I fear the "craic" is gone from Ireland forever

[afternooncuppa]

Just that really. However, I would love to be told I'm wrong so would love to hear your views.

My parents are Irish living in England and I spent a lot of my childhood and youth there and still visited at least 4 times a year pre-Covid. To me, my heart belongs in Ireland and I was hoping to move there at some point. When I was younger (in my late teens/early twenties) my group of friends consisted of English, French, Spanish and Italian backgrounds and EVERY holiday they always wanted to go to Ireland because the "craic" was so great and could not be matched in their countries. Ireland had everything (apart from the weather) - music, life, bands, dancing, laughing, joking, wildness, patriotism, Guinness, more Guinness and CRAIC. Living and enjoying life to the full.

Now Covid has hit and although it has changed countries everywhere, I can't help but think that Irelands draconian reaction has destroyed the country beyond repair. Not only economically (as everywhere) but the very things they are famous for, the very soul of the place has gone. They seem hell-bent on zero-Covid (which is impossible) and are running the country into the ground to achieve this. My own healthy and young cousins are too scared to step outside the door due to the "deadly" virus (which it is not). I know wet pubs have been shut for about a year with many unlikely to re-open. I've heard of the staggeringly ridiculous actions of the Garda to prevent humans being humans and I despair.

St Patricks Day last week watching old videos on my phone in crowded bars with live music, drink flowing, dancing and craic made me want to cry at the loss of everything Ireland was and the fear it will never return.

Does anyone think it will ever come back?

Unlike you I live in Ireland. I don't recognise the despair you are describing. Ireland's craic will be back, it might take a bit of time but it will. We are a resilient bunch over here.

I don't think the governments reaction is draconian. The craic is still here. We just have to have it in our own homes for now. Once regulations are lifted it'll be back in the pubs etc.

Good grief! That was a grim read.

We will be fine, thank you.

Ireland is more than pubs, live music etc. I suspect there is still more ‘craic’ in people’s homes, on WhatsApp and in chance encounters in the street than in many other countries. Irish people are still Irish.

As someone who actually lives in Ireland, I don't recognize the despair you are talking about.

Not really sure what draconian measures you are talking about. We certainly are not going with a covid free policy either

Your post is very bizarre, and tbh there craic happen on zoom calls then ever.

I have attended many more drunken concerts, meets up, and general mayhem over zooms calls than I have ever done in real life

In what way are the Gardai stopping humans being humans? Must be an alternate universe Ireland your family is living in

What a load of nonsense.

I disagree with just about everything you said op. No one is hell bent on zero covid, the measures are not draconian, and the Gardai are doing a good job under difficult circumstances. Most of us are just getting on with things. There is more to being Irish than packed pubs, and it would take more than a pandemic to knock the craic out of us. This too shall pass, and what a party we will have when the time comes!

OP are you channelling Péig? "Ochon, aren't the good times gone from us!"

Yeah, sure I'm living in a police state with no craic and the government on my back. Give over.

Eh? You don't even live here? What are you basing your warbling on?

Holidaying in Ireland is completely different from living here. If you ever make the move to actually move here I fear the reality won't live up to your romanticised holiday memories and you'll be set for disappointment.

The craic's gone from the entire world at the moment. Even here in Australia where we are practically Covid free 🤨

I think you're being very dramatic, and quite rude to the Irish. They'll bounce back, they always have.

Not at all.

Some pubs will close, sure, I'm thinking the ones in country areas that dobt have a clientele that can just walk to them. But that has been building up for a long time.

But we're like hares in a trap, dying to get loose.

Lockdown wont last forever and then The craic will be mighty!!

Like PPs, I actually live here and don't recognise the country you're describing. Of course things are shit, as they are worldwide - but like everything else, it'll be back.

Another one who lives here and calls BS on those descriptions both of the reality of life here normally and the reality of life now and into the future.

In case facts have a bearing on your view, you should be aware that there has never been an attempt at zero Covid though a small group has lobbied for it since the start.

Your facts and your assessments are full of holes.

How would you know the soul of the place is gone when you are not here?

I think maybe your own "healthy and young cousins" may need to pop their head outside their own front doors and see that life is very much going on in Ireland. Ye we are not in the pub but you know what some of us weren't in the pub pre pandemic and some Irish people do not like Guinness. IMAGINE. Actually Irish people living in Ireland breaking the stereotypes of what all Irish people are obviously like.

Some Irish people also do not like having the craic and I can only assume that your cousins are like this. I have cousins who are as miserable as fuck, they are Irish and have always lived in Ireland, they would suck the joy out of anything but it is ok the rest of the family make up for the miserable bastards.

The guards are doing a great job, they are doing their job, none of them signed up for policing during a pandemic, they are doing what they are told to do like everyone else does at work. I have seen them in action a few times during this shit show and they are always pleasant and respectful to those who are pleasant and respectful to them.

The craic has never left Ireland and it won't. But maybe you should actually communicate with people who do not want to live in doom and gloom.

And as an actual Irish person who actually lives in Ireland I loved Paddy's day this year. The sun was shining all day. We went out for our walk and everyone was dressed in green and so pleasant and happy to see each other. We met friends of ours walking in the opposite direction and ended up talking for nearly an hour and having the craic and then came home made a lovely dinner and completely sober I was proud to be Irish on a wonderful warm and pleasant day with everyone getting on with it. It may not have being what it was in previous years but it was really nice so there is no need for tears for us poor deprived Irish who are afraid to go outside their own house. FFS.

I think you need to give your head a bit of a wobble.

@TheLongRider

OP are you channelling Péig? "Ochon, aren't the good times gone from us!"

Yeah, sure I'm living in a police state with no craic and the government on my back. Give over.

Yeah, we totally collectively have one foot in the grave and the other on the edge.

Ireland had everything (apart from the weather) - music, life, bands, dancing, laughing, joking, wildness, patriotism, Guinness, more Guinness and CRAIC. Living and enjoying life to the full.

Honestly, OP, you do get that Ireland isn't a theme park aimed at purveying commodified craic to tourists, right? Lots of us hate Guinness, and I don't think we're any more given to wildness or patriotism or living life to the full than anywhere else I've lived.

The gardaí are doing their job with as good a grace as possible. No one has ripped the soul out of anything. Everyone's currently bored and pissed off, but that's not unique to here. Friends in Paris to whom I spoke last night are exactly the same. I honestly don't think we need your well-meant concern.

And your cousins sound deeply strange. I don't know anyone who isn't quite elderly or shielding because of an underlying condition who is being anywhere near that cautious. Even my parents (76 and 79) aren't afraid to set foot outside the door, and are going for walks etc.

If anything, I imagine there's more likely to be a slightly mad kickback when restrictions end definitively -- a sort of Roaring Twenties.

Are you kidding? The Irish have been through far, far worse. Get to know your Irish history and you will soon realise nothing pins the Irish down forever. Nobody knows adversity and a good 'ol politically/austerity-driven shit-kicking like the Irish do, OP.
As for the craic, it's in their DNA!
These are hard times. I don't want to diminish the earnestness of that fact. But everyone's going through it. There is another side that we'll collectively reach.

Lots of us hate Guinness, and I don't think we're any more given to wildness or patriotism or living life to the full than anywhere else I've lived.

I was only ever given Guinness on my periods and even that was a bit weird. Guinness is a novelty drink. I have to say, whenever I've been over, I'm never down the pub nursing Guinness with my cousins. I don't even know if I've ever actually had a Guinness in Ireland, come to think of it.

Ah begorrah you forgot to mention the leprechauns who are also currently shielding at the end of their rainbows.
FFS

Jesus wept. What did I just read.

Hard to take this 'assessment' seriously when you don't even live there.

My parents are Irish and I grew up in England, I have a massive affinity for my Irish side. But I know the craic isn't a place or a thing, it's the people and the joy. The craic also exists here, in the ex pat communities. Ireland has endured worse than these lockdowns even in my Grandparents time.

Stay in England then, pubs reopening in May and I feel a few street parties coming on...