The Polish experience in Ireland

I'm currently searching for any anecdotes which capture something common or unique about the Polish immigrant experience in Ireland. If you are Irish or Polish and you have a short, simple, funny, sad, or interesting story relating to work, social life, love, family or any other aspect of life, please post your story here and tell us something about the Polish in Ireland

A good one about my GF's parents (Polish) who came to Ireland to visit her. I brought them to the pub to watch a rugby world cup match. They had never seen rugby before. While I was trying to explain some of the rules through my interpreter (GF), they at first attempted to look interested and serious. Eventually, however, they couldnt keep a straight face any longer and both of them just exploded in laughter and couldnt stop for about 20 minutes. Apparently the sight of groups of grown men jumping on each other and rolling around on the floor together was too much for them to take!!

never yawn without covering you're mouth when in polish company, they have a thing called savoir vivre and its a big no no!!!but as I say " when in Rome...."

The poor Poles in all that rain.... it breaks my heart

My wife pulls me up on this. Though i do notice that her and her family think nothing of talking with their mouths full.

Are you a Journo? Who do you write for?

Is that just a Polish custom to cover mouth when yawning? Our family always has and I was born in the USA. But my Mom's family came from Poland, so I am curious. I thought everyone covered their mouth when they yawn.

I don't know if it's only polish custom but covering mouth when yawning is a part of good behaviour in Poland.

It considered good behavour in England too, basic manners really same as eating with your mouth closed and not passing wind in public :)

Its only bad if people can hear it.

Thread attached on merging:
Your Experiences In Ireland

If you are a Polish person who has lived or is living in Ireland i would like to hear of good/bad experiences you have had in Ireland i am a Irish person who lives in the UK and i have heard stories about Polish people who were mistreated in Ireland are these true or false

Yes Sir

Anti Irish propaganda. They are treated well, in fact the Irish media loves telling us how the poles are better looking, better educated, better workers, and oh so lovely and great. They also created the Celtic Tiger, apparently.

Feeling a bit inadequate there?. ha ha ha


Correction, there was a phenomenon commonly referred to as the "second Celtic tiger".
The first Celtic tiger left 40,000 jobs each year, with no one to work in them.
Poland provided the work force.
With the huge amount of cheap immigrant workers, buying food, taking transport, renting apartments and houses, paying for services, there was a huge booste to the economy.

yep hard fact

niejestemcapita

Prove this hard fact please!

Sending 1.5 billion home per year.

20% of dole claimants are foreign nationals. Thats 204 per person per week ,many of the poles.minimum.

Cost of teaching immigrants english exceeds 126 million per annum.

Massive welfare fraud committed by foreign nationals.

90 million on child benefits for children not residing in the state per annum

25% of jailed criminals are foreign nationals. It costs 100,000 euro per inmate

150 million being claimed in rent supplements per annum

Most of the immigrants are used as cheap labour, therefore pay little tax as they are on minimum wage(or lower).

More Irish on the dole due to displacement.

Now take into consideration the costs of educating foreign children, costs of healthcare, etc etc etc.

Prove they are a net benefit on the economy. Now, take in to account that 38% of workers in Ireland pay no P.A.Y.E. tax. That includes a substantial proportion of the Irish population beyond foreigners, it must be acknowledged. Not only that, but when one factors in Children Allowance [not to mention Medical Card, Council House, Unemployment Benefit/Assistance etc. etc. ], an even greater proportion of the population are effective net beneficiaries of public largess. Which means middle-to-high income earners. Who pays?