The cons (vs pros) of a move to Ireland
Five reasons NOT to move to Ireland
Know before you go. Based on a more-than-casual and less-than-encyclopedic review of the literature about moving to Ireland, here are five of the best reasons NOT to. It’s a reality check for those dreamers, regardless of age, who see themselves starting a new life in an old country.
We won’t know until August how many Americans are pulling up stakes and moving there. But if last year’s numbers are indicative, the numbers will increase. The numbers: From April 2024 to April 2025, 9,600 Yanks arrived in Ireland to live. The same period a year before, 4,900 of our fellow Americans made that move. The numbers nearly doubled.
As you consider these drawbacks of moving to Ireland, you’ve got to wonder how many of those emigres to Eire will move back to America?
ONE– WEATHER. If you’ve dreamed of living somewhere where it’s warm, look elsewhere. Ireland has the occasional heat wave when temperatures “soar” to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but basically year-round it's Oregon weather from November 1 to March 17 give or take a few days. It’s probably a good idea to stock up on foul weather gear at the Columbia Outlet before you move.
TWO – COST OF LIVING. It’s high in Ireland, which is the sixth most expensive country in Europe to live in. And prices are going higher with the Iran War. Especially in the big cities: Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick. (Only talking about the Republic today.) Rents are exceptionally high. Buying a house is beyond the means of many middle class Irish. Fuel prices are a killer. Did you see the mass protests around the country two weeks ago? Prices are high here in the PNW too, but because Ireland is an island, lots of commodities must be shipped or flown in, which means higher costs on the shelves and at the pumps. Affordability is a universal issue, especially in Ireland.
THREE– PAPERWORK. Do you really want to deal with the bureaucracy and jump through all sorts of hoops? Even if you’re an Irish citizen through the foreign birth registry there will be certain hurdles. Although Irish bureaucrats are noted for their helpfulness, be patient. If you're contemplating a move to Ireland, there’s a work around available. The Consul General of Ireland is coming to Portland on Thursday, May 14 to host a Passport Clinic and Pop-Up Consulate at Kells Pub. You can book a one-on-one session consulate staffers who handle citizenship, passport and work visa questions all the time. Slots at the clinic are limited and available by appointment only. If you want to book a slot please email irishnetworkportland@gmail.com. Be sure to mention that you read about this in the PDX Hibernian Independent.
FOUR – JOBS. Many Americans don’t want foreigners filling jobs American workers could fill. Why should the Irish be any different? Don’t move to Ireland expecting to find work when you get there. In fact, to get a work permit you’ll usually need a job offer from an Irish employer. Generally speaking, wages will be lower in Ireland than in Greater Portland. A software developer here is said to earn $130,000 annually. In Ireland they’d make $75,000.
FIVE – DRIVING. In the four big cities mentioned above you might be able to get by without a car, but if you’re going to live in the country, where the roads are narrow and American drivers are nervous, a car is a must if you’re staying longer than a few weeks. Public transit exists in cities (buses,streetcars) and between cities(trains) but when you’re in the country, you’re on your own.
The good news is, there are plenty of reasons to move to Ireland despite these drawbacks and challenges. And you can read about them in future articles.
SOURCES– It was kind of fun looking with a cocked eye or negative perspective at the literature about moving to Ireland. Putting together a case to convince someone not to move to Ireland wasn't that difficult.
Sources.
This woman from Colorado lived in Ireland for 3 years and wrote about what she wishes she knew before she moved there. Amber Haggerty obviously came of age with many conveniences in America, “We couldn’t get food delivery of any kind,” she complains. As she points out redundantly, "Ireland is not a perfect utopia."(This post is from 2023 but still relevant.)
Taxes could be a big deal if you move to Ireland.
Both sides to making Ireland your new home.
This one’s a little weird. “Everyone Drinks Heavily,” it reports. Really? It lists Jewish New Yorker Tom Lehrer, who composed and sang satirical songs in the early Sixties, as someone “Irishmen and Irishwomen know like the back of their hands.” Really? Hey, it’s the internet.
