Emigrants views on Ireland

klong

This is from the http://www.emigrant.ie/boards/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000005;p=2

Question:When the Irish Emigrant surveyed our readers last year, nearly two-thirds of those living abroad said they'd return home, if they were given the right job. Would you?

Some of those who wouldn't come back said they're happier where they live now. Many people said they preferred the weather, the lifestyle, the attitude, or the opportunities available where they now live. What do you think?

---

Here are some of the answers:
I would not return to live in Ireland. Each visit confirms the ridiculous traffic congestion, taxes, property prices and general bad service Irish folk put up with. Which is another gripe...why do we put up with so much. Why don't drivers do what the taxi drivers did and grid-lock Dublin till the motorist is absolved from paying for everything. Toll roads which have already paid for themselves and which cram up traffic?? Ithought the idea was to ease the flow!!!I have lived in Phoenix, Arizona for almost 7 years now and love the weather, outdoor life and the fact that I am consulted and have a choice of how my life is lived. No rail-roading by self-serving local governments here. The myth of the friendly Irish?? Irish folk are friendly to tourists..not to each other. For friendly, see US hospitality and honesty.

I don't think I could go back to Ireland. I'm married here, to an American, and we have a good life. Maybe if I were single I might, but with my husband, I'd probably go to the Netherlands. Nice people, good society, closer to home than the US. Or maybe we'd retire to an Irish town that doesn't have the crazy traffic and prices of Dublin. I'd like to be closer to my parents as they get older.

---

I may be able to respond more appropriately after an upcoming trip to Ireland but if the attitude towards America displayed by the media refects the ordinary peoples views I suspect my visit will be brief..I have always been aware of a certain amount of resentment towards Irish people who have become permanent residents or citizens of the U.S by the folks back home..I fear it may be more blatent now that we are at war so if this wasnt a visit mandated by a family event I wouldnt bother to go at all..why spend my money where I am not welcome.I hope my experience belies my expectations but i am not hopeful

A resounding No to returning 'home' for good. I really enjoy visiting Ireland and usually go there every six months but here in Peterborough, Ontario is where my my 'real time' home is. I came to Canada via Dublin, Belfast and London in the mid seventies. I really enjoy the weather, lifestyle and opportunities (lack of red tape)one has here - only thing missing is CULTURE.... we need more of it e.g real pubs, real craic, real GUINNESS. It's getting better though... and the visits to the old sod give me the fix I need when it comes to a dose of 'Irishnessss' and family who are mostly all still there. I did however, notice on my last couple of trips an increasing dose of 'North Americanism' creeping in over there - not the least evidence of which was... young people drinking Coors Light (UGH!!) and roadside restaurants now called 'truck stops" HELP!!!!!!!!!

These sort of answers don't really help our tourist industry at all, do they?

sceptre

Interesting comments from the person living in Phoenix. Isn't it twinned with Ennis?

Victor

For friendly, see US hospitality and honesty.

I'm on crack, arn't I?

tHE vAGGABOND

While I disagree on a whole, I do see where some of the ideas are coming from...

azezil

yet again people judge ireland by their experiences in dublin, how sad.

klong

True

There's 66% of the population, 31 other counties outside of Dublin
They should visit elsewhere, fools.

Beruthiel

what annoys me the most is the fact that someone can go away for 30 odd years and still expect the 'old sod' to be the exact same as the day they left it, are we not allowed to grow here like the rest of the world??
every country in the world has it's pro's and con's - we're not perfect in Ireland, but where is???
I love it here and if I was to move I believe I would miss it greatly!

ReefBreak

I lived in the states for a year and a half - I definately thought Americans to be far more hospitable and honest than ourselves. Also very friendly and sincere - sometimes over-friendly and over-sincere.

With the amount of self-righteous US-bashing that takes place in the media (usually from journalists whose opinion of the US seems to come straight from their local university debating society), you'd wonder why Americans ever bother to visit/invest here.

That being said, I do get annoyed when Americans assume Ireland to be something it's not. But I get even more annoyed over the way we Irish can dole out criticism whenever we like about other countries (e.g. Britain), yet are frothing at the mouth whenever it's directed towards us.

Augmerson

Originally posted by klong

Which is another gripe...why do we put up with so much. Why don't drivers do what the taxi drivers did and grid-lock Dublin till the motorist is absolved from paying for everything. Toll roads which have already paid for themselves and which cram up traffic??

Thats a good point. In Europe, France for example, people are prepared to go on strike for anything. In Ireland, when we do eventually go on strike, the media automatically turns against those who strike....what the ****?

I think this country is ripe for someone to get to the top and do whatever he/she likes...and we'll just sit there and take it.

bonkey

I've emigrated.

I live in Switzerland. Its nice here. Things work efficiently, the standard of living is pretty good overall, and in general I like the place, the people, and the lack of precipitation.

Will I come back to Ireland?

You bet your a55 I will.

I think that if you looked at the people who replied to the question in its original site, you will find that many of them were somewhat "involuntary" emigrants - that they left Ireland because they effectively couldnt get a job here. Up until the past few years, this demographic made up the vast majority of emigrants from Ireland.

These people left a nation which could not provide for them, and found one which could. Of course they dont want to come back.

I left voluntarily. Well - truth be told, I left for a woman. I had a good job in Ireland, and I have a good job over here, so that has zero relevance to any of my reasoning. I came over here because she's still studying parttime, and not being in the EU means that moving her studies to Ireland isnt affordable. Once theyre finished, we may stay here, we may go to Ireland, or maybe Scotland. I like Scotland.

Ultimately, though, I intend to go home someday. I dont know if I could live in Dublin any more, but hey - its a small town in a big country. I'm sure I can go elsewhere.

Ireland has a lot going for it. It has a lot of negatives, but it honestly does have a lot going for it. I didnt realise that fully until I had been away for almost a year.

What I find interesting is that these emigrants who dont want to come home are hanging about on an Irish website.

I always though the British ex-pats could be quite funny - moving to southern Spain or where have you, and basically trying to recreate England in finer weather with cheaper beer.

These guys strike me as being somewhat the same. They dont want to come home, but they cant let go of Ireland at the same time.

Kinda says something - I'm just not sure what.

jc

Victor

Is it me or is that site an embarrassment?

WhiteWashMan

i havent bothered with the site.
but i totally agree 100% with what both those people said.
there is nothing there that is untrue.
as much as i love ireland, i cant stand the politics, the church, the litter, the traffic, the ridiculous house prices, the ridiculous pub prices, the rdiculous cost of living, cost of insurance, oh the list is endless. and yes id agree that irish people arent friendly too each other.
again, i see people getting all patriotic and getting defensive when someone critisises the glorious emerald isle.
someday i will move bak to ireland. i dont know when, but if i got the right job id seriously think about it, but i live in the most expensive part of england outside london city, and its cheaper than dublin.
besides, the weather is better as well....

IRISHLILY24

I am in america now and I am moving to Ireland in the first of july, I just dont understand where everyone is getting this attitude that America is better and people treat each other better here, that is bull****
I am moving to ireland because it has been my experience that people are more civil towards each other and more hospitable in Ireland. America as far as I am concerned sucks, everythign I have seen listed bad about Ireland is just as bad here, property costs, taxes, attitudes, it's no better here. Infact its worse here. To be honest you also dont have as much of a culture diversity in Ireland as in America and that is good. To many people from different backrounds just dont mix well, thats why there is so much racism and hate crimes here. It's a terrible place where terrible things are done and scary people are all around you all the time. Yes, this happens everywhere but not so much in Ireland as in america. In america people have lost there sense of morals, family values, religion, politics are in no ones hands , they just think it is. If you dont hold a seat in a political office then I am sorry but you dont have anything to do with what happens in politics. My grandmother emigrated here and I am taking it all back home. I want to live and someday raise a family in ireland and die there. America to me is somewhere I may want to visit one day but not live for the rest of my life. The quality of life here is crap if you dont come from a family ofmoney bags or if you dont work yourself dead trying to make the almighty buck. I refuse to play the social status games or care about anyone who does. It is ridiculous that people spend their lives trying to be something that they are not and never will be. People I have found through working in the public for the past 10 years, are generally ignorant and will go to no end trying to impress someone while only hurting them selves. Pure ignorance. ok ok, people do this everywhere...but it is more escalated in larger more populated cities/states whatever.
I personally just want to live a simple life free of hassle and attitude from everyone you see. Perhaps america is a place of oppurtunity for someone who has big dreams. mine are simple and can be found in the place I want to be, a place I belong
Ireland. This I know and this I can attest to, there is no other place for me...I would place all loyalty in anything I love.
I am eternally loyal to Ireland and the Irish.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Typedef

I would not return to live in Ireland. Each visit confirms the ridiculous traffic congestion, taxes,

Obviously this person is ill informed, Ireland's tax rate is the lowest in Europe and is in fact lower than that of the USA.

Taxes account for about 25% of GDP in Ireland, 28% in the USA again about 28 % in the UK, 31% in Germany and 36% of GDP in Sweden.

Perhaps this person should actually investiagate their facts instead of morphing the facts to suit a decision they have already arrived at?

Typedef
Signed and sealed with hope of adgitating his eminance Castor Troy

mike65

Maybe klong wants higher taxes...

Mike.

Sand

Perhaps hes referring to the tax rate that applies specifically to him as opposed to the average rate of GDP?

klong

If you look at the thread you'll see that I've said nothing about taxes.