How does living in Ireland compare to living abroad?

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To those of you that are or have lived abroad how does Dublin compare?
Do/did you miss home?
What did/do you miss?
Advantages and disadvantages?
Where have you lived?
Would you recomend living abroad at some stage?
Did you like Dublin when you came back?
For all its ills, house prices, transport, overcharging etc. surely Dublin is a better place than we let on?
Do we 'down' Ireland too much?
Or is it overrated?
Just curious as to whether or not people actually miss Dublin when they go away?
 
Just curious as to whether or not people actually miss Dublin when they go away?
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FYI, people have been known to travel from/miss/return to other places in Ireland too...
 
I've lived in Dublin for 10 years to the day and wouldn't return to the UK for love nor money! It amazes me how disparanging some Irish are about Ireland - Dublin is 10 times better than London.

Sarah
 
I've lived all of my almost 40 years so far in Dublin 7. Are you saying that there's stuff outside of this area!? :eek
 
LMAO @ Clubman

I have never lived abroad (unless you count Athlone which is another planet) but I miss Dublin when I go on holidays...I'm always glad to come back and nothing beats the sight of Howth head coming into view....especially at night.
 
I will keep this simple:

To those of you that are or have lived abroad how does Dublin compare?
Do/did you miss home?
NO
What did/do you miss?
NOTHING
Advantages and disadvantages?
TOO MANY TO LIST
Where have you lived?
LONDON/NEW YORK
Would you recomend living abroad at some stage?
YES
Did you like Dublin when you came back?
NO
For all its ills, house prices, transport, overcharging etc. surely Dublin is a better place than we let on?
NO
Do we 'down' Ireland too much?
NO
Or is it overrated?
YES
Just curious as to whether or not people actually miss Dublin when they go away?
AGAIN NO
 
how would you support bohs from far far away? After reading those links to oz and nz and the different views aired therin, I am of the opinion that a) its very hard to beat 'Europe) as a compete package and we should appreciate it more b) both those countries but especially nz might would make a very nice 6 month holidays break for someone like me who is hoping to score early retirement soon (on the death side of 54 unfortunately) don't know that I would like to live there permanently, however judging by reports those 6 months wouldn't cost the earth in expenses. Maybe, someday.
 
missing Dublin

I was an economic migrant from Dublin to England in 1971. I couldn't "get" my Leaving Cert and we didn't have enough money for me to train as a doctor - which I had longed to do since childhood - because those were the pre-funded days when if you were working-class Dub you were pretty well doomed.

I have been back to Dublin on average three times a year and invariably I cried with relief and joy when the plane touched down at Dublin Airport. Home!

Now my immediate family are dead and the family home sold (so recently it still aches and in my dreams I still walk through the garden and look out the window over the mountains or off to the north over the Phoenix Park).

So this deep personal connection with Dublin is ebbing as the mourning process takes its course and I think I am more in touch with what Dublin 'is' - in reality.

It is not childhood Dublin and everyone assures me it's "not the same". People don't just drop in to see friends anymore and again and again cousins, nieces and nephews, inlaws can't get the time to even write or phone because they are 'dead' from work and commuting.

There used to be fogs in autumn and winter on still nights from the build-up from all the coal- and peat-fires. Now there is a stench of exhaust-fumes and the city centre is disturbing and unhealthy.

What I most loved about Dublin was the wit - which hit you as soon as you got off the plane or the boat - and the conversation which coming from tight-arsed England where public spaces are very silent and severe, was like slipping into a warm bath.

Now Dubliners only talk about money. They are money (and property!) MAD! It is very sad, and very boring.

Another wonderful aspect of Dublin 'in the aul'days' was its manageable size. I used to walk everywhere, and the streets were safer. In the past decade I've not enjoyed the 'public spaces'. On the other side of that, one of Dublin's huge advantages was that great atrium the Phoenix Park which increasingly is encroached on. It is being nibbled away foot by foot - by traffic, by 'themes' and by the ubiquitous 'property mania'. I read in the Irish Times last week the deer-herd is to be 'culled'. To make space for the cars and houses I suppose?

I remember in the 1960's attending extra-mural courses in University College Dublin where the hot topic was sustainable development. Should government funding be focussed on a small number of crucial urban centres strategically placed around Ireland to develop them so the townlands would relate - satelite-fashion - to their nearest metropolis?...........or should funding be spread evenly throughout the island so all hamlets and towns would receive some enhancement?

It gives me pleasure now to think there was a time of such ease and reflectiveness that these ideas were being seriously discussed in the University........and sad to think Dublin has continued to grow exponentially at the expense of the rest of the country.

This isn't very optimistic but it's what I think, and that development makes it difficult to feel any attraction to Dublin.
 
Re: missing Dublin

Another wonderful aspect of Dublin 'in the aul'days' was its manageable size. I used to walk everywhere, and the streets were safer. In the past decade I've not enjoyed the 'public spaces'. On the other side of that, one of Dublin's huge advantages was that great atrium the Phoenix Park which increasingly is encroached on. It is being nibbled away foot by foot - by traffic, by 'themes' and by the ubiquitous 'property mania'. I read in the Irish Times last week the deer-herd is to be 'culled'. To make space for the cars and houses I suppose?


Having returned recently from a short stay in San Francisco one noticeable difference that I commented on there was the lack of as many small public parks dotted around the city centre as is the case in Dublin (e.g. Stephen's Green, Merrion Square, Iveagh Gardens, Dublin Castle Gardens etc.) which is something that I've always liked about the place. Nice and all as places like the Presidio and Golden Gate parks are they don't have the same charm as Dublin's smaller public park spaces.

On the issue of safety in the streets I have lived here all my life and have never once had any hassle on the streets and am not unusual among my friends in that respect.

how would you support bohs from far far away?

True. I once declined a trip to Paris because it clashed with a Bohs versus Derry City match. :)
 
Re: missing Dublin

Do/did you miss home? no

What did/do you miss? believe it or not, no one really, to busy trying to enjoy myself.
Some food items - Batch Bread, a decent rasher and sausage.Decent cup of tea, real cream cakes..

Advantages and disadvantages?
Weather,meet new cultures/people, do things and experience things that you could/would not experience at home.
jDisadvanatages- Job/Money can possibly be a disadvantage if you do not have enough, then again at times it is better as you have to live on your wits..

Where have you lived?
Australia

Would you recomend living abroad at some stage?
Always, no mater what, it is worth it just for the experience

Did you like Dublin when you came back?
No change, though changes have happened at a more rapid pace over the last few years. The one thing about travelling abroad, you catch a bug for travelling then, so sometimes it is just a short stop at home and then on to the next adventure abroad.

For all its ills, house prices, transport, overcharging etc. surely Dublin is a better place than we let on?
Dublin is fine, it is the bloody politicians that have Ireland like a banana republic. Ireland is over priced at the moment, go Paris and they charge €8 a pint, the same in Copenhagen, it is true you can not judge life by the price of a pint, cities have there advantages and disadvantages just like anywhere, what makes Dublin/Ireland great is it's people.


Do we 'down' Ireland too much?
We complain too much about Ireland, but as a nation we do not complain about the real things, corruption, lack of competition..etc

Or is it overrated?
Depend what you are taking about, if it is Bohs, yes .....come on the Hoops

Just curious as to whether or not people actually miss Dublin when they go away?
You would miss people before you would miss a place..
 
Re: missing Dublin

Ah, Clubman, you're displaying all the classic signs.
Just don't throw out the 'bong'! ;)

I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm no spring chicken. As for bongs, that stuff never did anything for me I have to say.
 
Re: spring chicken rolls

Ah, shucks, Clubman, no offence - jess' funnin'...

I wouldn't even take the liberty if I hadn't recently gone over that particular hill myself! :eek

Take heart - nowadays, I find I need no outside help at all when it comes to lethargy, demotivation and short-term memory lapses... just ask sueellen! ;)
 
Re: missing Dublin

Tall Chappy,
Where are you in Oz?

It seems that everyone I know is moving over there and I'm strongly considering it myself. We're planning on going over there next year for a month to help us decide. My brother's applying for a visa and he's on the [broken link removed] (I just wished I'spent all those years in hairdresser college) so he should know by September. He'll be able to sell up here, buy a mansion by the sea over there with no mortgage and then buy 2 nice big cars. If it's any consolation he wants to open a shop selling stuff like red lemonade, Superquinn sausages, rashers, Tayto, Meanies, Monster Munch and Lyon's tea. He's looking at Perth where his wife's sister is.

The last people we know who went over have gone to Sydney after he got a transfer within his company. They went out last week. Then the missus is out tonight with someone else heading out there next week.

I frequently listen to talk-radio stations in Oz but can you share any gripes/nasties that exist over there so we can compare?
 
Re: missing Dublin

Ah, shucks, Clubman, no offence - jess' funnin'...

Don't worry - the lack of smilies didn't mean that I was taking it to heart! :)
 
Re: How will Ireland survive without Dougal?

"I'm strongly considering it myself"

Ah, if you head off who am I going to bitch with about noisy neighbours ;)
 
Re: How will Ireland survive without Dougal?

Speaking of emigrations - where's these days?

Don't mean to be nosy, but it just struck me the other day that there hasn't been, ehm, a squeak out of him of late on AAM... Did he get 'trolled' once too often on some heated political discussion? ;)
 
Re: How will Ireland survive without Dougal?

who am I going to bitch with about noisy neighbours
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There doesn't seem to be any shortage of people with noisy neighbours sueellen. Fret not, should a big move ensue I couldn't ever part ways with the jolly folk on the good ship AAM :) I'd probably just be complaining about sand getting everywhere and the cost of getting my pool cleaned :smokin
 
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