jaycey001

Hello

I am currently completing the last year of my Ph D and am looking to get a post doc in Dundalk.
We have money behind us for buying a property and to compete renovations ect. I would be grateful of some advice:
I have family in the border regions and have visited many many times, however there has always been a little, errr how shall I put it, under currents, regarding the English ect. This is totally understandable considering the past history, and i understand that only a minority are involved now. However me and my partner are considering buying property in Co Leitrim and me commuting in to Dundalk a few days a week to conduct my research. I was wondering if anyone has experience living in the more rural areas and how they were accepted.
I wouldn’t normally feel I needed to ask, but I will be moving over with my girlfriend and our young daughter. With me spending a few days away every week I want to know they feel safe and secure there.
I’d be grateful if anyone can recommend any blogs to read or if you can recommend any other areas, slightly closer to Dundalk that would be worth looking in to.
My family live in Co- Down, but i grew up in England.
The reasons for the move are twofold really, i have spend most of my life studying and would like to spend a few years becoming a normal member of society and basically just slow down so i can enjoy our family, secondly Dundalk is the centre for my research project and provides a fantastic opportunity to continue my research , in a more leisurely fashion!
Id be grateful of any advice

Many thanks
James

Londonuck

I lived in rural Mayo until recently. I never had any problem, that i noticed. I even drove a cab in Greystones, Wicklow just outside Dublin and never had any aggro. I think a lot of times its us being a tad paranoid cos we've got an English accent.

Horus

I tend to agree with my learned friend, Londonuck.

The first time I visited I didn't dare leave my hotel because I thought if the people heard an English accent I'd be stoned and spat on, a car would pull up beside me and I'd be dragged into it never to be seen again! Funny how watching drama on TV and seeing bits on the news in the 70's & 80's can affect you 30 years on.

I've lived here now for nearly 5 years and can honestly say I've never encountered any racism towards the English, OK I live in Dublin rather than a rural area but all the Irish people I speak to say the English are considered locals. There's a good bit of banter when the national teams play each other but I find it all good hearted.

I think a lot of the racism people feel down to perception, maybe due to different terms of phrase here to what we're used to. I nearly fell over the first time one of my work mates said they were going out for a sambo (sandwich) and naughty children are told they're bold (that used to mean brave when I was little!). It's also in our national psyche to feel that others don't like us!

My advice would be to come and when you're here try to fit in. Get involved in things in the area you move to - you'll be accepted and treated as a local far quicker.

sickntired

I live in Rural Roscommon and the locals won't speak to each other let alone us "blow ins". Where In live there seems to have been a lot of falling out with each other over the years due to land problems. They are all related to each other as well, which probably doesn't help.

However if you go down to Roscommon Town people are friendly and the craic in the pubs is mighty. You won't encounter any probs unless you wear a union jack suit and introduce yourself as Oliver Cromwell.

Unfortunately a lot of the young people with a bit of cop on are leaving for work in other countries en masse, so that doesn't exactly leave the pick of the crop.

Londonuck

I drove through Roscommon Town the other day and there was army guarding what looked like a bank van. Was weird to see such heavily armed soldiers on the streets.

snoopycat

Is that the first time you've seen it, because when we lived in Clonakilty it was a weekly event outside the Allied Irish Bank. Must admit I wondered what was going on at first, being more used to 'Securicor' and the like in the UK.

Cuthbert Rizla

I find people in rural Ireland generally to be feckless,lazy drunks.
A few of them display anti-English tendencies but they're the really stupid ones who are easily led.
I was once accosted by one such knuckle-dragger in a pub where I was watching a rugby match on TV with my sons wearing their Munster rugby jerseys.
He demanded to know what right they had to be wearing the jersey.
Fortunately even his knuckle-dragging mates laughed him into embarrassment when I pointed out he was wearing a Liverpool shirt.
As a golden rule when moving to Ireland you must remember that there's a perfectly good reason why there have been thick Irish jokes for decades.

Londonuck

Alright Cuthbert we get it mate.

Inse

Before heading over to Canada I lived in rural Co. Cork, in a gaeltacht area. Me and the wife were there for just under 10 years and were very happy. Plenty of banter with the locals and as they used to tell us "we hate the English, but we've never met an Englishman we don't like" Good times.

Cuthbert Rizla

Apologies old sport.
I'm so used to having to explain everything twice and speak in a very slow voice.

smidsy

Im curious how the original poster got on ??

Iv just read this now, and although im sure most English people can live in Ireland quite peacefully now, the Dundalk area is one of the tension points.

Years ago(I think during the 60's or 70's troubles), when many Catholics left Belfast, as refugees for the South, they headed towards Dublin, and settled in Dundalk area. Hatred and bigatory passed from parent to child.

I wonder if things are a little better now, especially as the modern day IRA holds so little respect among the average Irish person.

There's just certain places, that even as an Irish Catholic, I would feel uncomfortable. Especially as most of those types repulse me.

However...

@Cuthbert

It seems to me that you found 1 person in rural Ireland, who was a bad one(yes, I love the Liverpool Jersey wearing people's attitudes to the English, its frustating that these people are my fellow countrymen).

Unfortunitely, you tarred them all with the same brush and decided that all people in rural Ireland were just like that 1 man. Thats not a smart conclusion.

Needless to say, this attitude, is going to be easily percieved and isnt going to make you an appealing character to any of the locals, and as such, the more idiotic ones will pick on the easiest thing they can. In your case being English.

If it was me, they'd call me an arrogant Dublin ******. But I dont take it personal.

Either way, it should always be remembered, in all countries, half the population is below average intelligence.

dairymaid

Look ...all you Brits in Ireland can fool yourselves as to the level of approbation in which you're held but the truth is you are foreigners and the most disliked..bring on any Pole, Nigerian anything but a Brit!

Horus

And that's why you live in Spain

Brucey

I dont know what cave dairymaid has appeared out of with a comment like that but let me assure all "brits" that that kind of a comment is totally inaccurate and like all countries (England BNP members, Germany NEO Nazis) there is a tiny tiny tiny minority of individuals with very backward and ignorant attitudes towards other nationals, races etc. English people are very welcome in Ireland, I live in a border county and know several English people who are very happy and well received in Ireland.

Irish people are well educated, apart from a few, and realise we are all europeans, we share the same language, watch the same tv, support the same football teams etc.. In reality we have more in common with English people than with any other nation in the world. We tend to like the same comedians, bands, etc.

In addition to this it has not gone unnoticed in ireland that during the last 3 years when we were being bullied into bailing out private banks by the EU/ECB, the only country who spoke up for us and said we were being unfairly treated was the British government, so come on over and welcome, if you meet someone with a bad attitude to you it will be really unlucky and could happen to any visiting foreigner in any country. To be honest people with that kind of attitude are generally avoided by everyone, so just do what 99% of the Irish do and ignore them.

TonyK58

I was born and grew up in the Rep. of Ireland. My mother was from England, with a strong English accent. In the many decades she lived in Ireland before she finally died there, I don't think she ever once was picked on because of her accent or origin. She was a recognised "character" in the town where we lived, and regarded as being slightly odd in an endearing sort of way ("that odd English woman" kind of thing). She had many friends there and was an active part of the community. I knew several other English women of her age, and younger English people, both men and women who lived in Ireland. Their origin simply wasn't an issue, we never even thought about it. I had several university lecturers and professors who were English...their nationality was never even discussed among the students. They were treated exactly the same as all the others on the staff. It's really nothing to fret about.