Was Ireland always this bleek/depressing, or is it just me?

bertiebomber

Alia Wrong Soil wrote: »

How did you like Miami?

Does the song "Miami Vibe" really reflect the Miami vibe?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmrSs_defYY

I was in miami during the riots when a black man was being tried by a white jury it was dangerous the riots were awful. Otherwise it was off the charts after ireland for me as i was a naive west of ireland person and it was like another planet.

bo0li5eumx12kp

McGinniesta wrote: »

I love Ireland. I too have lived abroad and we have a lot to be thankful here in Ireland.

There are many many worse places to live.

For sure, unquestionably.

It's the top 1% in global terms.

But why rest on our laurels?

We have the opportunity to establish an optimal cultural paradigm (what those other less privileged cultures so desperately require), so, we keep on moving up;

Same ideology as my man James Dymond promotes (preached in the church of the neon lights),

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev6FToJGPAE

con___manx1

Iv lived in city's much bigger than Dublin around the world and I decided after I'm not a city person. I do agree about Amsterdam. Its a special place.

The Tetrarch

Amsterdam
I arrived on an international flight one evening.
The next morning I went out to see the city. It was a public holiday, everything closed.
I was flying out the next day. That next morning I went out again.
I had been warned that Amsterdam is famous for dogsh1t. I stepped in dogsh1t.
Amsterdam is a happening place?
Yes, if you are a dog and want to sniff around.

looksee

ShatterAlan wrote: »

White, English speaking immigrants in a foreign country refer to themselves as expats. They refer to all others, particularly those of colour as immigrants.


Did you ever hear anyone saying "such and such a cafe/bar is where the Turkish expats go for lunch on Sunday" ?

You have just turned the context round 180 degrees. And I was an ex-pat myself, and referred to myself and others as ex-pats some fifty years ago when it was not a term that attracted deep analysis and just meant someone who was living other than in their home country.

riclad

We have mild weather here ,sometimes its cold,sometimes it rains.
We do not get forest fires that wipe out 1000,s of house,s .
we get very few floods ,no earthquakes .
some people like citys ,some people like living in small towns .
People have different taste in where to live.
the trend is people are leaving citys, if i,m gonna work from home i may as well buy a 3 bed house with a garden instead of paying 200k to live in a small apartment.
people are friendly and helpful in ireland in general,
cops do not go around shooting people at random.
People have the right to protest and we have free speech.
We are in the midst of a pandemic ,many shops and cafes are closed.
Many business,s may not recover from the crisis .
we are probably going to be in a recession for the next 2 years .
If some people are slightly depressed it makes sense.
i think irish people and english people refer to themselves as expats
if they live in countrys like spain or america .
An irish american is someone who was born in america but whose parents are irish.
if you watch american situation comedys , being irish american seems to consist
of drinking a lot and going to mass or going to a saint patricks day parade.
if you look at the climate in america, rising temp,s. mega forest fires ,hurricanes ,floods ireland seems a nice place to live.

Feenix

dd973 wrote: »

The London-Irish, first and second generation and some of the newer post 2008 crash arrivals of recent years are a seriously boring demographic.

That’s such an odd comment.

ChikiChiki

Feenix wrote: »

That’s such an odd comment.

Welcome to the Internet, where all sorts of loo lahs post baseless nonsense.

Frankie Machine

Alia Wrong Soil wrote: »

Holy smokes.

I visited some relatives over the weekend, from the old country, hadn't seen them in the longest time.

It's weird I was completely overcome with nostalgia.

Reminds me of when I was growing up, that environment.

I think we forget what a rain soaked dump Ireland was before had billions of euros pumped into our economy and became a home for multinational companies, by way of joining the european union.

Memories from childhood - a poorly insulated ice box house, dreary dull atmosphere, insane loco wildchild kids running about, raining outside and not a neon light for miles around.

See I ditched Ireland at every opportunity and bounced entirely when I was afforded the opportunity to do so.
Not saying other cultures are necessarily a whole lot better, but Christ - I mean, I feel like that ruralism (which largely defines Ireland) needs to be injected with an eye rolling dose of meth.

I can't express my detest and loathing of the advocacy for that underdevelopment and quiet, cold, isolated rural living.

The most lively, upbeat, forward thinking, positive, productive atmosphere and fun city I've ever been is not Rome, not London, not New York - no.

But Amsterdam.

What separates Amsterdam as being in my mind, the optimized city, the optimized culture?
It's not Dutch culture - hell no - rolling wheels of cheese through shopping malls and clopping along in wooden shoes - no.

It's that Amsterdam reflects a culture not of Holland, but a culture of integration.

What underpins this integration, is the collective attitude that defines the city - which is to have fun; open minded, liberal, but controlled, well kept, and well policed - state legitimized fun.

......

My point being, I hate historical Irish dullness and I think state legitimization of prostitution by way of a potential upcoming bill spearheaded by the Irish department of justice via Helen McEntee - could spark the most profound cultural revolution in the entire, bleek, oppressive history of our rain soaked little Atlantic Isle.

......

:eek:

Hot Take -

If it wasn't for Amsterdam, you'd still be a virgin.

dxhound2005

The Tetrarch wrote: »

Amsterdam
I arrived on an international flight one evening.
The next morning I went out to see the city. It was a public holiday, everything closed.
I was flying out the next day. That next morning I went out again.
I had been warned that Amsterdam is famous for dogsh1t. I stepped in dogsh1t.
Amsterdam is a happening place?
Yes, if you are a dog and want to sniff around.

Alejandro68

I don't see Ireland as bleak or depressing. I love to explore every inch of it. And for such a small island, you are jam packed with history and folklore.I love it here and feel blessed that I am able to live here.

bo0li5eumx12kp

Alejandro68 wrote: »

I don't see Ireland as bleak or depressing. I love to explore every inch of it. And for such a small island, you are jam packed with history and folklore.I love it here and feel blessed that I am able to live here.

A foreign land is always more interdasting that ones homeland.

If I had grown up in the Dam I'd probably hate it there also.

.....

Maybe.

donkeykong5

Alejandro68 wrote: »

I don't see Ireland as bleak or depressing. I love to explore every inch of it. And for such a small island, you are jam packed with history and folklore.I love it here and feel blessed that I am able to live here.

It was a great place to live up to approximately 6 years ago.

Alejandro68

Alia Wrong Soil wrote: »

A foreign land is always more interdasting that ones homeland.

If I had grown up in the Dam I'd probably hate it there also.

.....

Maybe.

I won't go in to detail of my native country's problems. But I have had a much better quality of life here. I don't understand why you are so quick to negate your own upbringing and nationality?

john123470

Alia Wrong Soil wrote: »

A foreign land is always more interdasting that ones homeland.

Exactly this. Everywhere's fine for a while. If you are a tourist.

riclad

Anyone who wanted could put up an aerial and get bbc itv utv, most rural houses had large aerials on the roof,
Some urban areas had cable TV.
If you don't have something you don't miss it. The Internet was not available to ordinary users anywhere til the 90s.
We listened to pirate radio radio Dublin etc we read books
Listened to music. I remember the 80s as a happy time.
Vcrs were expensive but you could rent movies for 1 pound.
There's millions of people in America who have no Internet acess people who live in rural areas

Seamai

Alia Wrong Soil wrote: »

A foreign land is always more interdasting that ones homeland.

If I had grown up in the Dam I'd probably hate it there also.

.....

Maybe.

It's my least favourite European capital, tacky, tightfisted, grubby and unfriendly. Give me Berlin anyday.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

Alia Wrong Soil wrote: »

...Dublin, the entire country wants to move there.

lol

dxhound2005

Alia Wrong Soil wrote: »

A foreign land is always more interdasting that ones homeland.

If I had grown up in the Dam I'd probably hate it there also.

.....

Maybe.

Why do all Dutch people hate Holland?

bo0li5eumx12kp

dxhound2005 wrote: »

Why do all Dutch people hate Holland?

Do they?

Amsterdamers - I've never heard them say that.

I've only ever heard an Amsterdamer they say it's a wonderful city.

Some old school dutch from other provinces visitings, I've heard them besmirch the place but, they're old school - they don't like multiculturalism, they fit in badly with people and have poor interpersonal skills (and they're probably lame in bed - sucks to be them).

It's a wonderful city for me in every way, out of anywhere I've been (and by been I mean, lived/worked), no where else compares, or comes even close.

Housing/accommodation is a problem.

bo0li5eumx12kp

dxhound2005 wrote: »

Why?

Do all Dutch people hate Holland?

Did you mean to phrase it like this?

Pffff - they don't but, they're still Dutch'ified.

A different/new/exciting place is always refreshing.

chrissb8

I think anyone who is sick of Ireland should move away, even just for a year. It is a small country. A great country but if you're feeling a bit bored, trapped, sick of the place then move to somewhere bigger where you can flesh out.

All it did for me was make me appreciate Ireland more and understand in time why I love it so much. Being away and living somewhere else is great and stands to you in many ways, that's in no way saying those happy in Ireland are "less" in anyway. But sometimes you have to go away to comeback if that makes sense in some quasi crap metaphorical way.

Cities offer that chance to reinvent yourself as well as other lands do. But I found a part of me was at home, here in Ireland and was waiting for me to come back to it when I was ready. Now the Ireland I thought was "small" "samey" is comfortable, familiar and somewhere I'm once again happy.

I just grow weary of the begrudgers constantly extrapolating the "problems" with Ireland or being miserly about Irish life rural or otherwise. Every single country has problems and Ireland's are not half as divisive as other countries. Just put up or shut up, no one is keeping you here except your bitterness at yourself to take a chance, because on some level you're too scared to. Life is something you make for yourself and don't expect it to just come to you.

CBear1993

Alia Wrong Soil wrote: »

Holy smokes.

I visited some relatives over the weekend, from the old country, hadn't seen them in the longest time.

It's weird I was completely overcome with nostalgia.

Reminds me of when I was growing up, that environment.

I think we forget what a rain soaked dump Ireland was before had billions of euros pumped into our economy and became a home for multinational companies, by way of joining the european union.

Memories from childhood - a poorly insulated ice box house, dreary dull atmosphere, insane loco wildchild kids running about, raining outside and not a neon light for miles around.

See I ditched Ireland at every opportunity and bounced entirely when I was afforded the opportunity to do so.
Not saying other cultures are necessarily a whole lot better, but Christ - I mean, I feel like that ruralism (which largely defines Ireland) needs to be injected with an eye rolling dose of meth.

I can't express my detest and loathing of the advocacy for that underdevelopment and quiet, cold, isolated rural living.

The most lively, upbeat, forward thinking, positive, productive atmosphere and fun city I've ever been is not Rome, not London, not New York - no.

But Amsterdam.

What separates Amsterdam as being in my mind, the optimized city, the optimized culture?
It's not Dutch culture - hell no - rolling wheels of cheese through shopping malls and clopping along in wooden shoes - no.

It's that Amsterdam reflects a culture not of Holland, but a culture of integration.

What underpins this integration, is the collective attitude that defines the city - which is to have fun; open minded, liberal, but controlled, well kept, and well policed - state legitimized fun.

......

My point being, I hate historical Irish dullness and I think state legitimization of prostitution by way of a potential upcoming bill spearheaded by the Irish department of justice via Helen McEntee - could spark the most profound cultural revolution in the entire, bleek, oppressive history of our rain soaked little Atlantic Isle.

......

:eek:

Amsterdam is a kip. Thought that the first time I stepped in it and I gave it a chance two more times. The third visit just confirmed to me what a depressing hole the Netherlands is. All grey and mundane.

Put down the joint bud

Kaybaykwah

jmayo wrote: »

Only if they are cute hoors.

In France, and French Canada, we call the better class of call girls ''Haute Cute Hoors''. No kidding.

Hamsterchops

Alejandro68 wrote: »

I don't see Ireland as bleak or depressing. I love to explore every inch of it. And for such a small island, you are jam packed with history and folklore.I love it here and feel blessed that I am able to live here.

I think Ireland 'was' bleak & depressing up until about the late 70s, early 80s, then it began to wake up and slowly evolve into what we have today. Still good to travel & live outside the island though, even just for a few years before returning.
Travel broadens the mind, and living away gives you perspective in what is really s very small island with a very small population who all have a very similar mindset.

Lillyfae

Deleted User wrote: »

I noticed this on various threads and other online platforms a bit. Irish nationals resident in the Netherlands extolling the virtues of their adopted country, while ridiculing their country of birth. All the while posting extensively on Irish topics/ boards etc. Must be no one worth talking to there

The Netherlands is generally very neat and ordered, and I think that I wish for Irish people that Ireland was a bit more like that. I like that they demand a better standard of living for themselves here, good work/life balance, everyone goes on a decent holiday once or twice a year, public services second to none. Children are also amongst the happiest in the world, which I put down to the Dutch realising that having a family of 6 isn't really the best way to do things.

As for ridiculing the country of my birth, 80s Ireland unfortunately doesn't exist any more. I loved growing up there, the music, TV, accents, shops etc etc etc. I love visiting now (not now obvs), and I absolutely miss the brilliant sense of humour, but just because I say something in NL is good it doesn't mean I'm saying something in Ireland isn't good or is less good. I complain about plenty of things here too but complaints are applauded. Being a whingy b*tch impresses the locals no end :pac:

ShatterAlan

ShatterAlan wrote: »

White, English speaking immigrants in a foreign country refer to themselves as expats. They refer to all others, particularly those of colour as immigrants.


Did you ever hear anyone saying "such and such a cafe/bar is where the Turkish expats go for lunch on Sunday" ?

Actually, I have. For all manner of nationalities. In any place which has a very varied population you'll get the term bandied about more. If you go to Tenerife, then you're likely to only encounter British people using it. It usually means someone who pays tax in two countries while living outside of their home country, with a suggestion attached that the "expat" is working professionally.

The only people getting bent out of shape about the term expat seem to be on this forum. I've never heard anyone suggest it was a term exclusive to white people until recently.

People have too much free time on their hands, and are looking to create 'issues' to complain about.

Lillyfae

Lillyfae wrote: »

As for ridiculing the country of my birth, 80s Ireland unfortunately doesn't exist any more. I loved growing up there, the music, TV, accents, shops etc etc etc. I love visiting now (not now obvs), and I absolutely miss the brilliant sense of humour, but just because I say something in NL is good it doesn't mean I'm saying something in Ireland isn't good or is less good. I complain about plenty of things here too but complaints are applauded. Being a whingy b*tch impresses the locals no end :pac:

Same. I left Ireland glad to be leaving, and each time I return I'm impressed by how much it's changed (positive/negative). The weather is much better (thanks global warming), better road infrastructure, more convenience, less of a macho culture, etc. It's improved so much in twenty years.. I think people are expecting too much from Ireland. We don't have the resources, or history of other nations to be as built up or modern.. but Ireland has done very well with what it has.

All in all, I love returning to Ireland whenever I do.

As for Amsterdam, I always felt it to be a very superficial city. Lovely on the surface, but a lot of grime just below. Good for a weekend but I never wanted to live there.

JasonStatham

Alejandro68 wrote: »

I won't go in to detail of my native country's problems. But I have had a much better quality of life here. I don't understand why you are so quick to negate your own upbringing and nationality?

It's culturally approved in Ireland to talk down the country. Or another one is to talk down someone doing well....

If you see anyone doing this, make sure you call them a shyte hawk.

Lillyfae

JasonStatham wrote: »

It's culturally approved in Ireland to talk down the country. Or another one is to talk down someone doing well....

Unless you live somewhere else! Then it's torches and pitchforks all the way.