Jackeens, townies, call them what you will but anyone who grew up in a city or town was more than used to being called any of the above. Being a jackeen was sometimes better than being called a culchie though, here are thirteen reasons it was better to grow up in the city.
1. The shop was near to you
If you ran out of milk, the shop was around the corner, literally around the corner.
2. More streetwise
School bullies basically came nowhere near you, not because you ever beat anyone up but because you were able to shout enough abuse at them to frighten them away.
3. You didn’t have to get up early for school
Generally, you could walk to school in about ten minutes. If you were really lucky, you could fall out of bed and into the classroom.
4. It didn’t take an hour to get to your mate’s house
No, sure they lived next door.
5. NO ONE knows you
If you fell over in the middle of the street, you are never going to see those people who laughed at you again. Winning.
6. You didn’t need to move away for college
You still got dinner on the table every evening, thanks Mam!
7. Public Transport
Look, you get a bus or a train pretty much anywhere from the town. Even out to the middle of nowhere where these other folks lived.
8. You went to the country for your holidays
The great novelty of living in the city was you could go to the country for your holidays from school! And it was interesting for all of… five minutes.
9. Less freaky insects
You realised this while on your holidays… WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?!
10. What’s that smell?
Oh, the new world you encountered when you went on holidays to your aunt in the country. The green fields, the fresh air, the smell of… what the hell is that smell? What’s slurry?
11. You didn’t have to go to the bog
What’s a bog?
12. The Electricity didn’t cut out
Out in the more rural areas, as soon as a storm hit, good luck electricity! Gas cookers were the only way forward and this was usually discovered after you didn’t have cooked food for about three days.
13. You could order take-away
To your front door! Boy, the culchies really loved that one!
