To dial from America it is 011-353-1-666-6000

Thanks Siobhan, I've figured that out using your previous examples. But my daughter is in London, so instead of 011 it's 00, right? At least that's what I told her.

You told her right, Nikki.

Yes 00 353 1-666-6000.

The hotel called her yesterday. They were looking for receipts for the stolen iPods, which I take as a good sign. But the night watchman apparently told the management that only $20 in cash was stolen, which is VERY much lower than the actual amount.

I presume the "night watchman" was the night porter. He is supposed to have some responsibility for security, for instance in making sure that non-residents are not wandering around the hotel at 3 a.m.

How did he know how much was taken?

I believe (and now we're in she said he said territory) my daughter told me that he said that's what the kids told him at the time.

Either he has an appallingly bad memory or...

Having just returned from Ireland,I was very impressed with the neatness of the countryside and saw very little in the way of poverty.The houses were generally all freshly painted and well kept.The people were friendly, as almost all have indicated on this board.I did experience some young people begging in Dublin but not sure if this was mostly drug related.Things are expensive and as a general comment, the food was much better than I expected.As an Irish American, I would not be comfortable wearing orange in the Republic of Ireland knowing the history.

billo1409 wrote: "As an Irish American, I would not be comfortable wearing orange in the Republic of Ireland knowing the history."

As an Irishman, I have to say that to me this makes no sense whatsoever. The only issue is the one Lawchick mentioned at the beginning of this thread: fashion.

After reading your post, billo, I kind of wonder what you were expecting to find in Ireland.

"Twas ever thus with expatriates. Hence all those people who fossilised their view of Britain when they left for the other side of the world in the 1950s..."

- The situation in Australia is somewhat different, though. For many years Australians of Irish descent maintained a sense of grievance, and bigotry on both sides was alive and well until a few decades ago, but their ire was mostly aimed at the English-Scots Protestant ascendancy in Australia. For the great majority Ireland itself was too far away, and its travails too remote, to warrant much attention.

Mercifully there's been very little of the maudlin idealisation of the Ould Sod that seems to characterise the Irish-American experience. A string of Hollywood movies of revolting sentimentality (ironically, more often than not made by Jewish studio bosses) can take some of the blame for that, maybe. Until recently, when some people realised that they could make money out of it, St Patrick's Day tended to pass unnoticed by the great majority.

Unlike an Irish-American, you will never, ever hear an Australian of Irish descent described as an "Irishman", and for that matter seldom as an "Irish-Australian". Perhaps that's because so many Australians, myself included, have some Irish ancestry that the term is practically a tautology. In the mid-19th century an outright majority of Australians was Irish-born or had Irish roots.

As for expats with fossilised views of their homeland, there are some good examples among the stream of Australian writers and performers who left for London in the 1950s and 1960s and now occasionally breeze back into town carrying ludicrously outdated ideas of Australian society. Prime offenders are comedian Barry Humphries, critic Clive James, academic Germaine Greer and retired soprano Joan Sutherland.

billo1409: Sorry, but that is just plain silly. Maybe you've spent a bit too much time in some "Irish" bars in Boston - - otherwise I can't imagine where you got such an idea. Your 7 days in Ireland, gave you a bit of a taste but maybe not too much insight . . . . .

billo; there is a homelessness problem in Dublin, but they are all well-catered for; this is the work we as an Order do all over the world, caring for the homeless. Ireland is so far managing to stop the appalling rich/poor divide there is int he US and canada - our Mother House is in canada - Sometimes we get a report re children running wild in Dublin; so we check with the Salvation Army and we learn that they are runaways from abusive homes. They will not go back; they are fed and clothed and know where to find food and shelter and help. There are many voluntary roups caring for them and we will have Sisters in Dublin soon to help. There are always those who have been sleeping rough so long they are unable to cope with any other life style.

I honestly do not think anyone bothers what colour you wear.. orange is not a fashionable colour... I would be more wary of wearing a Union Jack..

After reading your post, billo, I kind of wonder what you were expecting to find in Ireland

That struck me too.
Was he expecting picturesque tumble-down cottages with bare-foot colleens in front of them?
Neil makes a good point. You don't seem to get hyphenated Australians.
Also, the earliest and largest group of Irish to go to America were the so-called Scots-Irish and they don't seem to do that sentimental stuff.

Author: anchoress
Date: 07/19/2007, 02:35 am
billo; there is a homelessness problem in Dublin, but they are all well-catered for.


Anchoress

I'm sorry to disagree with you, but you are mistaken if you believe this.

I think this post has gotten far too serious. I have only been to Ireland 3 times, but I did grow up being very close to my Irish grandparents, and my father might as well have been born in Ireland. My experience is that the Irish do lament their woes (as many others do, with much less poetry.) But they also celebrate their joys with such zest and with a love of life beyond compare.

From my families' teachings, the Troubles have not been religious, but more about possession of land. It should be one country, but they have moved on and hopefully all will continue the peace. By the way, last year I wore an orange hoodie from Galway to Tipperary, and I was welcomed by all.

Homelessness is not a major problem in Ireland compared to some other countries. Granted, though, any homeless person should constitute a major problem.

Have a look at the http://www.feantsa.org website for more information.

lucielou; not sure what you mean? we get reports from tiem to time, because folk know the area of our interest and expertise.. and the reports can be alarming.. like "children living like cats".. so then we contact the Salvation Army in Canada, with whom we work closely, and they contact their people in Dublin... we do this every time this comes up because we care very deeply. And, remember, we have been working with the homeless for 150 years. Yes, there are these 'warrens' of children especially. And yes, they are being helped insomuch as it is possible to help them - without imprisoning them in children's homes.. which would, after the decades of child abuse in such homes in Ireland - never be allowed to happen again. Even with children, you can only give help where it is acceptable. These are runaways; abused kids who hate authority. So, as we said, they always know where to find food and a bed and care. Same with the adults; if they are rehomed within six mnonths, they can be helped, but all too soon they become habituated.. again, there are plces they can go for food and shelter. These organisations are well funded and caring; we offered help when we came here and were told that this was not needed. The grants they got last year were large. And thankfully, Ireland is dealing with the homeless problem before it reaches the terrible scourge it is in the US and Canada. We work there with all who strive to help these thousands of street people. Here, we are sometimes approached by people who say they are homless; then they tell that they are sleeping with friends etc... always we refer them to Social Welfare etc.
Blessings this night

OK as a inner city dweller (a bit on the edge now) I can say its sort of in between what you both think. I have an apt I now rent out in an area close to some of the shelters. I have never seen warrens/packs of homeless kids or aware of them in the city but I have seen teenage junkies and alcoholics. I have seen a lot of young prostitites that no long hang in my area that were a fix or two away from dying. Some looked so thin under sheep skin coats which I found a strange sad sight. We also always said hello in a weird neighborhood way as you would recogonise one or two after a while. They never caused other women any problems who lived there.

There are lots of excellent resources but its hard to get someone off the streets if they have been there for a long time. I think people can becoome sort of Feral when on drugs and drink living rough. Any child "found" would and should be housed by the state as it is illegal for a minor to be on the streets no matter what the situation. But...Putting a child in a B&B is inappropriate as there are few child facilities. I watched every day my Neighbors from the hostel get paid, go to the new super cheap off licence and buy all their booze and sit outside all day and get piss drunk. They never hassled me very often and looked out for our building in a weird neighborly way while we all kept our distances. These men had lost their families and were life long alcoholics with little hope of recovery. It took them a lot to get drunk at that point. I find more are male hostels like the simon community for Addict or Drugs and booze. I am sure there are a few kids around but I think it was worse in the inner city 50 years ago with poverty and abuse.

Weel said, Siobbhan.. Sadly the kids are there, as the Salvation Army admit. They stay hidden... I have met some wonderful people who help them in secret. And yes, adults become habituated very quickly indeed.Blessings