The O'Neills

I hope you don't mind my asking, but I would just like to know what your motivations are for wanting to leave Ireland?

My husband is Irish, and for as long as I have known him he has wanted to move back to Belfast or Donegal. The trouble is that there is none of his kind of work over there. It has been a major bone of contention between us that I want to go to Oz, and he wants to go back to Ireland. Recently he was offered a job in Perth, and has reluctantly agreed to take it (I don't hold out much hope for the success of our move!)

He thinks that if we move back to Ireland that our children - (born in Scotland to an Irish father ((hubby)) and me - English), will learn to speak Irish, play hurling and be dancing the Riverdance in a couple of years. Its not that I don't think these things are possible, I just wander if they will make us happy. I also worry about the racism I have personally encoutered in Belfast (despite being a Brannigan), and whether that's what my children can expect.

Thanks

Nic

ozbaz

Hi

I suspect you will get a lot a varied answers on this one, the weather may well be top of the list. It also depends on how long you have been away from a place and how rose-tinted your glasses are from a distance.
My husband and I are not originally from Ireland ( Donegal), but from London and Germany respectively. We have lived together in Sydney, where we met,in London, his home,. and in Donegal, his parents home. So I suppose what will set us apart from others who will reply is that we don't have the same roots here.

Still...to name a few reasons for wanting to leave:
- yes, the weather is top of the list. It affects people differently, but I find it truly depressing here. It changes how you socialize, how much energy you have , how you spend your free time. It matters!

- moving from London to a small town was a conscious decision and now that we experienced both, we can say that a city or living near has a lot of benefits. Culturally, education-wise, job-wise...so many more options!
Donegal is not the place it even was 12 years ago when we came here.
It's still friendly, still laid back, but getting less and less so. Towns are becoming more like each other with Pub chains, shop chains....something is lost.

- Ireland is very expensive lo live in in almost all respects compared to other European countries. In Germany we can still by a carton of wine in Aldi for less than a Euro!

- We came so our children could grow up with good schools and a saver environment. As for saver environment, once children turn teenagers its really not that save anymore. Thanks to the drinking culture and a few drugs thrown in its not much fun to watch the behaviour of young people 'enjoying' themselves.

I am not saying Ireland is not a great place, but it's not what it used to be either...We came, we saw, and we decided to move on!

Is there any way you could 'try' Ireland for a bit ?? Get a more close up and up to date view?? It's a huge step to make permanent ...

Good luck, I hope you and your HB find a way which works for both of you,

Mrs Ozbaz

roamer25

The two areas that you're talking about are very, very different.
Belfast is more akin to Glasgow in it's culture, while Donegal is more rural, slower pace.

I'm a teacher and can say that the Irish schools do very well by bright pupils. Education is respected in Ireland, and children are pushed to do well.
Schools do less well in serving less able pupils and they can fall behind.

The weather in Donegal and NI will be more like Scotland than say, down on the south coast of Ireland or even Dublin. You will be as battered by the Atlantic and the winds as ever.

However, despite this, there is quite an outdoorsy/active lifestyle.
Most Irish children are enrolled in lots of things, from sports to grinds (that's what we call private tutoring) to arts and drama classes. It's just the way things are done in the Republic of Ireland, in general kids are kept very busy.

Of course, as with anywhere, your kids can fall in with a bad crowd, but the problems with teenagers in Donegal are nothing like on par with those in Belfast, Scotland or other major UK cities.
They do get quite a lot of homework from school, so it's easier to keep them in on week nights.

There is a teen drinking culture, but it's not as violent or as street-based as here.

Donegal does treat outsiders quite badly. I mean they'll be lovely to you and everything. But when it comes to things like planning for an extension or building a house, they favour their own for sure!

Personally if I had the choice of the UK or Ireland, I'd pick Ireland, but of Ireland or Oz, I'm picking Oz for now. I am not happy in Scotland, but can't get a job back home, as there are so few jobs in my profession. I have been in the UK for a few years and I miss the lifestyle at home something terrible. I miss the friendliness, the ease of the chat, being able to see the stars at night even in the middle of Dublin...

Just my 2 cents.

RedT

To add my humble opinion: I'm Irish and live in London. My husband and I have been here 7 years, it was only ever supposed to be a springboard to moving somewhere else! We're waiting on our visa for Oz at the moment and although I've only been there once, on holiday, I think the people we met were every bit as friendly as the Irish. People chatted in queues (which you certainly don't get in London), in shops, held doors open for us etc. It was very refreshing. My brother has lived in Oz now for almost 8 years and wouldn't go back to Ireland. The weather is nice, lifestyle is generally good, opportunities are out there. I wouldn't move back to Ireland now either but it very much depends on what you want out of life.

I doubt your kids would be dancing the Riverdance etc to be honest unless you move to an irish speaking area and really push them into it. None of my nieces and nephews in ireland can Irish dance, speak Irish once they've left school and only one nephew plays hurling, the rest are all into football. My bro in Oz hurls though! He brought some camans back last time he was home and has taught his friends the basics

good luck in whatever you decide,

Tx

helena39

Hi

IMO - I am Irish and I can't wait to get my kids out of this country. It is not the country I was brought up in. You can't trust anyone anymore and you don't don't know who is in your neighbourhood. The weather would drive you to drink. The new generation seem to be like animals....(in some areas). Kids are being stabbed and taking drugs, God it is a nightmare......I want a future for my children and Ireland isn't it. But as I said it is horse for courses....if I never set foot in this country again it will be to soon.....My opion BTW...

sandav

I have to agree with Helena it is not the country I grew up in either. I couldn't wait to get out of it in January and I don't intend going back anytime soon. It is full of drugs and you just don't know who the kids are mixing with. Also there is something that everyone seems to have forgotten to mention. Ireland is now officially in a recession according to the European Commission and is going to be worse than in the 80's for those that remember it. I do and it wasn't nice. I wanted a new life for my 2 youngest kids older 2 wouldn't come with us and I have to say they are settling very well. I think hubby has finally settled and as for me I just seemed to settle the moment I got of the plane.

Sandra

The O'Neills

Thanks all for giving honest and frank opinions. I have been visiting Ireland for 12 years, and while I think Belfast has improved some, I think Donegal has changed for the worse!

Nothing any of you have said has come as a surprise, and I thank you for not taking offence at my asking.

Nic

aus2be

Im with Helena here. I am from Northern Ireland and some may say I am irish and some will say I am british. Ireland is def not the country that we grew up in and if I am ever fortunate to have children I would not be happy with my child growing up here.
There is nothing for kids to do here and there is not enough activities and socialising clubs out there and then we wonder why all the teenagers cause trouble at the shop corner.

Everyone is entilted to their opinion and this is only mine but the weather also puts a dampner on planning days out and if you want to head out on a Sat or Sunday you usually end up spending loads of money on doing something indoors.

I have no idea why anyone would want to come back to live in Ireland cause I know I cant wait to get out of it, and know that I can go a walk to the shop with out getting a soaking.

gotoronto

Well, I found this thread very interesting. My hubby is from Northern Ireland, but we lived in London together for all of our relationship - apart from the last 4 months when we had a brief stint in Toronto, which so did not work for us.

We are now back in London for the foreseeable future - but the only reason we are not going back to Northern Ireland is because I would not be able to find a job there. I might eventually, some years down the line, but not now. It's all about timing in my case.

Hubby wanted to try living in other places as he had never left home before meeting me - but he'd be ready to go back. There is so much to be said about being near family. If we ever are lucky enough to have children, we would want them to have the chance to grow up around the extended family. I think that is one of the most important things in life.

Our emigration experience has taught us that nowhere is perfect - and it's just interesting to see how many people think that the things they dislike about their lives will be mysteriously solved by moving half way across the world. I really don't think that weather or scenery is a reason to move half way across the world.

DownUnderPaddy

That depends on your neighbourhood and community.
Same in Australia depending on where you live.

.....I would definately agree there. For that reason alone it is worth moving to Australia !

Same in Australia depending on where you live.

Same in Australia depending on where you live.

Bernieboy

Move to dun na gael now and your kids are more likely to learn polish not irish.

sandav

Have to agree with that one Bernieboy although it was the same all over Ireland not just in Donegal. Though I have heard due to the work shortages now they are all heading off because they can't get the work.

Sandra

irishfamily

I also agree with helena and im from northern ireland we moved here a year ago with 2 teenagers .And australia overrides ireland anytime but also it depends on what area u live in .But people do speak mostly australian people very little english people r friendly (not being nasty to english people) but that how i found it as 4 ur kids doing irish dancing there is classes over here and we have an irish club in subiaco .I think ireland is a polish land not irish lol

Bernieboy

The way some of them yokes speak in Donegal it's easier to understand the poles

irishfamily

country bumpkins lol