What do you miss about home?

silvervixen84

I can't remember if we've done this already so apologies if so.

Outside of friends & family, what do you miss about Ireland, your home town, or just your life back home?

For me it's:

My cats - I live in a rented flat, so no pets for me here.

Driving - I used to have my own car back home and sold it before moving here. I miss my car and I miss driving. It would be wasteful and inconvenient for me to have one here.

I used to live in the countryside, so every now and then I miss the peace and quiet, and view of the river and field (usually with cows in it) from my home.

Garlic & cheese chips - you can't get them here! I know I could make my own, but it's just not the same as a box of smelly, fatty g&c chips from John Grace's.

I'll come back if I think of more...

Dave0301

Dublin, surprisingly enough.

London is a great city but having spent so long in Dublin I feel much more comfortable in my skin there! The feeling of not knowing my way around exactly can be disconcerting :pac:

Also, decent pints of Guinness. Didn't realize how awful the stuff they have over here was! However it is nice to see a greater variety of beers and ales.

LadyMayBelle

My car and driving. For the same reasons as you Silvervixen, it's nonsense for me to have one here. But I miss it everyday!

The seaside. I'm from Galway, and the beach is only ever ten minutes away. The sea air is good for the soul.

I miss my neighbours; my family home is in a cul de sac of 20 odd houses, and I love that whilst people dont interfere nosily, they always drop over a box of sweets of its someone's birthday, or a few scones if theyve made too many, or a neighbour will 'help you out'. I used to hate it when I was a teenager, but Ive come to see why my family and the families around, especially with little kids, love it there.

Going out 'back the west' in Galway, and having a few chips after! Very different here! The accessibility of going out for the night; everything's within walking distance not hopping on and off tubes.

People chatting to you; be it yer wan in the shop who sells you phone credit or the bus driver. I dunno, it's polite and friendly.

I forgot to add: the open fire!

woof im a dog

smithwicks and my pet dog susan

Playboy

Being from Galway too I miss the ability to go out without having to drive or get on public transport. It's also nice to bump into people you know randomly over the course of a night.

Fysh

Playboy wrote: »

Being from Galway too I miss the ability to go out without having to drive or get on public transport. It's also nice to bump into people you know randomly over the course of a night.

Must admit this is something I miss about Cork too. I wouldn't trade back, but I do miss being able to just wander down the road and know I'll probably bump into people I know rather than having to plan in advance.

ballsymchugh

i miss being able to cycle to a GAA match of whatever kind, instead of doing a 150 mile round trip if i want to go to one here!
i also miss dublin at this time of the year. the weekend before halloween and the run up to Christmas are much more jovial than here would ever be.

listening to moncreiff on newstalk does make living here so much easier though, even if the locals are wondering what the hell i'm laughing my head off at.

Jev/N

Decent bar staff :mad:

Playboy

Jev/N wrote: »

Decent bar staff :mad:

Yeah ... So true. Bar staff over here are generally very poor in comparison to back home.

fluke

Playboy wrote: »

Yeah ... So true. Bar staff over here are generally very poor in comparison to back home.

Barstaff in Ireland are like delivery ninjas compared to the glib and slow bar staff I have experienced over here.

I miss driving so much. Especially those windy country roads.

Oddly enough the music I listen to at home seems to moderately change from what I dip into here. Something to do with the surrounding environment I guess.

iambrazil

I miss being able to decide to go to a gig at the last minute, walking to the venue, knowing I'll probably meet someone I know there and not having to worry about transport home.

Weebuns12

I miss friendly people, dunnes stores, and, related to dunnes, BREAD! Wheaten bread, scones, Brennan's....

two wheels good

fluke wrote: »

I miss driving so much. Especially those windy country roads.

Rent a car for the weekend and take yourself down to the back roads of Sussex and Hampshire. ( parts of Surrey too) - especially around the South Downs.
You'll find stunning roads and a better driving experience than in many parts of Ireland. Along with great scenery, woodlands, quaint villages, country pubs, lots of walking routes.

LadyMayBelle

I want to add that I make yummy wheaten bread and happy to share the recipe with anyone who's genuinely interested. It's the McCambridges sort, not that Ian Rankin stuff (galwegians will know McCambridges!)

As much as I complain about grumpy bus drivers, I miss the chatty ones.

And the Spanish Arch.
And Ballymaloe relish.. What have you started Silvervixen! (banning self from thread!)

iambrazil

LadyMayBelle wrote: »

And Ballymaloe relish

not that difficult to find! Selfridges had it in a little Irish section in their food hall a few months ago. Along with Taytos, O'Donnell's crisps and a few other products which I forget. The prices weren't too scary either.

Fiii

LadyMayBelle wrote: »

I want to add that I make yummy wheaten bread and happy to share the recipe with anyone who's genuinely interested. It's the McCambridges sort, not that Ian Rankin stuff (galwegians will know McCambridges!)

As much as I complain about grumpy bus drivers, I miss the chatty ones.

And the Spanish Arch.
And Ballymaloe relish.. What have you started Silvervixen! (banning self from thread!)

I see Ballymaloe Relish all the time in Tesco over here - have even gotten a few English friends hooked on it now
Also, if you could share that bread recipe that would be all kinds of awesome!

I'm another one who misses driving - it's always the first thing I do when I make a trip back to Ireland...hop in my car (haven't sold it yet as I work part of the year in Ireland, part in London) and go for a drive.
I also miss the sea...desperately!
And Butlers Hot Chocolate - I make my own using that box you can buy in the airport, but it's never the same!
I also miss being able to afford my own place - not a hope over here!

Other than that, I'm a pretty happy bunny in London

Playboy

I hate to say it but I have been craving a bag of Tayto Cheese & Onion for a few weeks now. It must be at least a year since I had a bag.

My boss who is from Somerset arrived into work the other day with a box of Barrys tea-bags.. he loves them!

two wheels good

Fiii wrote: »

I also miss the sea...desperately!

Bladdy Lahndoners - afraid to leave the smoke! Take a train to Brighton, Eastbourne, Worthing, Chichester etc. and have a walk on the beach. I recommend the Seven Sisters cliff walk. National Trust I think

exiledelbows

Playboy wrote: »

I hate to say it but I have been craving a bag of Tayto Cheese & Onion for a few weeks now.

There's plenty of places you can get your fix. Irish shops in Willesden, Harlesden and Tooting sell them, as does Waxy's leicester square and the Corrib rest in Queen's Park. Any big Asdas have an Irish section too, but only sell Hunky Dorys and NI Taytos.

Me, trips to Thomond Park for rugby matches, pubs in Galway. Bar staff who can remember more than one order, Lock-ins.

silvervixen84

The cheese shop in Victoria train station sells NI Taytos too, and club orange/lemon, and red lemonade. Oh the red lemonade!

83ste

Apart from my friends in Dublin - nothing!

Playboy

exiledelbows wrote: »

There's plenty of places you can get your fix. Irish shops in Willesden, Harlesden and Tooting sell them, as does Waxy's leicester square and the Corrib rest in Queen's Park. Any big Asdas have an Irish section too, but only sell Hunky Dorys and NI Taytos.

Me, trips to Thomond Park for rugby matches, pubs in Galway. Bar staff who can remember more than one order, Lock-ins.

Cheers.. I dont live too far from Tooting so might pop over one of these days to pick up a few!

Fysh

I seem to remember spotting Barrys Tea in the cafe upstairs in Foyles - stacks of the stuff, in boxes on sale. Weird, but useful. That said, theres a convenience store on Kilburn High Road called In & Out that has a bunch of stuff including Club Orange, Taytos, and Clonakilty pudding, so that's where I normally go when I'm craving food from home...

One thing I definitely don't miss about Ireland that I was reminded of recently is the difficulty of getting around if you're anywhere outside about half a dozen cities and don't have a car. You know things are bad when googling for a bus route to the place you're going returns hits for Walking Tours. Let's be honest, none of us have fond memories of Bus Eireann do we?

Alessandra

Definitely agreeing with a previous poster on bar staff in general not being able to serve more than one customer at a time...
I miss tea, good quality meat, mccambridges bread and the pubs.

Jev/N

Also, the inability to ring people with a half an hour's notice and get a group together for a few pints

ballsymchugh

Jev/N wrote: »

Also, the inability to ring people with a half an hour's notice and get a group together for a few pints

conversely, having to make an appointment over here if you're going to call over to someone.

AnnaVanilla

I miss living in Galway, being two minutes away from everything. Meeting friends in a pub on the west sid - Beer House, Salt House, Massimo, Roisin, Blue Note - and know that you'll always meet some more people you know there. Chatting so random strangers in the smoking area in Roisin. Getting Chinese food from the grumpy Chinese woman in that place on Dominic St on the way home. Sitting outside Cafe Express with a hazelnut latte chatting to friends. The falafel pitta from the market on Sundays. Coffee with the girls in House Hotel. Spanich Arch when the weather's nice. Charlie Byrne's bookshop. The madness everywhere when Race Week or Arts Festival is on.

Maybe I should go back for a weekend soon

Bluezar

Taco Chips and Chicken Fillet Rolls

My Local at home

Wat United! Flying home this Friday for play off final!

Playboy

AnnaVanilla wrote: »

I miss living in Galway, being two minutes away from everything. Meeting friends in a pub on the west sid - Beer House, Salt House, Massimo, Roisin, Blue Note - and know that you'll always meet some more people you know there. Chatting so random strangers in the smoking area in Roisin. Getting Chinese food from the grumpy Chinese woman in that place on Dominic St on the way home. Sitting outside Cafe Express with a hazelnut latte chatting to friends. The falafel pitta from the market on Sundays. Coffee with the girls in House Hotel. Spanich Arch when the weather's nice. Charlie Byrne's bookshop. The madness everywhere when Race Week or Arts Festival is on.

Maybe I should go back for a weekend soon

Making me miss Galway now!! I worked down the West for many years so know exactly what you mean!

AnnaVanilla

Playboy wrote: »

Making me miss Galway now!! I worked down the West for many years so know exactly what you mean!

I made myself homesick too writing that post

LadyMayBelle

Pizza Napoli beside Neachtains in Galway.... Best pizza going. Always make a point if going there when I'm back home!