Anyone who has left Ireland - could you tell me why?

[PhaseFour]

And also, if you have ever regretted it, and what you miss most about your homeland? I constantly fantasise about moving there when the DCs have all left home. I'd be interested to hear people's experiences of why they left - it might temporarily help me to stop fantasising about moving there!

I know. She accused me of gaslighting.

I have name changed for this as I really don't want to be attacked over it.

I left in 2000 after completing my masters degree at Queens. I left because I simply could not take anymore of the mindless rubbish about parades and Drumcree. We lived in a mixed area of Portadown, as my family had done for years, and had the horror of riots, armed mobs, and having our house being broken into by said mob to live through. I have no intention of ever living there again and have not been back since my parents died and only for the very odd visit before that, as they preferred to come here.

@OchonAgusOchonOh no not a teacher. Why do you say that?

Because otherwise it sounds like you have dozens of children and that you're quite fluid in your nationality - "In fact quite a few of my dc have at least one English parent (usually the dad) who moved back here after covid and remote working opened up."

Nope not tons of children! Meant dc’s friends parents. Typo

Moved across the border north for uni, then London a few years later with then bf who I married. Planned to stay a couple of years and it is now 23 years later! I am now divorced with teens, a dog and a massive mortgage so yes now I regret it! Ireland might be expensive but you can get by on far less than a London existence.

My main regret about having kids here is the education system, it is really not comparable (in my opinion) to that back home.

I've made a nice enough life here despite lots of ups and downs, but if I was offered an Irish coastal cottage once my kids have flown the nest, I would bite your hand off!