Ireland - Residents and tourists share your thoughts.

[Vivian Campbell]

I’m looking for some opinions on Ireland from anyone who has visited or lives there. How is the culture, the people, government style, taxes, etc? I ask this because I am thinking about experiencing life outside of America, for a while, after I graduate college within a year and half. Ireland is the country I’m most serious about because I suck at any language that isn’t English, and I am of Irish ancestry. My grandfather was actually forced to leave the country for his anti-English activities during Ireland’s struggle for independence. It would be kind of cool to be the first of my family members to return to my ancestral birth place. Any way, I’ll shut up now.

[Fabulous Shadow]

I went there for a month some years back. My husband is from Ireland so we went back to visit family and toured the coast. It is a GREAT place to live if you can handle the slower pace of life. The people are much nicer than the ones I have met in the states. Life is much more "LAID BACK" and they definitly take care of their people better than they do here, which is one reason my husband never became a citizen here. It's a totally different lifestyle tho. Just last week Ireland was voted the BEST place to live in the world so that ought to tell you something. Just stay out of the North if you can because that is where the troubles usually arise.

[FORD]

I thought Vivian Campbell WAS Irish? :confused:

[Fabulous Shadow]

Viv... Don't get fooled by the language. Most likely if you go, you will have a hard time understanding them too. Not to mention that they have some very odd slang and many things have different names there... here is some examples...

Chips here are potato chips, there they are French Fries, potato chips are called crisps.

A lolly pop here is candy on a stick, there it is a popsicle. A lolly pop is called a sweet.

Over here you may order a ham sandwich, there it is a ham bap.

Here we say "Get a grip", there they say "Catch yourself on"

A fanny there is what we call... a pussy

The list goes on and on...

[David Van Via]

Ahhhh Guinness no matter what anybody says you haven't tasted it 'till you go to Ireland.

As for the place it's more relaxed you know go for a walk at 4 in the morning and all you see is a drunk who isn't going to do anything and maybe a kid going home from a late party.

The people are some of the most fun people but also some of the most caring people ever and they're always up for a laugh (have a drinking game with an Irishman you'll most likely lose).

As for taxes go here:
Irish taxes

But if you went to Ireland you would have a laugh!

[smaz]

My Mum and Dad went to Ireland once. They went to a shop and it had a sign in the window saying 'Gone for lunch. Back at 1'. That was at 2.30................ They're very laid back.

[Seshmeister]

The negative points are it's expensive, it rains a lot, and you can't smoke in bars...

[Ally_Kat]

Originally posted by Seshmeister
The negative points are it's expensive, it rains a lot, and you can't smoke in bars...

sounds like New York! (although I bet they get far more rain)

I had a friend from work who went on a trip to Ireland. She said that she was given a mug on Friday and was told not to let go of it all weekend. Then the small town commenced on the weekend drinking party.

[Fabulous Shadow]

We toured the Guiness brewery. The smell there was unreal. When you buy your tickets to get in, they give you two tickets for two free pints of Guiness. We ended up sitting in the Guiness pub all day. The bartender never TAKES the tickets and they just keep um coming.

We also toured the Bushmills brewery, that was cool because they sit you down and have you do a taste test. There are literally 20 shots of Whiskey in front of you. The funny thing is that my husband ended up picking the Scotch instead of the Irish! (Some Irishman, hehehe...)

I didn't know you couldn't smoke in bars there? That must be new because while I was there the bars we smoke caves. It was weird to go in to the bars there... The drinking age then was 16 and the pubs were full of kids! You could see they were enjoying the craic!

In Ireland going bar hopping is called a "pub crawl" Why? Cuz you usually end up crawling home...

[Vivian Campbell]

Originally posted by Fabulous Shadow
I went there for a month some years back. My husband is from Ireland so we went back to visit family and toured the coast. It is a GREAT place to live if you can handle the slower pace of life. The people are much nicer than the ones I have met in the states. Life is much more "LAID BACK" and they definitly take care of their people better than they do here, which is one reason my husband never became a citizen here. It's a totally different lifestyle tho. Just last week Ireland was voted the BEST place to live in the world so that ought to tell you something. Just stay out of the North if you can because that is where the troubles usually arise.

It would be a helluva contrast from where I am now, NYC. Everyone is on speed here, myself included. You have to be walking at least 25 MPH when changing trains on the subway.

Originally posted by FORD
I thought Vivian Campbell WAS Irish? :confused:

The real Viv is a dirty Protestant from the North! I myself just found out that because my grand father was born in Ireland, I have a right to become a citizen.

All the info provided is appreciated thanks!

[Fabulous Shadow]

Protestant? ACH!

[Fabulous Shadow]

Just in time for Vivians arrival...

IRA Willing to Disarm by Month's End
December 09, 2004 7:32 AM EST
BELFAST, Northern Ireland - The Irish Republican Army declared for the first time Thursday that it's willing to get rid of its entire weapons stockpile within weeks - but it won't allow anybody to photograph the disarmament.

The outlawed IRA made its new offer of speedy disarmament a day after the British and Irish governments published a detailed plan designed to revive a Catholic-Protestant administration, the intended cornerstone of the province's Good Friday peace accord of 1998.

The two diametrically opposed forces that would have to share power - the British Protestants of the Democratic Unionist Party and the Irish Catholics of Sinn Fein, the IRA-linked party - agree they are close to a historic pact.

But just as the IRA's longtime refusal to disarm has wrecked previous power-sharing pacts, its refusal to permit photos of its disarmament has become the deal-breaker this time.

All sides agreed Thursday that the IRA's latest commitments represent a stunning advance from 1997, when the underground organization halted its 27-year campaign against British rule, which left 1,800 dead and tens of thousands injured.

At that time, IRA activists plastered walls with the defiant slogan "Not a bullet, not an ounce." This meant the IRA would cling to its massive arsenal - largely supplied by Libya in the mid-1980s and hidden in underground bunkers - as its most valuable negotiating card.

In Thursday's statement, the IRA confirmed British and Irish claims that it was ready to play its ace - but also that its new slogan has effectively become: Not a photo.

The IRA's seven-man command said it has conditionally agreed to lead disarmament officials to all of its remaining weapons bunkers "speedily and, if possible, by the end of December."

It will allow two clergymen - one a Catholic priest approved by Sinn Fein, the other a Protestant nominated by the Democratic Unionists - to act as independent observers, another new commitment.

In other significant pledges, the IRA moved closer to demands for the group to fade away as part of a new power-sharing deal.

It said it would instruct its membership - estimated at less than 1,000 people organized in small units - "not to engage in any activity which might thereby endanger that new agreement."

But the IRA said it must reject one section in the Anglo-Irish plans published Wednesday:

- That the IRA should permit an internationally respected photographer to record the entire disarmament process;

- For these photos to be shown to leading Protestant politicians confidentially once Northern Ireland's legislature convened in January;

- And for the photos to be published in March on the same day that lawmakers elected a new administration led jointly by the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein.

The IRA said Democratic Unionist leader Ian Paisley "demanded that our contribution be photographed, and reduced to an act of humiliation. This was never possible."

Sinn Fein chairman Mitchel McLaughlin said Protestants instead must accept as sufficient the IRA's offer of independent witnesses.

"The photographs have been ruled out and we should just accept that as (being) a bridge too far," McLaughlin said.

But the Democratic Unionists declared its readiness for a protracted standoff if the IRA doesn't budge on permitting photos.

"If there is going to be an impasse over decommissioning, then it could go on for a long time," said Democratic Unionist negotiator Jeffrey Donaldson. "Republicans are going to have to revise their position."

The British and Irish governments agreed that IRA disarmament must be sufficiently "transparent" for the public, particularly the Protestant majority, to support power-sharing with Sinn Fein.

Britain's governor for Northern Ireland, Paul Murphy, said he understood Sinn Fein-IRA worries that Paisley could use photos to rub the movement's nose in surrender claims.

"At the same time," Murphy said, "unless we are able to give confidence to people throughout the whole of Northern Ireland that decommissioning has happened, then this simply isn't going to work."

[Seshmeister]

I found out last night, from my biz partner who is moving there, that a very small new 2 bedroom apartment in the best area in Dublin is going for around $750 000 at the moment.

As I said it's insanely expensive just now for whatever reason.

Cheers!

[Seshmeister]

Oh and terrorism is not an issue in Ireland anymore.

In fact it is probably the safest place in the world because Al Queda would never take on all their security when everywhere else is much easier.

Cheers!

[Fabulous Shadow]

Originally posted by Seshmeister
I found out last night, from my biz partner who is moving there, that a very small new 2 bedroom apartment in the best area in Dublin is going for around $750 000 at the moment.

As I said it's insanely expensive just now for whatever reason.

Cheers!

Hmmm... Is that pounds or dollars???


Apartment For Sale in Dublin, Ireland
Luxury Apartment On 18 Hole Golf Course
Asking Price: 350,000 € (Negotiable)

Luxury two bedroom two bath apartment in exclusive gated community in Dublin city. The apartment comprises of 2 double bedrooms with fitted wardrobes and master ensuite. Both bathrooms are fully fitted and have marble floors. There is a large lounge cum dining area with doors leading onto the south facing patio. The cherry wood kitchen has fully integrated applicances to be included in the sale. This is an end/corner unit allowing for extra privacy.


Category: Apartments
Address: Tassagard Green
Blessington
Dublin
Co
Ireland
For Sale By: Owner
Construction Year: 2000
Area: 1,100 Sq. Ft
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Sleeps: 4
Stories: 1
Parking Spaces: 1