Living here vs USA, 2015

[Muck Savage]

Seattle/Portland have a big enough Irish community to settle you in and also two well supported soccer teams.

Liverpool and Man Utd?

Actually Seattle have an average home attendance of 44K per game, matches Liverpool.

[The Iceman]

Seattle/Portland similar weather to Ireland in that there is a lot of rain. Summers are probably dryer however but still some rain.
Not as far left as SF culturally but probably a better place for someone moving over as SF can be a bit of a cultural shock. The City is a great place for a bit of craic but can be a bit in your face also -personal opinion.
Seattle/Portland have a big enough Irish community to settle you in and also two well supported soccer teams.

Lad's let me dispel the myth - The Weather is nothing like Ireland, or England. It's like France.
I've been in Seattle for 3 years. 3 Summers of practically no rain. From the end of May to the end of September its perfect weather between 25-35 with no humidity and no mosquitoes.
The past few years have been very mild. My kids are out every day - without exception. The locals will tell you this isn't normal weather but its been normal for us for 3 years and I'm not complaining.

Well technically your norm of 3 years is not the norm, as it doesn't seem to match with what the locals call normal. Its a much more similar climate to Ireland than the rest of the US.

Ireland isn't in the 30s is it? look at your phone every day for the next year and compare Seattle to Armagh and tell me they are the same.....
I've done it for 3 years now just to sicken the hole of my brother - I'll send him a picture of the next ten days. We're praying for rain here  - grass is all burned dry, drought, Forrest fires....sounds just like Ireland all right....

[Muck Savage]

Seattle/Portland similar weather to Ireland in that there is a lot of rain. Summers are probably dryer however but still some rain.
Not as far left as SF culturally but probably a better place for someone moving over as SF can be a bit of a cultural shock. The City is a great place for a bit of craic but can be a bit in your face also -personal opinion.
Seattle/Portland have a big enough Irish community to settle you in and also two well supported soccer teams.

Lad's let me dispel the myth - The Weather is nothing like Ireland, or England. It's like France.
I've been in Seattle for 3 years. 3 Summers of practically no rain. From the end of May to the end of September its perfect weather between 25-35 with no humidity and no mosquitoes.
The past few years have been very mild. My kids are out every day - without exception. The locals will tell you this isn't normal weather but its been normal for us for 3 years and I'm not complaining.

Well technically your norm of 3 years is not the norm, as it doesn't seem to match with what the locals call normal. Its a much more similar climate to Ireland than the rest of the US.

Ireland isn't in the 30s is it? look at your phone every day for the next year and compare Seattle to Armagh and tell me they are the same.....
I've done it for 3 years now just to sicken the hole of my brother - I'll send him a picture of the next ten days. We're praying for rain here  - grass is all burned dry, drought, Forrest fires....sounds just like Ireland all right....

But like your own neighbors have told you, thats not the norm.
I've got numerous friends there for the past 20 years and they always claim it to be similar to Ireland, bit warmer in the summer but overall similar.

Anyway, I'm sure the rain clouds are always hanging over Armagh with the hope that it could be sunk 

[muppet]

Anyone been or lived in Seattle/Washington and or Oregon (Portland) areas? Been offered a job out there in construction estimating.. Because its more northerly up the Pacific Coast ( I realise it's not far off Vancouver) what the lifestyle etc and culture is like compared with SF, SD, LA areas down the coast.

I'd live in Portland in a heartbeat. Fantastic town, very progressive and laid back. Amazing public transport system, beautiful scenery (Cascades and Pacific Coast) less than an hour away. Only place I've ever seen where they don't have bins on the streets, but solar-powered mini rubbish compactors!

There were a lot of homeless there, although they weren't the usual, middle-aged mentally ill, addict types. More like young hippy types. Not sure if they're a year round phenomenon.

I'm down twice a week in Portland for work - the city where young people go to retire they call it. It's a fun place, very progressive if thats your thing....
The homless are getting a little aggressive from what i hear from the locals. Sad to see a lot of young ones have run away from home and ended up there. A lot of the city parks and bridges would be full of them in the evening times. Outside the town in the lives of beaverton or hillsboro theres really none at all

Is it a Seattle thing too? Or is Portland just a unusually generous place for homeless? Has to be some reason so many of them end up there.

Santa Barbara is like that too and I don't blame them. I'd want to live there as well if I was homeless

Venice Beach also.

[JimStynes]

Seattle/Portland similar weather to Ireland in that there is a lot of rain. Summers are probably dryer however but still some rain.
Not as far left as SF culturally but probably a better place for someone moving over as SF can be a bit of a cultural shock. The City is a great place for a bit of craic but can be a bit in your face also -personal opinion.
Seattle/Portland have a big enough Irish community to settle you in and also two well supported soccer teams.

Lad's let me dispel the myth - The Weather is nothing like Ireland, or England. It's like France.
I've been in Seattle for 3 years. 3 Summers of practically no rain. From the end of May to the end of September its perfect weather between 25-35 with no humidity and no mosquitoes.
The past few years have been very mild. My kids are out every day - without exception. The locals will tell you this isn't normal weather but its been normal for us for 3 years and I'm not complaining.

Well technically your norm of 3 years is not the norm, as it doesn't seem to match with what the locals call normal. Its a much more similar climate to Ireland than the rest of the US.

Ireland isn't in the 30s is it? look at your phone every day for the next year and compare Seattle to Armagh and tell me they are the same.....
I've done it for 3 years now just to sicken the hole of my brother - I'll send him a picture of the next ten days. We're praying for rain here  - grass is all burned dry, drought, Forrest fires....sounds just like Ireland all right....

But like your own neighbors have told you, thats not the norm.
I've got numerous friends there for the past 20 years and they always claim it to be similar to Ireland, bit warmer in the summer but overall similar.

Anyway, I'm sure the rain clouds are always hanging over Armagh with the hope that it could be sunk 

There is not a chance it will be similar to an Irish summer. We have had about 3 days  of sun worth talking about this summer and it has pissed down the rest of the time. It was bloody 3 degrees at night a few weeks ago. Most depressing climate in the world ffs. 

[Oraisteach]

By the way, Armaghniac, that's a fascinating book from which you got your map--American Nations by Colin Woodard--in it, he identifies eleven different nations within North America and explains their origins.  Worth a read, especially if you're an immigrant like me (Shssh! Don't tell Donald Trump or I'll be spending a lot more time at the Athletic Grounds)

[50fiftyball]

Has anyone any contacts in the states for quantity surveying jobs? Think equivalent job title is a construction estimator/cost controller out there if I'm correct? PM me if needs be. Thanks.

[AZOffaly]

Anyone been or lived in Seattle/Washington and or Oregon (Portland) areas? Been offered a job out there in construction estimating.. Because its more northerly up the Pacific Coast ( I realise it's not far off Vancouver) what the lifestyle etc and culture is like compared with SF, SD, LA areas down the coast.

I live out in the Seattle area now - give me  a shout on PM if you want

California and WA are very different places. PNW is much more outdoor lifestyle in my opinion. Skiing in the winter, loads of hiking, mountain biking, road biking, water sports. Weather for the past 3 years has been more like central france. Summers are spectacular.
There is a strong Irish community centered around the Seattle Gaels and a lot of ex-pats.
There are some great areas to live depending on what you want to spend and what you are looking for.

Just reading this now! I didn't realise you knew the Seattle Gaels. Is Dermot Randles from Kerry still involved with them?

[illdecide]

I remember summer here last year...think it was on a Wednesday.

[The Iceman]

Anyone been or lived in Seattle/Washington and or Oregon (Portland) areas? Been offered a job out there in construction estimating.. Because its more northerly up the Pacific Coast ( I realise it's not far off Vancouver) what the lifestyle etc and culture is like compared with SF, SD, LA areas down the coast.

I live out in the Seattle area now - give me  a shout on PM if you want

California and WA are very different places. PNW is much more outdoor lifestyle in my opinion. Skiing in the winter, loads of hiking, mountain biking, road biking, water sports. Weather for the past 3 years has been more like central france. Summers are spectacular.
There is a strong Irish community centered around the Seattle Gaels and a lot of ex-pats.
There are some great areas to live depending on what you want to spend and what you are looking for.

Just reading this now! I didn't realise you knew the Seattle Gaels. Is Dermot Randles from Kerry still involved with them?

I've known a few lads who play or have played, also know one lad who plays on the Tacoma Rangers team. Never met Dermot though. I tend to stay away from the Irish scene or at least not become immersed in it. I've always enjoyed experiencing the local culture more than hanging on to my own for dear life. Though in fairness i will frequent the odd irish bar at 5 in the morning to watch a game of football.  I've a house full of kids to keep me busy these days

[AZOffaly]

Joining or being involved with the local GAA team is hardly hanging on for dear life, especially for someone who spends time on a GAA Board run from Ireland

[The Iceman]

Joining or being involved with the local GAA team is hardly hanging on for dear life, especially for someone who spends time on a GAA Board run from Ireland

thats not what I meant - sorry if it came across that way - theres a few heads in there who only have irish friends, sing irish songs eat irish food and drink irish beer

[omaghjoe]

Joining or being involved with the local GAA team is hardly hanging on for dear life, especially for someone who spends time on a GAA Board run from Ireland

thats not what I meant - sorry if it came across that way - theres a few heads in there who only have irish friends, sing irish songs eat irish food and drink irish beer

Where do they get the Irish food from? Do you mean Kerrs Pinks, back bacon, pork sausages and proper turnips?

[The Iceman]

Joining or being involved with the local GAA team is hardly hanging on for dear life, especially for someone who spends time on a GAA Board run from Ireland

thats not what I meant - sorry if it came across that way - theres a few heads in there who only have irish friends, sing irish songs eat irish food and drink irish beer

Where do they get the Irish food from? Do you mean Kerrs Pinks, back bacon, pork sausages and proper turnips?

from an irish shop I would imagine Joe or an Irish restaurant.... or from people visiting - there's a constant influx of people to and from SFO

here if it's what folks want to don thats fine  - its just not what I want to do. i love my heritage but I left to try new things - not the same things with other irish people who left and just in a warmer climate

[heganboy]

For those who are into an auld bag of tayto (yellow) and any other sort of food hankerings foodireland.com really cant be bate. And tommy moloneys sebsite does a good job too