Have you ever thought of starting a new life in the Republic of Ireland?
Today (Fri March 17) is St Patrick’s Day – the feast day of Ireland’s patron saint and a celebration of Irish culture. To mark the occasion, we look at five reasons why you might want to move to the Emerald Isle.
Ireland has a reputation for having a slower and more laid-back approach to life than the UK. While this may not necessarily be the case in the big cities, this is still true in rural areas. One side of this more relaxed pace of life is a flexible approach to time-keeping. Being 15 minutes late to meet someone is generally not seen as a big deal to most people and events will often not start on time. A well-known Irish saying is “When God made time he made plenty of it.” The big plus side to this is that you are less likely to run yourself ragged trying to keep up with the hustle and bustle of life as you might in the UK.
Friendly locals
People in Ireland are well-known for being friendly and welcoming and good manners and a sense of humour are very important. As in the UK, queuing and politeness are a big part of everyday life and passengers will usually thank the driver when getting off a bus. There is still a strong sense of community in rural areas and people will generally look out for each other.
Rich history and culture
Ireland has a long and varied history dating back thousands of years. Part of this history includes a strong literary tradition with the country producing some of the world’s most well-known and talented writers including Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, Seamus Heaney and George Bernard Shaw. The country also has its own unique culture and traditions, some of which have been adopted elsewhere in the world where Irish people have settled. On St Patrick’s Day, parades, parties and festivals take place all over Ireland. Halloween is also a much-celebrated occasion with the Irish tradition of ‘guising’ – children going from door to door in disguise – providing the inspiration of the better-known practice of trick or treating.
The pubs
There are few places you can travel in the world without coming across something which describes itself as an Irish pub. However, the real thing is even better and Ireland’s pub culture is second to none. One of the reasons for this is the Guinness which many fans claim tastes better in Ireland than anywhere else in the world.
Job opportunities
If you’re interested in working for any of the major tech firms, moving to Ireland could be the way to go. Low tax rates mean many major companies have chosen to locate their European base in Ireland. For example, Apple has moved its international HQ for iTunes to Cork and is investing in a new data centre in Galway. And the social media firms Google, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn all have bases at Silicon Docks in Dublin.
If you do decide to move to Ireland, it’s a good idea to use a removals firm with international expertise. Andrew Porter Limited has worked with customers helping them make the move from the UK to Ireland with as little stress and hassle as possible.
Our crews can help with everything from packing your belongings to arranging insurance for your peace of mind. As well as helping people move to Ireland, we also specialise in helping ex-pats in the country return to the UK.
