irish elsewhere

A Podcast Bringing the world to your ears through
the words of Irish who have chosen to live abroad

Chats with
Irish Folk Abroad

In 2011 - nearing the end of the 2008 Irish economic downturn or ‘crash’ - I moved abroad. 10 very fast years on, I wanted to reflect on my emigration. I was just one of the almost half a million people who left Irealnd in the six years after April 2008 (source: Irish Independent). Fortunately I had solid education and experience to do so, having attended both Shannon College of Hotel Management and the National University of Ireland. Thankfully, it was my choice to stay abroad.

It is true that is not the case for all of us Irish abroad. Some were forced to emigrate to keep food on the tables for their family, some simply could not find job opportunities on the island and others were fed up of the talk of the bygone days of the infamous Celtic Tiger. 

Amongst the ups and downs of living abroad, one thing is sure, you will find Irish everywhere. It is ironic that an island population of 4.7 million (census 2016) spreads its wings wide and far. I currently live in Bali, Indonesia where not only are there multiple Irish bars but the island of Bali has its own St. Patrick’s Day Society. Travel the world and names such as U2, Conor McGregor, Liam Neeson, Saoirse Ronan, Niall Horan to name just a few. 

So with the popularity of Ireland abroad showing no sign of decreasing, I wanted to hear from the Irish aborad, the Irish Elsewhere. Hear from the horse’s mouth what it means for them to be living off the Emerald Isle. We will hear opinion, stories and general craic! What brought them abroad? What do they miss from home? Will they stay elsewhere? 

The aim of this podcast series is to gauge why so many opt to leave Ireland typically at a younger age, yet still call Ireland home. We will hear from the horse’s mouth and we will help a younger generation of Irish population consider the benefits and disadvantages of moving abroad.