On June 23, 2010, my wife Juli, my 8-month-old daughter, Ashlyn, and I landed in Dublin, Ireland to begin what we did not know at the time would be one of the greatest 5 years of our lives. As of June 30, 2025, we have now been back home in the United States for 10 years. The 15 years that have passed since our move to Dublin and the 10 years that have flown since we've moved back remind me of the singer Roddy Woomble's line: "I got older, while I was waiting to get older. I thought it would take much longer."
Dublin is my favorite city in the entire world, and I miss living there immensely, though I've enjoyed the 10 years I've spent in the US since our move back. With it having been 10 years since I've called Ireland home, I would like to share what I believe to be the top 10 things that make Ireland (both north and south) one of the best countries in the world.
10. The Food
Compared to many other nations of the world, the Irish are not known for their food, but the things that the Irish do well - they do really well. Warm Irish soda or brown bread cannot be topped, except with butter and jam which is also very good in Ireland. You would also be hard pressed to find better stew on a wet day than in the Emerald Isle. And there's not much better than a full Irish breakfast with the requisite fried eggs, bacon rashers, black and white pudding, sausages, baked beans, fried tomato, and homemade soda bread. Of course, you have to wash it all down with a few cups of tea!
9. The Friendliness
The Irish are genuinely some of the friendliest people you will meet anywhere. When they say "hello" or "how are you?" or "good morning", they really mean it. I've have personally witnessed Irish friends taking the time to show tourists to their destination (whether walking or by car), rather than simply giving them directions.
8. Sense of Humor (the craic)
What makes the Irish so funny is that they are more than happy to laugh at themselves before laughing at others. In fact, one of the big no nos in Ireland is to take oneself too seriously. No matter how bleak the world becomes, the Irish have a knack for finding humor in almost any situation.
7. Spirituality
Ireland used to be known as an island of saints and scholars, though some today might better describe it as the isle of cynics and the skeptical. However, I have noticed that compared to much of the rest of secular Europe, Ireland has maintained a stronger connection with its religious past. There's room and opportunity for continued growth in this arena.
6. Pub Culture
Shifting from spirituality to spirits, I confess that I do enjoy a nice pint in a nice pub. It was once said that it was near impossible for a person to walk through Dublin and avoid passing a pub, no matter which route you may take. Though many of the pubs across the country have closed and are closing, pubs still function like they have for centuries, as public houses where people meet to not only drink a beer, but to chat and to share life and community. Some of my favorite memories in Dublin involve sharing a pint of porter and conversations of both faith and football.
5. Ireland's Way with Words
Some of the best writers of the English language come from Ireland. For such a small country, Ireland punches well above its weight when it comes to literary masterpieces. From Joyce to Yeats and from Wilde to Shaw (not to mention, many more), the Irish have a way with words that captivates readers far beyond their shores. In addition to this, the Irish take great pride in education and seeking to be deep thinkers. You don't have to look hard to find intelligent conversation in Ireland, whether in a coffee shop, a church, or a pub.
4. Music
I love traditional Irish music. But I also quite like modern Irish music, especially the rock bands that have been launched from Ireland. The 1960s and 70s saw the emergence of Van Morrison and Thin Lizzy. The 1980s and 90s produced U2, Sinead O'Connor, and The Cranberries. Since then, the success of Glen Hansard (and The Frames), Snow Patrol, Hozier, Fontaines DC, and Inhaler demonstrates that Ireland will continue to produce world class musicians and music for decades to come.
3. Landscape
I am drawn to epic and surreal landscapes, and for such a small island (you can fit about 8 Irelands inside of Texas), Ireland has numerous epic and surreal landscapes, especially alongside the coasts. Though it doesn't have large landscapes like the Swiss Alps or the Saharan Desert, it has what I would describe as quaintly dramatic terrain. You might call it beauty on a small scale.
2. Pace of Life
Americans live to work, whereas Europeans, work to live. This might be a bit cliche, but it's true. I used to make jokes that the Irish show up late to work and make up for it by leaving early. That's only partially a joke. Really, the Irish just know how to work smarter, rather than harder, and their lives are all the better for it. Things move at a slower pace in Ireland, but it's a pace that allows a person to breathe. As Mel Gibson's character in Braveheart said, "Every man dies, not every man really lives." We might say that every American works, not every American really lives. The Irish know how to live.
1. The Kindness of the Irish
My wife, Juli, has often remarked that the Irish are kind people. And it's true! Not only are the Irish funny and friendly, they genuinely care about other people too. I'm not sure if it is still true, but at one point Ireland gave more money to charity per capita than any other nation in the world. Why? They experienced a famine in the mid-nineteenth century and they haven't forgotten the devastating effects of that food shortage. And until very recently, Ireland remained a poor country. After the Celtic Tiger of the 1990s, Ireland joined the rest of Western Europe in standard of living, but they did not forget what it felt like to be poor, and they are more than willing to give back to those less fortunate. And it is not just their financial generosity that makes the Irish "nice", it's their authentic care for the underdog and for those without a voice. I would challenge you to find a kinder 5 million people anywhere in the world!
I don't know if I'll ever have the opportunity to live in Ireland again, but even if I don't, I hope to visit that fair island as often as I can. One of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me occurred when I traveled back to Dublin for a visit a few years ago and was greeted by my friend, Tony Murphy with, "Welcome home." - Shay
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