What to expect
Working in Ireland
Instantly falling in love with Ireland
nstantly fell in love with Ireland on my first visit to the ‘Emerald Isle’ while on a long weekend getting to know my husband’s new Irish employer! Ireland, in my opinion, has everything to make you feel at home. A beautiful landscape with stunning and very diverse natural highlights.
There are vibrant cities where you can find everything you need. And idyllic picturesque villages. The villages are a haven of peace and quiet, but you can also enjoy the hustle and bustle in the cities. Mountains, hills, coast and cliffs, a unique culture. The list goes on and on.
Hospitable and relaxed
But the absolute highlight of Ireland are the Irish people. They made a tremendous impression on me. Such genuinely friendly, welcoming and relaxed people. Case in point: I was at a very busy gas station in Cork holding up the queue something awful without realising it. But the Irish simply waited with patience and kindness. The Irish are also very gallant in traffic, regularly giving way if you don’t have the right of way.
Famously, the Irish see ‘strangers’ as ‘friends they have not met yet’, and accordingly are easy to chat with. No rush: of course Irish people are also in a hurry sometimes, but only on very rare occasions! A long weekend in Ireland was enough for me to keep Ireland firmly in mind upon my return. The choice to emigrate was quickly made.
Working with Irish farmers is really a lot of fun!
Working with Irish farmers is absolutely a great experience. They always make time for a cup of coffee or tea with milk when I visit, and are incredibly hospitable. Just a one-minute call for a quick message is never just one minute. First they want to know how things are going, then talk about the weather (really, every time!) and only then you can talk about business.
In my experience, Irish farmers go out of their way to make you feel comfortable and make sure you feel at home soon, whether you come on a temporary or permanent basis. I regularly hear that ‘my’ guys and girls that I placed have been taken to a typical Irish game of Hurling, the national sport here. They are also often taken to other events, to the pub or invited to family dinners. Do you come during calving season? Then you are lucky enough to celebrate Ireland’s national holiday here on St. Patrick’s Day.
Grass based en spring calving
Other facilities here are well organised, in my opinion. Schools, hospitals, sports and recreational opportunities, it’s all available. Employment is high and there are many vacancies in the agricultural sector. Irish farmers are used to many of their workers coming from abroad; this is what they have come to expect. The dairy farms are set up according to the grass-based system.
That means the cows are outside in the pasture almost all year round, day and night, and their rations consist mainly of grass. In addition, a lot of farmers have spring calving cows; that means the cows calve in early spring (starting February). Often all within 6 weeks. Subsequently, around April/May, the cows are inseminated or impregnated by the bull, so that they calve again in early spring the following year. This is an insanely fun and educational experience.
Legal structures such as shared milking and leasing a dairy farm are quite common here. Also in that sense, there are plenty of opportunities in Ireland if you want to develop your career. Wages are relatively high and the Irish tax system is straight-forward and favourable.
And because the housing market is tight, jobs are always offered including accommodation.