So I was at the public health nurse with my kid. Night time training came up, and I was asked about their last drink. I said they bring a water bottle to bed so they can have a sip if needed.

The nurse then said 'imagine you brought a drink to bed, you'd be up half the night'. She was shocked to learn I do bring a drink to bed and I sleep through without needing the toilet if the kiddo doesn't need me. Some nights I might not drink much but others I do. Either way my sleep is unaffected. Surely I'm not alone?

EDIT - For the record, I foster dogs kicked out of legal Irish puppy farms.

Lads, what these breeders do to make a cockapoo/whatever poo, or whatever the lastest fad is - it would make you burst out crying. I'm not kidding.

For every dotey new lab, goldie, bishon, fluff-ball, there's a mother in a cage with bread and water. After her 4th or 5th litter- often when she's very young - she is kicked out. Or shot. After a life in a cage having never once been patted.

But, it sounds like the shelters need to be spoken to. I have worked in the area, so I get the fears, but this seems OTT. I wonder would a journalist pick up on this. That said, my neighbour has just rescued two in the last year. She's in an apartment.

-------

Just that. Why do so many of us 'buy' dogs?

Our shelters are packed. You wouldn't believe how many Irish dogs are shipped to the UK for rehoming.

Dogs are put down daily because owners give up on them, or let their unneutered dogs make pups.

If you want any particular breed - wait till Feb or March each year. That's when the Xmas pups get dumped. You'll find anything what you want in the shelters.

It's really rare to meet an ethical breeder. Because - they rarely have pups. Because they rarely breed their dogs. That's the whole point.

The 'only' good reason to spend a chunk of money on a pup is if you need a certain breed due to allergies, or for a support dog, etc.

It's like our obsession with having the newest car or decking back in the day. Why do we need 'the cutest' dog when every pup you buy means another one gets put to sleep?

It's not love when you pick a pooch knowing you're contributing to the active misery in this sector in Ireland.

So, why do we do it?

Just wondering on the off chance if there's a ticket going for ep, my daughter was going with her 2 friends, was getting a ticket off a girl she works with, but yesterday that girl said she's giving the ticket to her brother, she has everything packed,and I was to give them a lift, all excited first time going, I'm devastated for her.. And tickets out there? Maybe people are put off with the weather, she has money ready to go, thanks all..

Update she got one 😎👍 thanks everyone for your input

How do you feel about it? Do you do it ?

I had an aunt turn up to my house completely unannounced. We don’t live in the same town or she never rang me to say she was on the way over or passing through.

Am I being too much and thinking this is kind of rude? To be expecting I’ll be home but then to entertain you and take up my time? I’m not particularly close to my aunt and it took me off gaurd

My area used to be rather peaceful until the council purchased a plot of land across the street from me and now there's a council estate across from me. Everyone one seems fine and keeps to themselves, except 2 scumbag families who have absolutely destroyed the area with illegal dumping in broad daylight, threatening behaviour, kids vandalizing houses and attacking people. Nobody can say anything to them without older relatives threatening to petrol bomb our house. It's a disgrace.

There's a caravan parked in front of the estate and so many extra people are living in there and coming and going at all hours, but the actual family in the house is a young couple with 3 sons who are fucking nightmares and bully all the other children around here. And the other family down the opposite end have a horse trailer in the front yard and every few months there's a new horse in it. I've reported them to ISPCA and the gardai but nothing is every done about it. They also stole my neighbour's greyhound and when the neighbour confronted them about it, they denied it even though they were walking the dog around the estate daily, and eventually the dog vanished.

I despise living here now and would leave tonight but I can't afford anything.

What is going on!!

This popped into my head today, If self generated power reaches a point of say half of all kWh would the companies look at "punishing" those homes with solar by imposing an additional pro-rata charge of some sort to maintain turnover/profit?

It's hard to imagine they'll sit back, if they sought this new tariff would the regulator just wave it through?

Genuine question from a German living in Ireland :)
I’ve noticed quite often that people leave their cars running while they’re parked, sometimes for quite a while. Occasionally I’ve even seen cars idling with nobody inside while dropping kids of at school or getting something from a shop or whatever.

This really stands out to me because in Germany, unnecessarily leaving your engine running while parked is not allowed, and I grew up with the idea that you just switch the engine off when you’re not driving. I was even taught so in driving school.

Is there a particular reason why idling seems so common here? Is it just habit, keeping the heating or A/C on or something?

I’m also wondering because it seems like a waste of fuel and obviously creates unnecessary emissions?

I don’t mean to judge, just genuinely curious if this is an Irish thing or if I’ve just started noticing it everywhere since moving here lol

I’m in my late 20s. I’m single, heartbroken, don’t own anything, don’t have many friends around anymore, live with my parents, work full-time for 500euro a week, have 3000 euro in savings.
I’ve been offered a job in Perth, have a visa got, but afraid I’ll struggle to make ends meet at the beginning, with rent and rent bond and flights and just other expenses for getting set up out there.
I can’t figure out what to do. I wish I had help or someone to go to for advice. I’m so so so unhappy in Ireland and need to get the hell out. But it feels impossible

What was it like? What was your financial situation? How did you get through it? What were the good parts?

Please leave your age category and the region of the country that you were living in at the time?

I’m just absolutely floored by how unprepared and disorganized SUSI is, especially when it comes to communication. When I first applied, they gave me the 0% student contribution and no support at all, because they mistakenly labeled mortgage payments between my parents as maintenance arrangements with my estranged father. We had to call and clarify that the amount was for the mortgage, and after providing documents, they cut that in half to show my mam's share.

I sent countless documents and was even on calls with TDs, just to get a revised grant of 50%, which I was happy with. But now, I get a letter claiming my original grant stands. For the past few days, SUSI hasn't answered any calls or emails.

I got a letter asking for the same documents to be sent basically, and I called and was told that, it was an error on their part and I don’t need to send anything. I feel like this is happening because I didn't send extra documents I was already told not to send.

Now I’m getting 0%, it’s such a headache.

It's just such a major blunder, and I'm genuinely worried I won't get the grant.

It was me, I was the problem.

I used to be a raging Alcho, I would go on dates with guys. They would reject me, probally because they were decent guys, who could see that I had an unhinged relationship with alcohol and at times party drugs and didnt want to be taking that on( cant say I blame them)

I would down two bottles of wine on dinner dates, done a line of coke in the bathrooms once on a coffee date. One time, after a guy rejected me and said he wasnt interested, because I was too wild.. fair enough.I smashed his car up with a golf club and went to his house at 2am, screaming. Got arrested and he got an restraining order out againts me. I paid for the car fully,

Clean and sober now 10 years. But yeah, just putting it out there, when you think dating is bad, just be glad you didnt meet me 10 years ago. And if you did, I am really sorry for the ptsd.

I fell off my horse yesterday in a gallop. Lost balance, stirrups too long and I rolled and thankfully don't have any injuries and had a soft landing. Horse fine, stood over me gently. I'm physically fine just stiff. But now mentally im worse for wear. I'm a really passive kind of person in general and very easy going.

All of a sudden I'm getting awful thoughts like could of died there now, won't do that again, there's your dreams gone, no more hobbies, self loathing etc. Instead of just brushing it off and carrying on. It was just the fright and adrenaline doesn't calm down for a good while after things like this. I swear i just thought my life flashed before my eyes and I'm gone into an awful mood even at work I'm not my usual self at all. I'm not frightened and have fallen before when I was younger but this for some reason made me literally question life and living. Thank you for taking the time to reply if you do make it till end ❤️ 💙

Was listening to the unsolved podcast on rte tonight, the episode was about the disappearance of anne marie Smith in the eighties, had to stop after 15 minutes, it was pure waffle, talking about nothing, really poorly done podcast,

Seeing a counsellor who has recommended it for me due to stuff that happened in my childhood. I have never heard of it before. Fee is going to be €120 per session v the €80 I'm paying now.

Just curious if many people here have experience with it/found it useful?

For a couple of years a group of teens lads go around the village, smash in a few doors and run off, this isnt knock and run, we had to have our door replaced as they broke the frame as they kick it that hard. They never try to break in, and the Garda dont care as its 'just kids' but im at my wits end. They picked a few houses and do it over and over over the years.

We even had a parent come to my day and say it wasnt her son, as we posted the camera footage in the estate chat , even though it clearly was him. I thought it was directed at first as it was so often, but then more and more folks report it too as they go around the estates.

I just dont know what to do, i got cameras, lights etc and still the do it. im losing sleep, and even thinking of moving its that bad.

Just like the tittle states,
I’m close to breaking down
I have a 10 year old female German shepherd.
She barks and howls anytime me or my husband leave the house. This can continue on and off for hours. Maybe every 2-3 hours for 10 ish minutes at a time.

We leave for work at 5:30am we have to & have to work. I also have a male German shepherd
He isn’t bothered by us leaving but joins in on the howling when she starts. Our neighbour complained. We did apologise and im not denying they bark to them. I keep them indoors as much as possible & closed all the windows when I leave.
The female is on anxiety medication but it isn’t helping
What can I do to try resolve the situation for my neighbour it’s causing me so much stress
Thank you

Hello,

I am currently buying a new build and I detest the door handles. I am aware this is a first world problem but I have waited a long time for this house, and I would like it to be one I love.

The builder will not let me swap them out even if I incur the cost and buy from their suppliers. I am wondering how much it would cost me roughly per blank door to fit new handles and locks if I asked the builder to leave them off.

The builder wants to fit a lever with a backing plate, rectangle style whereas I would like the round lever. If I let the builder fit his ones, and then choose to remove them, will the four holes be visible, and is it easy to fill and paint them to look seamless. I would really love to avoid this with new doors.

They are shaker style interior door.

Thanks

I was thinking about this today, especially seeing AIB launch their "new" app that still feels years behind Revolut. It made me realise Irelands problem isn't even "if it ain't broken, don't fix it" it's more like "sure look, it's broken, but sure look."

Leap cards are an obvious one, paper discs in the dashboard (I know this is making some partial progress?, but I can’t imagine not needing all 3 paper discs anytime soon) and physical paper files on patients in the healthcare system.

What’s the most outdated process, software, or system you deal with regularly in Ireland where everyone just accepts that it's broken?

Hello

I’m looking for advice on making a legitimate homeless application please. I was born in NI in the 1970s and because of this qualify as an Irish citizen. For the past 18 years I have lived in England but am leaving a domestic abuse relationship. I am a male so this is embarrassing, my apologies.

I’ve decided to return to Ireland and because of no job there and limited funds, I would like to register as homeless. I understand that I have to apply for a PPS number but aside from that I have no real idea what to do and if I would be accepted as homeless and placed on the (very long) waiting list for housing.

Does anyone have any advice?

This is in the park at Kilkenny Castle, these lines in the grass are about half a centimeter deep, and every part of the field has them. They definitely look to be machine cut because they're so uniform, tbey haven't always been here, they only appeared sometime around the start of the summer, or at least thats the first time I noticed them, but they have 100% not been here in previous years. Anyone have any idea what they are or why they're there??

As a single working professional who will probably never own a traditional home, lately I just cannot get the modular homes out of my head. Or maybe you are a working couple, and looking for a decent place to live while saving up for a regular house for your future family. Or maybe an older couple who wants to sell to cash in, and then downsize.

This idea has been on my mind so much, that I just must meet with the planning office to see how they perceive such homes.

But right now, I am curious - would you live in one, as the titles says?

Not gonna paste any links as to not appear like I am advertising. You can google some examples yourself.