Whether you grew up in the wilds of Kilbaha, Connemara or out in Kinsale, there was a certain charm to being raised outside of the city. Now we know some of the city kids will be a little upset with this, but your time in the sun will come. Here are twelve reasons why it was better to grow up in the Wild West… and surrounding Midland areas.
1. This View
2. You Know Everyone
And we mean everyone! If you didn’t know the person that your mother was describing at the table, you certainly knew their cousin, or their second cousin, or their aunt or someone from the family.
3. You’re a ten minute drive from the beach
If you are not anywhere near the beach, you were certainly near a lake. Either way, you were definitely about ten minutes away from free pool facilities.
4. You grew up with 17,000 animals
If you grew up on a farm, you certainly had a lot of animals but even if you didn’t, you would surely be aware of what a sheep looked like or that there is no such thing as a “male cow”.
5. Great traditions
There are certain city people you may encounter who have neither attended a wake or know what it is, but that tradition is still going strong out West and although it may seem like something Medieval, nothing beats the West for community.
6. Your teacher is your aunt
Or variations of the above. Everyone is related to everyone, whether they are direct family members or because they have been married into other families. This made life on occasion that little bit easier, especially if you were buying a car from your uncle or your aunt was the local doctor.
7. You were never short of a field to play in…
Fields, as far as the eye could see but by God, don’t head into that orchard at the end of the road and keep away from that graveyard. Breathe in that fresh air there lads.
8. You HAD to have a car at 17
There really was no argument about this one in any house, either you had a car or your poor parents were forced to ferry you around just about everywhere. If you worked on a farm, you were driving at 6.
9. You learnt great sayings… and curse words.
Sure, the cities have phrases of their own but where else would you learn the like of “mockin’ is catchin'”, “devil a bit” or “I’m only blaggarding”. You will often be met with blank stares in the city.
10. Shopping Days
You don’t pass by a shop every day on the way home and if you do, it’s only to pick up milk and bread. In order to get your weekly shopping, it is most essential that you put an entire day aside to go to the local town and get the food in. As for Christmas, that’s a trip to the city!
11. Everyone waves
Perhaps the most difficult adjustment for anyone moving to the city is attempting to stop waving at people driving past you. This doesn’t happen in the country, everyone waves at everyone, even if they don’t like them.
12. You learn how to drive on small roads
Have you ever been in a car with someone on a really tiny road out in the middle of nowhere and they begin to panic because another car has approached you? Not to worry, you grew up in the middle of nowhere, you have this. Up on the ditch.
