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?

Oh I like a Guinness the odd time, its handy if the pub has run out of lunches

Just see to see what OP comes back with...cracks Guinness can

Ha ha.

I prefer Murphy's. I rarely drink it though.

Oh do fuck off.

It's ok everyone. I found the craic. It was at the back of the press. So relieved.

Ireland was already becoming a country of grim scolds (or reverting back to form I guess)

OP probably never been to Ireland just a new slant on anti covid measures. We got through years of shite before this. Hardly the biggest adversity in our history.

@UsedUpUsername

Ireland was already becoming a country of grim scolds (or reverting back to form I guess)

We can't all be as cheery as you 😝

@JaneJeffer

It's ok everyone. I found the craic. It was at the back of the press. So relieved.

The press you put the messages away in?

The very one @Fizzgigg

Other posters have articulated my thoughts perfectly.

What an utterly stupid, uninformed post @afternooncuppa

I'm in Ireland. I don't recognise 'Irelands draconian reaction' or that we are 'hell-bent on zero-Covid' (we're not, despite some advocating that). Your cousins shouldn't be afraid to step out the front door - and I doubt they are, but the virus is deadly and recognised as such.

The utter crassness of bemoaning Ireland's lost 'craic' (whatever this is 🤦🏻‍♀️) while we are dealing with a global pandemic.

@JaneJeffer

It's ok everyone. I found the craic. It was at the back of the press. So relieved.

Oh phew

Im Irish and its far from as bad as you think. No matter what happens we always have the craic that'll never be lost

OP, did you never hear anyone Irish saying "it'll be grand"? There was a company doing t-shirts a few years ago, dunno if they're still around.

I grew up in Ireland, and visited frequently before covid. I keep in touch with Irish family and friends via Facebook etc they are fine and all upbeat and positive .I haven't seen any lack of 'craic' god I hate that word, maybe it was just my family / social circle but I've never actually heard an Irish person in Ireland use the word craic. It's all the tourists who say that.

@mummylovesthesunshine

I grew up in Ireland, and visited frequently before covid. I keep in touch with Irish family and friends via Facebook etc they are fine and all upbeat and positive .I haven't seen any lack of 'craic' god I hate that word, maybe it was just my family / social circle but I've never actually heard an Irish person in Ireland use the word craic. It's all the tourists who say that.

Also you can't blame the government for wanting zero covid. That's what we all want

@JaneJeffer

It's ok everyone. I found the craic. It was at the back of the press. So relieved.

Ah jaysus. That prayer to St Anthony paid off!

I can't remember the last time I saw so many cliches crowded into just a few sentences. Irish people don't spend their lives cackling loudly and drinking and doing impromptu Irish jigs. We have, ya know, jobs, kids, responsibilities and stuff. Everybody's just getting on with life as best they can. As usual.

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.

Oddly enough, England has all of this.

What you're missing is called "a holiday".

Of course the restrictions are draconian. I believe some of the strictest and longest in the world, certainly in Europe. It’s funny (but not in a good way) how people in Ireland are disputing that. In terms of misery and loss of craic - compare our Friday night entertainment chat shows - the misery fest that is the LLS compared to Graham Norton. My father lives in NI, I was with him for Christmas and is a news junkie - constantly flicking between BBC, CNN, Sky, euronews. I switched over to RTE News and the misery was like a slap in the face. The OP may not be in Ireland but the other posters haven’t been outside Ireland so perhaps can’t give a view on how draconian our restrictions are compared to others. The only country to ban construction for example (in the middle of a housing crisis). And the 5km restriction my god!

It's not like Ireland hasn't survived other fairly major issues

OP will be bemoaning the lack of 'diddly dee' music next.

Ireland's not a theme park, you know, OP.

It's not O'Disneyland.

Oh give over. We can get all the news channels here too you know.

And don’t even talk about zero covid - which despite what posters are saying here did get a lot of airtime in January/February. Hey guys, let’s shut down the country even more than we are already, say goodbye to your kids going to school before September and oh, when that’s done, look forward to never seeing your (fully vaccinated) family for some indefinite period of time (years presumably). Oh with probably rolling lockdowns as unlike Australia and NZ we are not a landmass miles from anywhere with a land border with the UK. Thank Christ the zero covid chat has died down now it’s clear the people can’t cope with the current restrictions much longer never mind stricter ones. And breathe...I feel better for that rant.

@Puppalicious

Of course the restrictions are draconian. I believe some of the strictest and longest in the world, certainly in Europe. It’s funny (but not in a good way) how people in Ireland are disputing that. In terms of misery and loss of craic - compare our Friday night entertainment chat shows - the misery fest that is the LLS compared to Graham Norton. My father lives in NI, I was with him for Christmas and is a news junkie - constantly flicking between BBC, CNN, Sky, euronews. I switched over to RTE News and the misery was like a slap in the face. The OP may not be in Ireland but the other posters haven’t been outside Ireland so perhaps can’t give a view on how draconian our restrictions are compared to others. The only country to ban construction for example (in the middle of a housing crisis). And the 5km restriction my god!

I’m laughing at the idea that now we’re not able to judge how bad it is because we live in Ireland.

We put up with centuries of that shite from Britain, thanks.

One of our friends owns pubs and restaurants, he's worried about his staff and his debts and loads of things, and even he isn't as pessimistic as you OP. We'll be fine, the craic will be mighty once we're all back outside, like the roaring '20s after the Spanish Flu. I'm still meeting up with friends and family online and we laugh, a lot, I'm looking forward to hugs as well as jokes.