Éire enthusiasm - impressions from Ireland.

[Lily-sai]

(could someone move all the Ireland-related posts from IMMRN thread to here? thanks :) )

It would seem that there is quite a few Ireland lovers among us. Let's exchange our experiences and feelings here, maybe we manage to get those who haven't visited there yet, book their flight tickets immediately. ;)

Why does this country fascinate you and what are your fondest memories from this land of green?

I've visited Ireland five times, I think so. The most breathtaking place for me was Cliffs of Moher, where I just stared at the breaking waves and felt the wind on my face. Kylemore Abbey in Connemara was also very beautiful.

I just love Ireland. It really is bright green, and every time I visit there I find something new to see. Irish folklore somehow becomes alive when you wander around the fields in the blue hour and you could swear you can see leprechauns if you look closely enough.

[Woofer]

Why does this country fascinate you and what are your fondest memories from this land of green?

I've never had the pleasure of visiting, but I hope to get there one day. What do I love? The beauty, the history and folklore, the culture, and, of course, the gorgeous, lush greenery.


The most breathtaking place for me was Cliffs of Moher, where I just stared at the breaking waves and felt the wind on my face. Kylemore Abbey in Connemara was also very beautiful.

I just love Ireland. It really is bright green, and every time I visit there I find something new to see. Irish folklore somehow becomes alive when you wander around the fields in the blue hour and you could swear you can see leprechauns if you look closely enough.

I'd be lying if I didn't admit I am jealous. :nope: LOL! Please enjoy for me while you are visiting again. :couple:

[alinda]

This is a link to one of my favorite sites...all about this wonderous place
http://www.mythicalireland.com/

http://www.mythicalireland.com/art/wallpapers/newlight1024x768.jpg

[Mordred Deschain]

I'll have to come back with pictures (if I can find them, it was a trip with my ex-wife, so she might have the pictures) of my trip to the green isle.

But I'd like to start out with my family. My mother's maiden is Nolan. Which of course is: O’Nolan, Nolan, Nowlan, Nowlin, Nowling, Nolin, Nolun, Nolen, Nowland, Noland, Knowlan, Knowland and historically Nualláin. We didn't however didn't have the "O'" in front, I understand what it means, but there are a lot of Nolans without the "O'", so I'm not quite sure why and when it was droped from the name, but here is some back history:

"Early Irish annalists referred to the Ó Nualláins (the O'Nolans) as the "ancient ones of Leinster". Oral tradition further holds that they were descendants of the Tuatha De Danaan, the mythical Tribe of Dan, who, in their early wanderings, gave their name to the "Danube" river and the country of "Denmark", reaching ancient Ireland sometime before the 4th century BC when Ugaine Mór, a High King of Ireland and, according to early genealogies, an ancestor of the Ó Nualláins, lived.

According to historical writings and recent archeological discoveries, the homeland of the Tuatha De Danaan was Scythia, a vast region extending northwards from the Black Sea and covering most of the Ukraine. Modern-day archaeology further states that the Scythians had a thriving agricultural economy supplying wheat to the Greek empire in exchange for wine and other goods. They were the first to domesticate the horse and perhaps even the first to use the horse in warfare. Already in the pre-Christian era, Scythian archers on horseback played a major role in military campaigns and were known throughout the Greek empire which extended into the Black Sea and all around the Mediterranean Sea. The Scythians were renowned for their metallurgical skills, creating exquisite pieces of gold jewelry, tableware and even gold ornaments for their horses.

Based upon the foregoing, it is believed that the ancestors of the Nolans reached Ireland by a process of gradual seaward migration through the Black Sea, through the Mediterranean Sea and then finally into the Atlantic Ocean to Spain and Ireland. This is consistent with more recent archeological discoveries which suggest that the influx of Celtic peoples into Ireland was mainly through sea routes as opposed to land routes through Europe. Strong support for this theory is found in the simple fact that the Celtic dialects of Ireland are known to be older than those of Britain and Europe.

Seaward migration would also be consistent with what is known about Ugaine Mór, the believed 4th century BC ancestor of the Nolans and contemporary of Alexander the Great, who ventured out by sea as far as the Mediterranean Sea, landing his forces in Africa and, from there, attacking Sicily then under Greek control."

so...you may all bow down before me!! MUW HAH HAHHAH....jst kidding. :)

oh ya and the coat of arms:
http://stott.customer.netspace.net.au/images/nolan5.jpg

[Daghain]

I have 300+ pics of my '03 trek to Ireland. Yeah, they're somewhere; I'll try and post them up for you all. :)

That said, I'm 1/4 Irish, 1/2 German, and the rest is Heinz 57. :lol:

My Irish roots, however, seem to have some weird effect on me. I sooo want to move to Ireland (and I was thisclose to procuring an Ireland citizenship; damn you, grandma, for being born in the US and shipped of to Ireland as a baby LOL) but *shhhh* I'm jobhunting there. Seriously, if I can get in the UK on a Tier 2 work permit or Ireland on a work permit, I am THERE. Sadly, that's freaking HARD for a US citizen. GRRRRRR.

The land is gorgeous, the people are soooo friendly and just so genuinely nice, and I'd LOVE to live out my life among that. Cross your fingers that I will figure out how to do that. :)

[Mordred Deschain]

I have 300+ pics of my '03 trek to Ireland. Yeah, they're somewhere; I'll try and post them up for you all. :)

That said, I'm 1/4 Irish, 1/2 German, and the rest is Heinz 57. :lol:

My Irish roots, however, seem to have some weird effect on me. I sooo want to move to Ireland (and I was thisclose to procuring an Ireland citizenship; damn you, grandma, for being born in the US and shipped of to Ireland as a baby LOL) but *shhhh* I'm jobhunting there. Seriously, if I can get in the UK on a Tier 2 work permit or Ireland on a work permit, I am THERE. Sadly, that's freaking HARD for a US citizen. GRRRRRR.

The land is gorgeous, the people are soooo friendly and just so genuinely nice, and I'd LOVE to live out my life among that. Cross your fingers that I will figure out how to do that. :)

I'm right there with you on the whole thing! 1/4 Irish, 1/4 German, 1/4 Italian, and the rest is a mix with Native American. Not enough NA to consider myself part of a tribe or anything, but if I can find those pictures of my great great grandfather...the proof would be in the picture I tell ya!

I would so love to move there too! The people were amazing and friendly...even guided me to a "headshop" in Dublin..hahah...

[Ka-mai]

Why is it hard for an American to get Irish citizenship? Or is it just residency?

I'm about 1/8th Irish, but considering my whole family is also Heinz 57 and some of them are kind of a mystery, that number might be a little higher.

I love Ireland because it is beautiful, and they have "real" history :P and also their accents rock. :D

[Daghain]

It's hard because they want to limit how many people they let into the country. You can only establish citizenship by descent as far back as your grandparents. Also, the UK just shut down the work permit option as a road to citizenship there, and I suspect that the Republic of Ireland will follow suit eventually.

The bottom line is, their economies suck just as bad as ours, and they want their people to be first in line for jobs. Also, as part of the EU they want to give citizens of other EU countries first dibs on jobs Irish citizens can't fill. Sucks, but it makes sense.

[ManOfWesternesse]

Daghain, I'm not familiar with the facts on this (we often know so little about our own place!), but I think you're referring to qualification for Citizenship - as in qualifying to hold an Irish Passport as an Irish Citizen. THAT is indeed difficult if you're outside the 2nd generation (ie Grandparents born in Ireland).
BUT - I don't think that debarrs you, as an American citizen, from living and working here if you wanted to (& if you could GET a job in this depressed economy:panic:).

[Daghain]

No, you're exactly right. The problem is definitely in getting a job. It's the whole, "you need a permit to work, but you need to be here to get a permit" kind of thing. And eventually I would want to be a dual passport holder anyway. Believe me, I've spent countless hours looking into this, and basically the only way to even get into the UK anymore as an American is to be transferred by your American company, be independently wealthy, or marry a Brit. Ireland is a tiny bit easier but not by much.

[Brice]

So it's easy you just marry somebody to get there. :lol:

Brian, what if you want to become a citizen, but don't want to do the traditional work thing? How about just moving there to become a homeless wino and leach off society? Are they very receptive to that sort of ex-american citizens? I mean if they don't want us taking y'all's jobs it is a compromise. :)

[Nerak]

mmm, I would pick, Marry a Brit! They have cool accents too!

And I would love to visit.

Growing up, we thought we were part Irish, Scottish and French. Turns out we (my sibs and I) are French and English. Dammit all to hell!! That's not fair.

Didn't really make that much difference, I am like 98% Canadian French. The rest is just gravy! LOL

My Mother's parents were born in Pubnico Nova Scotia, Canada. I would love to visit someday.

I hear we have a lot of relatives in that town! LOL

[Mordred Deschain]

mmm, I would pick, Marry a Brit! They have cool accents too!

And I would love to visit.

Growing up, we thought we were part Irish, Scottish and French. Turns out we (my sibs and I) are French and English. Dammit all to hell!! That's not fair.

Didn't really make that much difference, I am like 98% Canadian French. The rest is just gravy! LOL

My Mother's parents were born in Pubnico Nova Scotia, Canada. I would love to visit someday.

I hear we have a lot of relatives in that town! LOL

haha...I actually like how you said "the rest is just gravy". made me laugh.

ya it's kind of funny to that I can draw a path back to ancestors that were actually "royalty" but yet, I would find myself with the same problem of gaining residency.

[Mordred Deschain]

Erin Go Bragh my friends! Happy St. Patrick's Day!
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w246/pherf/guinness.jpg