectly fine to drive around in provisionals was ridiculous. We also had a diving licence amnesty of all things a long time (40 years I think) ago which has left some people still driving who never had to pass a test. My Uncle was one of them and we aren't the safer for it let me tell you.

*driving not diving!

I was living there when the driving license amnesty was put in place....... can't remember the reasons for such a rediculiouly dangeous incentive!

Yeah, exactly: it was ridiculous when it used to exist. But Ireland's a different place now from when people drove round on provisionals with no qualms.

It's just another example of some people on this thread giving out about an Ireland of 20, 30, 40 years ago (or whatever). Want to criticise some aspect of present-day Ireland? Go ahead! I'll even join in if I agree. But as has been pointed out by pp, having a go at a present-day country for something that hasn't been true for years is daft. And when it's expressed in an over-the-top manner (being appalled), it's also weirdly needlessly hostile.

Most of this thread has been pleasant and interesting so let's keep it that way

People are still driving around on provisionals.

Unfortunately there are still many young people driving around on provisionals, or so my young adult DC tell me. Apparently it's OK if they don't leave our small town The fact that they are effectively driving uninsured seems to escape them, and their parents.

Sure, some people still drive alone with just a learner's permit (they're not provisional licences any more - rules are different). Some people do the same with provisional licenses in the UK as well, particularly in rural areas. They also do it in many parts of the US.

It's usually frowned upon in Ireland nowadays, though. A bit like drink driving: gardai started clamping down on it years ago and public tolerance has shifted. I know of some cases in rural areas where parents have asked a guard to have had a quiet word with their child where they know they've been driving alone after failing the test first time. That's a big difference from the driving licence amnesty in 1979.

Ophelia - do you mind me asking when you last lived in Ireland? Perhaps you still do but it doesn't sound that way.

Im giggling at some of the comments on here - clearly made by people who have not set food on this island for at least 10 years! You need a fully licensed driver with you on your learners permit these days. Yes there are some people who will take the chance but chancers are world over, not just in Ireland! Nobody I know would let their child drive without a licensed driver nor do I know anyone who has even one drink and drives. We are much more evolved these days.

I'm surprised at how quickly things have changed in regards to health and safety in Ireland, particularly with driving. When I was a kid and used to go to Ireland, my older cousins used to drive without a licence, hardly anyone bothered with seat belts and drink driving was everywhere. Almost daily on the news there was a story of someone dying in a car accident, and I there were several friends of the family who died in car accidents either due to drink driving or not wearing a seatbelt.

Now, they are as strict as anywhere else.

Things have changed loads in terms of facilities and shops as well. When I was a kid the local town where my family lived had a Dunnes, Super Valu and Penneys (before England - we would always go back to England gagging to show our friends our Penneys bargains!) and then tonnes of independent shops. I remember when the tescos opened up in the town it felt kind of weird because I quite liked it having just Dunnes and Supervalu! Now it's got a Next, Aldi, and lots of other shops.

I kind of miss the Ireland of my childhood where the currency was punts and my Granny would press a tenner into my hand, it didn't feel the same with a Euro note!

Things have changed hugely there in my lifetime.

I visit every three months. Lots of kids driving the mother's cars without a license on both urban and rural areas .
I have two teens and two daughters in their 20s....they don't know anyone who drives without a license of their ages here in England.
It's the older people driving (without a license due to the amnesty) that worries me ...my mother is one .
Maybe, we should get a Guard to have a quiet word with her !!!

I am intrigued as to where you visit Ophelia? Because I literally have not seen or heard of anyone driving without a license in a very every long time.

Well, they're not going to announce it on the RTE news, are they ?😂
My niece who lives in Drogheda is a learner driver who regularly pops out to the shops in her mum's car ...alone.
My cousin, whose mother praised her for driving to Dublin from Galway after a gig having had at least three pints ...

Sorry to hear you have so many irresponsible people in your family, Ophelia. It must be alarming.

They're not representative, though.

You do too Mar... you're just in denial 😀💚

You must have really irresponsible family Ophelia - thats shocking to me. Perhaps you could have a word with them yourself and mention how other drivers in Drogheda, Dublin and Galway as these are actually three places I am a regular driver in, are disapointed to hear of their irresponsibility. I would be disgusted if I heard of anyone in my friendship or family circles being so appallingly selfish on the roads.

To clarify for others - Ophelias family are an exception, not a rule thankfully :)

I feel I must add that those young people I know who drive unaccompanied on their learner permits wouldn't dream of drinking & driving, ever. It's not done amongst young people these days. I'm often entrusted with sets of car keys belonging to my boys' friends & wake up next morning to an assortment of bods sleeping on sofas.

The unaccompanied learner drivers though, all of them are from families who you'd think would know better, tbh (including the son of one of our local guards!) and it shocks me. Needless to say, none of my DC were allowed to do so.

So myself and Drama are the only Irish people who know young people who drive illegally in Ireland ...hmmm??

I was shocked by one of my friends who lets her daughter drive to work ( Kildare) on her learners permit because ‘ it’s just on the back roads ‘
To be fair, Irish are much less tolerant of drink driving than my UK friends

Well I, my entire family and all of my friends all of our lives have lived here and not one of us would do it and could not name a single person who does. I am sure it is done, like it is in every country, but it is not something anyone would openly admit to. Not in my circle anyway.

A fourteen year old has just been killed in Donegal crashing a car he was driving .

I wouldn’t think it was that widespread but it definitely happens. But nobody transforms from an incompetent mess to a perfectly safe driver the day you pass your test. And mothers don’t lend their cars to children who are not good drivers. There can be very long waiting times for car tests in Ireland too, sometimes several months. I do think Irish people are more prone to depending on their own common sense than doing things by the book. But no drink driving, that’s a huge no no.
Also I’ve never worked with anyone who had a drink at lunch time. It would just never happen. I’m not sure if it’s common in England or if it’s just over represented on TV.