Now that we are back from our Irish getaway, I’ve realized that there are SO many things that are different between Ireland and America.
First of all, a little back story on why we went specifically went to Ireland. My husband, Rob, and I wanted to go on a vacation. But here’s the kicker. When we looked at flights into Florida we almost fell off our chairs. Round trip flights from Boston to Fort Myers were almost $4,000.00 for two adults and a child. That seemed ridiculous! So I researched other places that offered non-stop flights, and Ireland came up on the list. Maybe because was February, but flights to Ireland were way cheaper than flights to Florida. Go figure?
My husband, myself and our 18-month-old son spent eight nights in Ireland’s rolling green hills. Well, we didn’t actually stay in the hills. But the entire country is so green and hilly that it really felt like we were living in an Irish folktale. We started our trip off in Limerick. Then we went to Killarney for two nights, Dingle for one. Then we popped over to Cork for two nights and finished our trip in Waterford for two nights.
Ireland Is A Little Quirky Compared To America
Hear me out on this one. We loved Ireland. It was our second time going there. Rob and I went back in 2019 and it was so incredible that we wanted to take our son there this time around. But there were many things that struck me as a little bit funny when we got over there. At one point I took out my phone and made a list of all of the ways Ireland was so different than America.
So here’s my list (part 1). If you have never been to Ireland I hope this will give you insight to the gorgeous country. If you have been (or maybe you’re from there), please let me know if I am right on these things!
5. Irish People LOVE Their Poached Eggs
I don’t know what it is, but Irish people love their poached eggs. We went to a different breakfast place every single morning and not once did the waiter ask, “So, how do you want your eggs?” It’s not even a question over there. In Ireland you’re going to get a poached egg. And if it’s not poached then it will be fried sunny side up. Weird, right?
The Irish LOVE their poached eggs. Every traditional Irish breakfast looked like this. It came with sourdough toast, an egg, a baked tomato, sausages, mushroom, baked beans, and white and black pudding. It was delicious!
4. There Are NO Shutters On Irish Homes
We drove through big towns and small towns and not one single house had shutters on them. NOT ONE HOUSE! I don’t truly understand why. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s because all of the houses in Ireland are made out of cement blocks, not wood. So maybe they can’t drill shutters onto homes? Either way, it was weird for me to see because in America there are shutters on almost every home!
There was not one house that had shutters on it in the entire country of Ireland! Every house we passed the homes looked like this. I personally loved this one because of the straw roof. Who doesn’t love a straw roof?
3. NOTHING Is In Excess
Maybe we are just so wasteful in America, but in Ireland they only give you the necessities. For example, at the dinner table there will be just one napkin per person. There were so many times where I had to ask for more napkins. And even when I asked for more, the waiter would only bring one or two more. It’s like, didn’t they see I had a baby with me who is REALLY messy?
It was truly an adventure taking our 18-month-old son with us to Ireland. Would we do it again? Probably not. He was sick most of the trip which made things like dinner really difficult. But when things were great, they were really great! Here’s one of those moments when he actually smiled for a picture.
2. You Can Only Buy Medicine At One Place
In America you can buy medicine almost anywhere. At the grocery store, convenience store, gas station, etc. But in Ireland the only place you can actually buy medicine is at a pharmacy. Now, there’s a pharmacy in every town. But I was looking for cough medicine for my son at the grocery store thinking that would be an obvious place to buy some. The woman at the counter told me I had to go next door to the pharmacy.
Many medicines over in Ireland have different names. Nurofen is similar to Motrin. Calpol is similar to Tylonol. Either way, you have to get these meds at a pharmacy.
1. No Tipping In Ireland!
I saved the best for last in this portion of “Random Things That Make Ireland SO Different Than America.” But in Ireland you don’t tip for really anything. I’m not going to lie, it was so refreshing. After every meal you just pay for the meal. I even got a massage in Ireland and asked the woman if I was supposed to tip her. She said I could if I wanted to, but it’s not expected or customary. I felt so guilty that I gave her a $10 tip! But honestly, I could get used to a “no-tipping” culture.
It was amazing not having to tip after each meal, beer, or experience. In Ireland it’s also customary to pay after each drink. Rarely do they start a tab for you. It’s a “pay as you go” type of system. That’s my husband and son…two peas in a pod!
