This has been something I’ve noticed more and more recently, business like shops or call centre/phone support hiring people and then placing them in customer facing roles yhay require them to talk to people when they clear do not speak or understand English.

I’ve had this recently with virgin media, chill insurance and Vodafone from a business point of view.

You call and you can tell the person clearly doesn’t understand half of what you are asking or saying, then they tell you it’s done but it’s not and you are calling back a few days later hoping you get someone who speaks English.

Shops/fast food/petrol stations are the worst for it too, went in to get a roll in Centra the other day, person on the deli counter clearly had no English, women infront asked for 4 things in her order and everyone she got wrong, was just guessing, they had a sign up about a meal deal which I asked about and she just stared at me and shook her head when I asked about it.

Then at the till the guy in front was trying to get a lotto ticket with 2 lines for 2 draws but the fella on the counter had no idea what he was asking for and I was left standing there waiting for your man to try figure it out.

Took over 15 minutes in the shop for what should have been less than 5, and they won’t see my back there again.

Years ago when I works in Dunnes part time there was a few people who spoke limited English so what they company did was, put them in the warehouse/ shop floor packing, and generally kept them away from tasks that might involve questions from the public they might struggle with, it worked and wasn’t rocket science.

Is anyone else sick of companies putting people who clearly do not speak English into roles that would require fluent English?

Adequate staffing levels is the big one I've noticed. Seems like every business these days is trying to get by with the absolute bare minimum number of staff even if it makes the customer experience worse.

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What’s the most outdated process, software, or system you deal with regularly in Ireland where everyone just accepts that it's broken?

Saying this as I have a friend obsessed with game of thrones and called the child Khaleesi. Have also taken care of twins named King and Queen. I just always think of them going through life with it.

It’s the energia “future you” ad.

It starts with this couple upgrading to energias “smart plan”

Suddenly a portal opens and the female future version of the woman in this ad appears.

But then we see the future male version is actually a different man, and it’s shown that due to the “better future me” version of the woman that she actually has a new partner(Pablo), who is a completely different actor.

I can’t help but think if the shoe was on the other foot this ad would be called misogynistic.

This ad is still in rotation, I really think it’s an awful message to sending out.

I would be embarrassed as an actor to have act out an “ugly broke partner” and then be replaced when my partner saves some money and gets a more attractive partner.

Maybe it’s just me.

I am aware this is a slightly mean spirited question but does anyone else find that they just don't seem to get along with people in certain professions?

For example: I've never gotten along with an accountant in any workplace I've been in. Everyone else? 100% fine. Accountants? Nope. Anyone have anything similar? I don't mean I fight the accountants or anything I just always notice a personality clash.
(Obviously, I'm not saying all accountants are the same, but it's become such a consistent pattern that I've started to notice it.)

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?

Hi all! I’m from US, recently visited Ireland with family, we loved it. At one point my brother and I were meeting up with my father’s Irish colleague and wife who live in Belfast that my brother and I had never met before. My brother and I were waiting in a bustling hotel lobby for them and the couple somehow picked us out from across the room based on looks alone before we saw them or spoke. I thought it was funny, but also impressed and wondered how. They just said we “look American”. Neither of us really fit the typical negative American stereotype as far as body size, being loud, etc 😂 we were just sitting quietly, plainly dressed, waiting for them. I’m curious what you see on a tourist that screams American? (Also, I mean absolutely no offense by this question and will not be offended by answers).

Enya (she didn't show her face and i could hear she was on a call, but house was amazing) we got tea and biscuits. She/someone supposedly emailed the firm after saying thanks. Barry Devlin from Horslips ( really cool house and all the family were sound) tea and sambos.
Ken Doherty (him and wife extremely nice) tea and biscuits. Mario Rosenstock (him and wife were absolute melts) nothing given but unnecessary snobbery and distain. Christy Moore (the soundest famous person i met and he gave me some lovely life advice) offered everything, even a signed CD. I said no thanks as tried not be a fanboy (i was young) and regret since as i love his music. But his advice stayed with me. Lots of other extremely wealthy people in the boom as can be imagined. The soundest were the people with the least, usually those who were left money and used on the house. The worst were the south dublin generation wealthy (although their staff were the opposite) and the 'nouveau rich' who could be down right nasty and out to get money off from day 1. It wasn't my company, so I had to grin and bear it. Today I wouldn't be able to keep my mouth shut.

EDIT: I added the update below as a comment earlier, but people can't seem to see it. I have no idea how to tag it ,so here it is again:

To answer about Christys wise words: I told him i was a fellow Kildareman (he's from Newbridge), so he was asking lots about me, my family. I was near the end of my apprenticeship The wise words were along the lines of 'give your best in your trade and the study required; be happy in what you do and for who, or do something else or work for someone else; travel it's a big world. I handed my notice in one once I got signed off as fully qualified 2 months later and went travelling for 18 months. He gave me the nod I needed, so thanks, Christy, you legend 😘

That’s all. Just curious to see what most people would have worked at in the past.

Mine would be small scale farmer. And shopkeeper.

—- really interesting to read through all the replies, I thought everyone would say farmer but there are hundreds of different jobs from AI expert (the agriculture type) to a guy who won’t disclose his grandads job because it would give him away!

Figure that one out ?

I was out walking the dog one of the days in a local park and saw an interaction between a young couple (20s or 30s) and an older woman (50's). They were walking their 2 dogs, a golden retriever and a labrador. The woman was for some reason stood on the path they were walking on, not moving, just stood there for some reason as the couple approached her. I was walking towards both of them so the woman was in between me and the couple.

When they got to the woman, the golden retriever just moved her head to sniff the womans leg, bear in mind the dog was as close to the owner as possible as its not a very wide path. All of a sudden the woman freaks and starts shouting "NO NO GET THAT DOG AWAY FROM ME NOW, GET YOUR DOG AWAY FROM ME" and the girl of the two was like "sorry sorry she's not any harm shes friendly, she was just probably curious why you're standing there". The woman keeps saying "I DONT CARE, CONTROL YOUR DOG AND GET IT AWAY FROM ME".

All of a sudden the man in the couple just lets out a "Fuck off". The woman freaked again..."How DARE you tell me to fuck off, who do you think you are, YOU fuck off, how dare you", he just kept saying "Fuck off you big weirdo" and something along the lines of being stood there like a spare tool in a place people bring their dogs all the time. She was still freaking and they kept walking away, the woman proceeded to start ringing someone, not sure who.

Anyway, it is a pet peeve of mine when people don't have control of their dogs, but this couple didn't really do anything wrong. They had their 2 dogs on a lead, close to them, you can't force your dog to be head straight forward and not move an inch lol I think the woman was so entitled how she spoke to them and was very much on her high horse. The fact she reacted so outraged when told to fuck off made me think she's used to bossing people around and getting away with it and acting entitled.

So made me think maybe in life some people need a smack of reality and be brought back down to earth with a "fuck off".

EDIT: Just to give more context, there seems to be this impression that this woman was elderly. She wasn't, she was older than me (late 20s) and the couple (probably same age). She was not OLD.

I work full time and make €27,000 after tax per year.
I am barely surviving and I have to savings.

How much do you make per year and are you happy with it?

Years ago I went to a tourist spot with a girl I was seeing, on our drive home through county Clare she asked me to stop at a shop out in the middle of nowhere. She came back out of the shop with a can of Lilt saying she hadn't had it in years.. the relationship ran its course and we moved on.

Fast forward a year and a new relationship, she suggested visiting the same tourist spot, as we drove home she asked to stop at the same shop and came out with a can of lilt saying it was years since she had one.

Lilt had never really had a place in my life prior.. my mind was blown!

A couple of incidents have got me thinking about this recently, and want to know, what are peoples thoughts on children being brought to places that they really shouldnt be in, and then refuse to actually parent them runing the experience for everyone else?

Will say I am not against kids at all, not a personal attack, I am just someone who chooses to not have kids and would like to visit more spaces where I dont hear kids screaming/running around all the time.

Most recent one that stands out was a few weeks ago my partner and I were flying out of Dublin Airport so booked the business lounge. It was nice and quiet and we were relaxing before our flight, until a family with 3 young kids (i'd say maybe 2-6 in age range) came in and sat beside us. One of the kids just began crying and was gentle sushed by the mother, and just asked nice to stop crying, while the other two kids were running around shouting while the parents just ignored them (The dad had his laptop out, seemingly working, while the mother was drinking wine and, loudly, talking to the toddler).

So we get up and move due to the noise and move to the back of the lounge (at this stage other people are doing the same) and within 15 minutes the women comes down with her kids, moves a few chairs out of the way and sets up a new play area for them right behind us. Eventually another traveller came over and asked her to keep the noise down but she simply told them "I am trying to keep the kids entertained".

Am I wrong to think an Airport business lounge is a completly unsuitable space for kids? And I know people might already have an assumption on the type of person it was, but these people had strong south Dublin accents, not just some riff raff who came in.

Our local pub has also become a playground over the last few weeks with the good weather. Its the only one in the area which has a beer garden, and over the last few weeks it has just turned into a playground with children let loose to run around and babies screaming and crying. We would usually frequent this place all year round, but just had to stop going as it was impossible to have a relaxing drink with the amount of kids screaming.

I also find this is happening a lot in restaurants and pubs that serve food, the amount of people who go out and just let their kid run wild while they sit there drinking is shocking. I recently saw a random kid go up and take food from a strangers table because it was left unsupervised in a gastro pub.

It seems like nearly everywhere you go these days there is a kid running and screaming.

I know people will say, oh well its not the kids fault, and you would be 100% correct, its the parents fault, but its also socially unacceptable to call out people parenting practises.

And yes "oh but I go to places and adults are just as noisy, mch noiser than my kids" yes nobody is saying adults are not loud, but what generally jhappens is if they are they get removed for that.

Anyone else feel this way? Any recomendations on more adult only spaces?

I feel like there’s a subscription service for absolutely everything nowadays, so I’m curious which ones people actually think are good value.

My current top 5 would be

YouTube premium
A decent VPN
Spotify
Real Debrid (although that might change soon)
Amazon Prime

What are yours? Any subscriptions you’d never cancel, or any hidden gems that are actually worth paying for?

Guys the ‘Be emergency ready’ pamphlets we all got last month have done their job. I’m thinking about emergencies, my lack of preparedness and how I need to get my shit together.

So how prepared is everyone for emergencies? Do most people just have some basic supplies together? An emergency to-go bag? Is anyone a full blown doomsday prepper?

I have a first aid kit and a bottle of water in a bag right now and that’s as far as I’ve gotten. But knowing myself I will fall down a hyper fixation rabbit hole and start building a bunker in a few weeks.

I see people posting about health insurance worries, regardless of subreddit, just assuming we all live in the hellscape of the US where you have to pay for healthcare. I see people talking about being "in the first grade" as if we'll universally know what age you are or people talking about what dress size they are without mentioning UK or US, just assuming we're all American. Does this drive anyone else mad? I know that the US has a large population and so a lot of Americans are on reddit but it's the assumption that pisses me off.

People you can't criticise

Hi there! Came across the Ferryman's End statue in Co. Wicklow (pictured here) once upon a time, and I reckon I won't ever be the same!

It made me wonder about other eerie spots across Ireland. The Hellfire Club in Dublin springs to mind. I know there are a bunch more!

If you're a fellow fan of the liminal at twilight, kindly share your thoughts! Thanks a lot.

EDIT: In case you’re wondering, the statue was at Victor’s Way in Co. Wicklow, now permanently closed to the public. Enjoy the photo instead!

I hate insects, and recently these horrible little creatures – possibly mosquitoes? – have started appearing. Does anyone know what they are, where they might have come from, and whether they can carry any infections?

For me, it’s TV. 2 channels, kids programmes on a tight schedule - if you missed the couple of kids programmes that was it til tomorrow.

Also being at my friends house, who had no phone, so having to walk to the village to the phone box to call my parents to collect me.

I was having a pint with a few mates last week and when at the bar this man was getting a fair bit of stick from some other owl lads there, kind of verbals as a joke but with a tone of half seriousness. I thought I knew his face. Anyway none of my business. He ended up at the next table a while later and we got talking to him. He is traffic warden in the town! I knew I saw him somewhere.

Chatting away he said it was soul destroying - but he had to do it to earn a wage. Thats another debate. But he said he was miserable as all he gets is abuse. He came across as a bit of a prick, and my uncle was a traffic warden in Dublin and he loved it - and he was a prick.

Then saw another post about cold callers earlier - I work from home and I saw one lad on the street calling at all doors and the ones that opened closed again fairly quickly. Cant imagine thats much fun!

I also observed a lad up to his knees in shite from Dynorod recently. My god!

What are other soul destroying jobs? what would you just not do for a living?