I never understood how Europeans seem to look down on their American cousins...

I don't blame the Irish for milking the tourists though. Ireland is still a relatively poor country.

"Relatively Poor"......Check dat GDP per capita, fella.

Its just a joke, m8. Chinese tourists are just as bad, if not worse, but everyone moans about US tourists.

Having a high GDP does not mean that the people are wealthy. It means the GDP is high.

The USA has one of the highest GDPs in the world.

Everyone I know is so poor they can barely eat. Homelessness is such an epidemic, we just arrest people that have no place to live.

Ireland's GDP ranks 56th in the world. And their per capita GDP is USD$50,000. That is not much to live on in Ireland.

And the average wage here according to the CSO, is €35,768.
www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/elca/earningsandlabourcostsannualdata2014/

Where exactly are you from?

Just because the people you know are poor doesn't mean everyone is....

No, there are many rich in America.

But many destitute.

In Ireland they all seem pretty equal.

My only point is that having a high GDP does not make the people rich. Just the nation.

Ireland is a very unequal country, look up any measure of inequality.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_income_equality

Well, I am not an expert, only someone with experience there.

Maybe there is more middle class in Ireland than the USA?

BTW-your link, which is wikipedia, not a source, states that Ireland is very equal.

Wiki lists its sources well. ITs easy to read and compare.

Its quite unequal, compare the coefficients with the USA or UK. Not as bad, but not equal either. There isn't data on much of the 3rd world.

According to wiki, Ireland is way more equal than America though.

And America has the same equality as many 2nd and 3rd world nations.

That is sad.

Ireland needs more equality at the dental clinic... Sorry, couldn't resist. I love the Irish. Great craic.

Isn't 35,000 Euros about $50,000 USD?

Again, how does anyone live on that in Ireland? Not to mention that is mean.

Most people probably live on more like 1,500 quid a month. Lucky to rent a flt in the ghettos for that. Let alone buy food.

Most people live comfortably enough in Ireland. Don't get me wrong. They are just not rich. For instance, very few people own houses in Ireland. Or "single detached homes". What the Irish call "houses" are usually what we give people for free in America to live in, because they can't afford their own place. "Townhouse" they are called. Basically just an apartment or flat that is a little bigger. I rarely ever saw people in Ireland driving Hummers.

I am not saying the Irish live in a 3rd world nation like the Philippines. There just does not seem to be many rich people running around. But people seem pretty equal there. I loved Ireland. As a German-American who cannot identify with the Irish at all, I loved the nation and the people very much. Actually, I just realized typing this, that I think I enjoyed myself there more than anywhere I ever lived. But with 5 kids, probably never be able to move back there again...

Your assertation was that Ireland was "a relatively poor country". It is not.

I never said it was a cakewalk living here.
Your assertation about house ownership is plain wrong. Irish people, much more than people on the continent, seek to own their own homes, for better or worse. We also have comparitvely few apartments, especially family ones. You must have never left Dublin, because even in the suburbs, a 3-bed semi-detached 2 storey house is the norm. Townhouses like you describe date from the Georgian period, and cost a bloody FORTUNE.

There aren't that many rich people in ANY country, in terms of populace.

What does "semi-detached" mean?

And yes, I lived in Dublin's wonderfully expensive ghettos that people claim do not exist...

Semi- detached....well em...it means THAT.

Its a house that isn't a terraced, nor is it stand alone. It adjoins one other house. Standard building practice of late.

Pics are best explanation
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-detached

Ah, duplex.

I remember when I had to learn what a "detached house" was.

When I was shown one I was like "that just looks like a house."

"Yes but it is detached".

"Detached from what? Why would you attach your house to something?"

lol I am American at times...

GDP per capita....Where ARE you getting your numbers?

Of course our absolute GDP is low, theres only 4.5million of us, hence GDP PER CAPITA....oyyy...

You even said the GDP per capita is 35,000 Euros.

Is that really far off from 50,000 USD?

I don't know the current exchange, but doing it in my head, that seems about the same...

Converting, its $38,000.

Average US salary is $52,000. So not that far away, really, once one considers the sheer amount of concentration of US wealth in the hands of the richest.

That is my point.

The US is immensely richer than Ireland.

But there are way more poor people in America than Ireland.

And less rich people in Ireland.

That is what I mean that the GDP does not mean that people are rich. Some people, maybe, like in America. But not people in general.

Fair point.

I just took exception to your characterisation of Ireland as "relatively poor".

You said you are in Ireland?

Are you Irish?

Yes.

Well if I can ever make it back I'll buy you a Harp.

Or if you are a rich Irish, you can buy me a Guinness

In fact, Ive done it for you

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28nominal%29_per_capita

There is a reason why no one is proud to be English...

Seriously though, they mostly live in SW Idaho and N. Utah. Old Mormon families. They are more ginger than ginger there.

I am proud I am not a ****** .

tfw my last name is attributed to almost every ******* region of Europe

Whats your name, fella?

Yup....theres no helping you there I'm afraid. Its something like Mairtín in Irish/Gaelic.

Its common as **** , but sure so is mine here.

There are areas of Ireland, where a surname is so common, every 2nd shop is called in the town, for example "Doherty's" in Donegal.