{"id":4568,"date":"2017-01-23T16:08:19","date_gmt":"2017-01-23T16:08:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.difc.ie\/?p=4568"},"modified":"2018-06-12T11:18:59","modified_gmt":"2018-06-12T11:18:59","slug":"12-things-about-ireland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.difc.ie\/12-things-about-ireland\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Things You\u2019ll Discover About Ireland in your Foundation Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Each year, new students from all over the world arrive at DIFC to start their International study journey.<\/h2>\n

Each with their own ideas about what Ireland will be like \u2013 most of them completely wrong! So, we thought we\u2019d give you a little insight into the real Irish experience and what you can expect when you touch down in the Emerald Isle.<\/p>\n

1. We don\u2019t all have that \u2018Top of the mornin\u2019 to ya\u2019 accent<\/h4>\n

You\u2019ve seen it in the Hollywood movies and any Leprechaun cartoons \u2013 that twee Irish accent that we all know and love. However, once you actually arrive in Ireland and travel around a little, you will be baffled by the number of different accents that do exist \u2013 and boy, do they vary widely!<\/p>\n

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Source:\u00a0https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/annuhlease\/<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

2. Lephrechauns actually don\u2019t exist<\/h4>\n

Sorry to break it to you \u2013 but Lephrechauns don\u2019t really exist. Although they add to the mystery of Ireland and its folklore, you won\u2019t ever meet one. But, you can get immersed in some Lephrechaun culture at The National Leprechaun Museum<\/a> in Dublin, which is a fun way to spend an afternoon.<\/p>\n

3. Irish superstition is strong<\/h4>\n

You may be laughed at if you ask about Lephrechauns, but if you mention fairies it\u2019s a whole other story. Superstition and mythology around fairies \u2013 or the \u201clittle people\u201d \u2013 is strong in Ireland. You may notice random small trees in an otherwise bare field \u2013 that\u2019s a fairy tree and the belief is that you must NEVER disturb the fairies or they will curse you forever. The Irish government even altered the route of a new motorway so that a known \u201cfairy tree\u201d wouldn\u2019t be disturbed.<\/p>\n

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Source: http:\/\/www.irelandinpicture.net\/2010\/04\/fairy-tree-that-delayed-motorway-ennis.html<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

4. We have our own language<\/h4>\n

Yes \u2013 we are the only English-speaking country now in the EU, but we also have our own language! The Irish language is not spoken widely, but even those who don\u2019t speak it fluently will slip a word into the conversation here and there. Everyone learns Irish in school, but many forget most of it and have just a few phrases. There are parts of Ireland where the Irish language is the first language spoken \u2013 mainly over in the West of Ireland.<\/p>\n

5. We certainly have the gift of the gab<\/h4>\n

There is no doubt about it \u2013 Irish people can talk. A lot! It doesn\u2019t matter what the topic is, any self-respective Irish person be able to talk about it and at a rapid pace. So whether it is the taxi driver or just someone you\u2019ve stopped to ask directions, don\u2019t expect it to be a quick conversation.<\/p>\n

6. Getting directions can sometimes be a little tricky<\/h4>\n

Don\u2019t get me wrong, most Irish people will be all too willing to help you out and \u2018try\u2019 and point you in the right direction. The problem arises in the way we offer directions! Rather than using street names to identify the route, we\u2019ll use landmarks and tell anecdotes about people or places along the way which will most likely confuse you. We may even throw in a few recommendations for places to eat and drink. At the end, you might be none the wiser about where you are actually going!<\/p>\n

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Source:\u00a0http:\/\/www.dailyedge.ie\/<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

7. The weather is always<\/u> of topic of conversation<\/h4>\n

Despite the actual predictability of the weather \u2013 mostly cold and wet! \u2013 we actually talk about the weather\u2026a lot! And given the often grim weather we have, we do tend to look for the positives.<\/p>\n

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Source:\u00a0http:\/\/tumblr.tastefullyoffensive.com\/<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

8. We have many different names for rain<\/h4>\n

Given it rains so frequently in Ireland, it is not surprising that we use many different terms to describe it. Here\u2019s just a few:<\/p>\n

A grand soft day: light, soft rain on a warm day<\/p>\n

A squib: a small, short shower of rain<\/p>\n

Trying to rain: the clouds and air feel heavy but there\u2019s no rain<\/p>\n

Lashing rain: heavy rain that falls in straight lines<\/p>\n

9. Supermacs will become your staple diet<\/h4>\n

Supermacs is Ireland\u2019s version of McDonalds or Burger King \u2013 but all Irish people think its better than anything else. Why? Well it has the Irish touch! Everyone has their own favourite \u2013 but the curry chips are the hands down winner in my book.<\/p>\n

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Source:\u00a0https:\/\/instagram.com\/gerrytyrrell\/<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

10. There\u2019s always something to do on weekends<\/h4>\n

From ancient ruins, beautiful national parks, jaw-dropping coastlines and our enchanting castles, you\u2019ll always find something to explore during your downtime in Ireland. Make sure if your holidays and study breaks to see the true beauty of Ireland.<\/p>\n

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Source:\u00a0http:\/\/blueskysunshineandrainbows.tumblr.com\/<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

11. You\u2019ll never meet friendlier people<\/h4>\n

It doesn\u2019t matter who you are or where you are from, you\u2019ll be greeted like a true guest from the second you step off the plane. In fact, Dublin and Galway were both voted in the top 6 friendliest cities in the world by Cond\u00e9 Nast Traveller in 2016<\/a><\/p>\n

12. You\u2019ll find yourself never wanting to leave!<\/h4>\n

Many students who come to Ireland with the intention of going across the waters to one of our UK partners end up staying in Ireland. Why? Because it\u2019s just too good to leave.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Each year, new students from all over the world arrive at DIFC to start their International study journey. Each with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7126,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_custom_body_class":"","_custom_post_class":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[77,62],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.difc.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4568"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.difc.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.difc.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.difc.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.difc.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4568"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.difc.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4568\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.difc.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7126"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.difc.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4568"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.difc.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4568"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.difc.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4568"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}