A member on our Facebook Group recently posted a very valid point when he basically said that everyone has to do their research before they make the move. There is a lot about life in Ireland that one can't really grasp without knowing what life is like here.
Why are people so pedantic about calling it the Republic of Ireland and not Southern Ireland? How do you pronounce the Irish names? What if they speak Irish Gaelic (which they just call Irish or Gaelige) or even worse, what if you end up in Cork and they speak English and you don't understand?!
So, in our quest to get you as prepared as possible (because we really believe that the better prepared you are the less stressed you are), we are going to post here some links to YouTube articles that will cover some of the topics, as well as some helpful apps that you can download and use while still in SA.
As we always say, we are in this with you and hopefully we can get you walking with confidence when you finally arrive to what we now call our home.
HISTORY
How did Ireland become independent?
But there was also an Irish civil war?
Sunday Bloody Sunday Is more than a U2 song
Bloody Sunday in under 4 minutes
The Irish are so nice, so what troubles do they keep talking about?
History between Catholics and Protestants
The divide between Catholics and Protestants (1993)
How did the counties get their names?
The names of the counties explained
Why not use the term Southern Ireland? After 800years of occupation Ireland is a very proudly independant state
Southern Ireland: the name is Ireland!
LANGUAGE
Sounds and Spelling of the Irish language
Apps that help you learn Irish
**Nemo is designed to start you speaking the most useful words in Irish Gaelic immediately and confidently. With millions of downloads from around the world, Nemo is now available for Android phones and tablets. ✓ Every Irish Gaelic word is pronounced clearly in high quality audio from a native speaker.
**Duolingo is the most popular language-learning platform and the most downloaded education app in the world, with more than 300 million users. The company's mission is to make education free, fun, and accessible to all. Duolingo is designed to feel like a game and scientifically proven to be effective.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN IRELAND
A good way to get an idea of what you can expect before you come is to listen to Irish Radio. If you know where you are planning on settling, you can listen to the station that is local to that area. It will also help train your ear to the accent and dialect in the area where you are planning on kicking your shoes off. If you are not sure yet, play around and find a station that you enjoy. It will help you get up to date with current affairs.
This app has most of the radio stations that are available on it. It doesn't have all of them, but will give you a good idea of what is here. It will also make you feel settled quicker when you arrive and tune in to a station that you are already familiar with.
Stay on top of newspapers. There are many that you can access online, and again, research the local newspaper in the area you may go to for current affairs.
SPORT AND LEISURE
Riverdance a preview
HOLIDAYS AND RELIGION
Religion in Ireland and the other -ism's (racism, ageism, sexism etc)
Halloween:
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Samhain is Irish Gaelic for “summer’s end.” The standard Irish pronunciation is “sow-in” with the “ow” like in “cow.”
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In the 8th century, the Catholic Church designated the first day of November as ‘All Saints Day’ (‘All Hallows’) – a day of commemoration for those Saints that did not have a specific day of remembrance. The night before was known as ‘All Hallows Eve’ which, over time, became known as Halloween. This was done to incorporate the ancient pagan traditions of Ireland that the Church wanted to overcome and blend into Christianity.
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The traditional Irish dinner is a boiled potato, colcannon, cabbage, and raw onions.
The Origins of Halloween are in Ireland
Is it St Stephen's day or Boxing day? Why is St Stephen's day called boxing day?
And all the other amazing things about Ireland
Tips to literally live by - weird and wonderful advice by people just like you!
Areas - What the Saffa's say about where they live
Member's pics of where they live
Coping emotionally with the move to Ireland
Getting Winter ready- what to do to prepare for Irish Winter
What is Ireland's climate like?
Important links:
#MapMyMove- Our coaching Services - Confused or lost and need some direction, book a session with us to help untangle the confusion and work out your route of immigration
Setting up Home: Renting, Buying and Utility bills
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