Question About Southern Ireland..........

[Frankendooby]

Haloo.Just wanted some opinions fro people who have moved to Ireland to live and of course fom people who are Irish and have lived,do still live here.Opinions on the Politics,Laws,Education,Work etc.
I moved here from the UK and although i used to visit lots to see family I find living here extremely difficult in many ways.Just wondered how others have found it.Thanks in advance

ExpatYes we do try things...better to give it a go.I actually feel loads better having ranted and not been given a hugely hard time by you allNow I am remembering what i love about being here.The peace,the Angelus,the sea,the green!The fields...the way the people in shops remember you.How you can spend more than 5 mins in with the doctor.How nice people are to kids.............etc

2004 and 2006 weigh heavy on my mind Skerrymum.

exactly, rosa! plenty of us feel that way about our native lands.

but you move on and look elsewhere, you know?

negative energy is only good for you in that it's strong enough to affect change.

Is that right? about Bundoran?

It must be a right few years since we went there though. We used to stay in a caravan park & sneak out the window when mam & da were sleeping!!

it's when the cons outweigh the pros that it's time to start doing some hard thinking.

there's good and bad about all places, after all.

i don't know anythign about ireland, having only been there once a few years ago and just for a visit.

but if i felt the way you do about scotland, i would know it's time to move on, although that is painful, yes.

But you do have have sometimes specify that it is the Republic you are talking about, watling, as opposed to the North. Firefly is in Ireland too but she has better roads and and free GP so I do think you have to occasionally make the distinction. I would normally just say Ireland in normal conversation.
Franken, it all falls into place when you say you want a job in the public sector!That is a minefield all right! TBH am shocked that an experienced paed nurse can't get a job here, that is disgraceful! We need nurses! Can you do any training to make up for the lack of hours in the UK or is that a lost cause?

and the alternative to Bertie is?

aren't the GaelScoileanna independent too?

But I will say that I would give a lot for a really good pint of Guinness. You cannot drink the stuff here in England. I had one or two lovely pints on Sherkin Island in August, almost makes up for Bertie.

i'm not irish, but my feeling is that no amount of convincing will make a person love a place.

fuck, my parents offered me a free house in my native city.

but i'd be miserable there. living in a caravan here would be more of a home to me than a big ol' house there.

Rosa, nobody on Mumsnet ever seems to get to see the GP when they want to! And I base my knowledge of the UK entirely on MN!

My niece goes to a GaelScoil - seems just as religious as the National School if not more so.

I moved from the UK to Dublin 10 years ago.
I think things do change when you have children when you are an immigrant no matter what country you move to. You are away from your own family, old friends, support etc and that can be difficult.
This is obviously made easier though if you have good new(ish) friends, helpful in-laws etc.
I have really enjoyed my life here, some things do frustrate me but maybe some things would frustrate me in the UK as well.
I'm quite honestly not that interested in politics so those things don't get to me.
As for the dr's fees - I have to pay e65 hee in Dublin!
Oh and if I have to have another rant I Just don't understand the private healthcare system here at all. You pay thousands for having a baby on private but wait hours for each appt, have to fight tooth and nail for a private room (even when very sick) and have no guarantees that your obstretitian will be there at the birth. Why bother paying?

Chipmonkey - I am not telling them the address of my GP's surgery then, or I will never get an appointment either.