Ireland is my home country and there are certain things you need to know before you move over. Ireland is amazing overall but it does have its downfalls. Ireland and the United States are totally different in a lot of different ways. I spent 28 years in Ireland and even though I miss it, I don’t think I’ll ever move back for a long period of time. This is 10 Things To Know Before You Move To Ireland.

Cost of Living

Ireland is one of the most expensive places to live in Europe. The cost of living is always on the rise. This applies to everything from renting, utilities and even food. Dublin is the most expensive county that you could live in but if you go out into the outskirts, and further into the county the prices will continue to go down.

The Irish Language

The language that is spoken the most is English but we do have our national language “Irish”. Not everyone speaks Irish but all of the signs etc are in both languages. Many people in certain areas do speak Irish and it is taught in Schools.

Weather

Weather in Ireland can be pretty messed up and miserable. Temperatures can drop and the heavens can open at any given stage. When I explained to Ireland to people in Michigan, I always said that you can get four seasons in one day and Winter is basically all year round.

Safety

The Republic of Ireland is the third safest country in the world. Crime rates are low as most of it is fueled by Drug Gangs. Guns are not legal in Ireland.

Cannabis

Cannabis is not legal in Ireland but if you do get caught with enough that’s counted as “personal use” you will only get a caution. Most of the time they only want to catch the bigger guys. You cannot walk down a street in Dublin without smelling Cannabis.

Currency

Ireland has two currencies – Euro in the Republic of Ireland and Pound in Northern Ireland. The Euro comes in bills of 5,10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. It also comes in coins of 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, 1 and 2. If you are thinking about going up to Northern Ireland, make sure you have Pounds.

Healthcare

Ireland has a fully funded government health system. You do need to be a resident of Ireland for a year or more to get the free public healthcare. You may be eligible for fully or partly funded healthcare. Private Health Insurance is also a thing that you can purchase also.

Slang

You may need to brush up on your Irish Slang before you move over to Ireland. We do have a lot of different slang words and some of them may not mean what you think they mean.

Capital

Yes, Ireland does have a capital and it’s called Dublin. Dublin is where everything happens but there are a lot of hidden gems in Ireland. If your looking at moving, look outside of Dublin at Galway, Kerry, Cork, Kildare and a lot more.

Alcohol

Us Irish like to drink no matter what happens. If the Irish Team loses, we drink. If it’s the weekend, we drink. Alcohol has a large part in the Irish Heritage.

Love, Bee xx