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.

English people say 'wake' to refer to the reception after a funeral service. We use the term to refer to the body being in the house before the funeral, with all the visitors coming round to pay their respects.

Slynetylor are you seriously suggesting any of those reasons are justifications for driving uninsured?

You must live a very sheltered life Jasper, either that or you are not accepting a very well known fact because you don't want to be wrong....but it is dangerous and very , very sad that do many young people die in Ireland due to this .

I can honestly say that I know nobody who drives unaccompanied on a learner's permit, neither locally to me nor in my wider family. I used to know people years ago who did it, but not now. It's just not socially acceptable.

Of course, I don't know the whole country, and I'm sure there are Healy-Rae-alikes around who see nothing wrong with driving around with no license or insurance. But they're gobshites. And everyone I know would call them such.

No I’m not saying they are justifications. I’m saying the new rules for unaccompanied drivers are very new. The insurance is still a grey area. When the new law came in, you were still insured if you drove unaccompanied. It seems to be not so clear now. It is true Irish people are less law abiding abidibg than English people. They tend to go by their own moral compass than follow rules.

What I find sad is your low opinion of a country you used to know Ophelia

These threads always end up being hijacked by people who haven't lived in Ireland in donkeys years insisting that everything is terrible and nothing has changed since the days of Bosco. I don't know why. There must be a reason? It must be really important? Happens on every single Ireland thread. Is the object to put people who have chosen to stay here back in our box? Or is it a reluctance to believe the world you left isn't just waiting preserved in Amber forever?

I think lots of things have changed for the better in Ireland, equal marriage rights, having a young, gay, prime minister of mixed heritage and of course the 8th amendment having been repealed. A great triumph!!
But , the plain fact that you can't ignore is that of the non licenced drivers and elderly drivers who never actually took a test due to the amnesty. It makes the roads more dangerous!

people who haven't lived in Ireland in donkeys years insisting that everything is terrible and nothing has changed since the days of Bosco

This!

I must start using "since the days of Bosco", actually. It's brilliant! For example, I haven't had salt'n'vinegar minichips since the days of Bosco. I haven't seen a nun on a bike since the days of Bosco.

But , the plain fact that you can't ignore is that of the non licenced drivers and elderly drivers who never actually took a test due to the amnesty. It makes the roads more dangerous!

Well that's not necessarily true. Granted, its unlikely that they all would have passed a test first time etc, they'd have had plenty more chances and driving experience in the past 39 years since the amnesty!

I'm not condoning it. I don't know anyone who does it but most likely because I don't know anyone that has started driving in recent years.

My sons are 22 and 20, both have full driving licences and never drove without someone with a full licence when they had learner permits. Same with their friends who drive. We live in a city maybe that's why we don't know any young person driving unaccompanied on a learner permit but I've got a lot of young nephews and nieces who live in the countryside who are the same.

The gardai have been clamping down on unaccompanied drivers on a learner permit big time in recent years especially in the last year or two. Car owners who give their vehicle to an unaccompanied driver on a learner permit face prosecution and may have the vehicle seized.

Donegal is known for having the worst drivers in the country, even mechanics advise people not to buy secondhand cars with a Donegal reg.

Most of the drink drivers are older people.

People in England drive without a licence or on a provisional. Some people drink drive and break the speed limit. Some of them steal cars. It's really not just an Irish thing. It's a selfish bastard thing.

The baby name choices of (probably) UK Mumsnetters.
If some of those names were used in Ireland people would think ' they'd lost the run of themselves altogether with their notions '
To quote a Grandaunt ' Do they think by giving a fancy name to the child they'll put breeding into her ? '

"People in England drive without a licence or on a provisional. Some people drink drive and break the speed limit. Some of them steal cars. It's really not just an Irish thing. It's a selfish bastard thing."
^ this
I'm reading this and going happens in the Uk too, I'm pretty sure it happens in every other country too, some people are just idiots and feel the law doesn't apply to them around road safety.

It is less of an issue in England. The police are striker here. I am pleased to read the Guards are upping their game in Ireland. We just wish our mother was not on the roads!!

Ophelia which england are you living in? Im very sorry but drink driving esoecially is a massive problem here. I would actaully say its bigger than the issue in ireland i certuanly here more about it in england than i do in ireland.

Joy riding is a massive issue in some cities in the uk.

Im glad the police are strict where you live its not something you can say isnt a massive problem though

My daughters don't drive , they bike every where. One was fined for not having a light on her bike once, about two years ago....she never went out without one again!

So you've some how extrapolated that to say drink driving and driving without a liencence doesn't happen in the uk.

Here are some uk statistics

Drink Driving Statistics. • On average 3,000 people are killed or seriously injured each year in drink drive collisions. ...

In 2016 A total of 69,353 currently have penalty points despite having no licence. Points are issued to drivers convicted of motoring offences including speeding, failing to stop at a red light, and drink driving.

So your telling me in fact all of us that Drink Driving and driving without licences aren't a problem in the uk, just cos your daughter was fined for not having her lights on her bicycle, rather bizarre logic

And that's just the people who are caught driving with no licence i.e. Those who are committing another motoring offence while having no licence

So...are you saying drunk driving offences and people driving without licenses is a bigger problem in England?

My point about my daughter being fined for not having lights was to illustrate how well policed we are in my area .

" I hope the laws have tightened up but I remember young people driving their parents' cars with only a provisional license and , in some cases, not having had any lessons at all. "

well that happens in Wales too, tbh, with farmers' kids and quadbikes, and their parents' old cars. You only get away with it if you have a really rustic hat.

Yes and the actual statistic prove how much it's equally a problem in the uk. You seem to think it isn't a problem in the uk and your trying to use it to bash Ireland ophelia which is why I asked which England you were living in. The statistics are as bad in the uk.

It doesn't matter that your daughter got fined, it doesn't prove your point, the statistics do prove mine and every one else's thing it's not an Irish thing it's a selfish dick head thing

Stop letting the opinion of a stranger on an internet forum annoy you 😀

I hope I don't offend anyone here by saying this, but I find that a lot of British people are VERY frugal. I have a relative in the UK who is a millionaire with several businesses. He picks up receipts that others have discarded to claim against his taxes. I just looked at him one day and did a WHAT???

Irish on the other hand can't stop spending to make others happy. Well just my obs.

ophilia im not annoyed by your opininion in fact you give the impression that our opinion and the fact we disagree with you and the fact that statistics back our opinion up annoys you.

So take your own advice