Cultural Armageddon--Most Tasteless Americann TV Show Now on Irish TV?

[Oraisteach]

Wondering just how deeply we've fallen into the abyss.  When I left Ireland there were no McDonalds and certainly no Budweiser.

[ziggysego]

You shouldn't have left Ireland and stayed behind to fight the good fight.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Wondering just how deeply we've fallen into the abyss.  When I left Ireland there were no McDonalds and certainly no Budweiser.

We live in a country where every major town has an identical High Street with all of the same stores and virtually ever town in Europe is in the same situation.  All major towns have their out of town retail parks.

My town has a Main Street, no High Street here.

[The Real Laoislad]

We don't have a high street or a main street, we do have a Mary street and a Church street though

[armaghniac]

The very term High Street is a regrettable anglicisation.

When I left Ireland there were no McDonalds

McDonalds were here in the  70's, you've been a long time away Oraisteach.   

[Hardy]

We don't have a high street or a main street, we do have a Mary street and a Church street though

You have some of the mainest streets in the country.

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

We don't have a high street or a main street, we do have a Mary street and a Church street though

Actually you got me there Laoislad, we don't have a Main Street, we have a Bridge Street & a Market Steet, which over time have straightened out into appearing like one street, everyone calls the two joined streets Main St. and most businesses list their address as Main St. despite there being no such place and no signs to indicate such a place, at one end of Main St. there is a sign saying Bridge St. ad the other there is a sing saying Market St., paper maps tell tourists of Bridge St. & Market St. but many locals are ignorant of any such streets. (Online maps tend to say Main St.)

We also have a town Green, paper Maps and signs call it the Green, locals (95% wouldn't have ever heard of the place) and online maps call it the Mall.

Really confuses tourists.

Ballina is probably worse it seems to operate both pre-Independence names and post-Independence Republican names simultaneously. They tried to introduce replacement Republican names in Castlebar but they where ignored by the locals and quickly reverted back to the old names like New Antrim Steet, Linenhall Street, Duke Steet, Lucan Steet, Spencer Street, Gallowshill, Upper & Lower Chapel Street, Castles Street, Charles Steet, Shambles Lane, Ellison Street, Tucker Steet, James Street, Richard Street, new names tended to be only accepted on post Independence Streets such as Davitt Terrace, Humbert Lane & John Moore Road.

[The Real Laoislad]

The very term High Street is a regrettable anglicisation.

When I left Ireland there were no McDonalds

McDonalds were here in the  70's, you've been a long time away Oraisteach.

Were they? Maybe in Dublin, certainly not in the midlands
The first Mcdonalds that came near us was in Kilkenny City about 12 years ago

[Oraisteach]

Yes, Armaghniac, been gone a while

Think Mickey D's came in late 70's

Only burger places I recall were Captain America's and Thunderbirds in Dublin

[Puckoon]

Wondering just how deeply we've fallen into the abyss.  When I left Ireland there were no McDonalds and certainly no Budweiser.

We live in a country where every major town has an identical High Street with all of the same stores and virtually ever town in Europe is in the same situation.  All major towns have their out of town retail parks.

Have to seriously disagree. It is only until you realise the characterless symmetry in every town in the US, that you might realise how wonderfully different towns at home are. They dont even have main street shopping any more. Its just identical tasteless strip malls full of chains.

Believe me, the independently owned clothing stores, jewellers, sports store and so on at home are very different to the identical shops we have here. Granted, it is slowly being eroded - but in the mean time it is to be savoured.

Imagine EVERY town in Ireland having 5 or 6 areas looking like the marks and spencers area in Omagh, and thats American (shopping) culture.

[Aerlik]

You have some of the mainest streets in the country.

Pffffft, as some of the other Kilrea lads here will attest, yiv nay seen the mainest street til yiv gon down Cabool.