Irish Urge Children to Leave Amid Job Losses

[zipplewrath]

4. It's the norm

I've been to Ireland many times, and over much of the country. One thing that always struck me was how much the families and really people of all ages tended to socialize together. A few of the irish mentioned that you grow up expecting to have to leave some day. It tends to make you look upon your time with friends and familiy a bit different. It's become ingrained in the culture in many ways. Staying is the exception, leaving is the norm.

Irish traditional music is repleat with songs about young men going away to make their fortune, with grand plans to return someday, wealthy, and ready to buy their farm, or marry their childhood sweet heart. They rarely actually return.