Jaywalking with the Irish

by David Monagan

David Monagan has always dreamed of relocating to Ireland, the land of his forebears. With humour and candour, he describes the pleasures and pitfalls, challenges and frustrations of moving a feisty family to a foreign land. Jaywalking with the Irish is an honest, penetrating and often hilarious portrait of a contemporary Ireland that is so often portrayed through the wistful lens of clichés that no longer apply

Genres: Travel, Ireland, Nonfiction, Memoir, Irish Literature, Biography, Contemporary

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2004

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mr. Monagan has written an impossible book: a book about Ireland without any charm whatsoever. I slogged through the book & after finishing it, I had three thoughts: 1) If you are going to have a mid-life crisis, try not to involve your family. 2) I would love to see what his family thought of the adventure. 3) The man really likes to drink. I found this book to be shallow & indulgent. I wish I could get a refund.

[Teresacooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried to read this book but was too bored. Then I moved to Ireland for a year and tried to read it again. I think I hate his pompous writing style. Cramming as many big words as you can into a sentence doesn't always make them good. Or interesting. Can't muster enough interest to keep with it even now.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paints a realistic picture of how a family adapts to relocation in Ireland. The author compares the Ireland he knew while attending college and his dream to relocate there to the reality in its present-day culture. The author focuses on increased crime, alcoholism and xenophobia in a wealthier Ireland and how the country is slowly losing its Irishness with the economic prosperity. One interesting comment made was how it is turning into the 52nd state. While visiting Ireland briefly, I was sad to see that in alot of ways, its own culture is being absorbed by an increasing present American influence ie McDonalds, Asda (aka Walmart), KFC. At the same time, it was nice to smell turf fires burning and how people would greet each other on the street and make visitors feel welcome. I love the comparison he makes to his home in Connecticut and describes society in that east coast state. He is spot on when he says that people act indifferent and it is a sign of greatness and how he missed his neighbors and friends in Ireland who were warm and loved to carry on conversations.

Glad I read it.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought and read this book while I was in Ireland. I wish I would have read it before I'd gone. Because it is written from a point of view that I could relate to, it gave me an insight into the Irish sensibilities (they'll gladly discuss any topic as long as it isn't about themselves). I had just finished the 5th chapter while I was sitting in a pub in Dingle and struck up a conversation with a local at the end of the bar. I made what I thought was a harmless joke about how he takes his coffee is how he likes his women (hot and bitter) and he did NOT like that. See if I'd only read the book BEFORE going and not during my trip, I wouldn't have put my foot in my mouth, as much.

[Ellanden · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good travel read...wonderful anecdotes about places visited, people met and intermingled with just the right amount of history.

Still confused as to "why" the author moved to and from. Found his annoyance with changes or anything that did not fit his memory/stories off putting. Time can not stand still and change, good or bad, happens. Seemed a bit arrogant for a briefly transplanted American. No wonder the Irish aren't as enamored of Americans as we'd like...they must be tired of all the mid-life crisis Yanks showing up ready to be inspired and inspire the Irish to keep everything as it was...only to leave after a brief stint.

[Mickie · Rating 2 out of 5]

He writes in a way that is much like how he describes the Irish--fickle, mercurial and in double-speak. He seems to love them and hate them, fear them and pity them,romanticize them and put them down. I am not sure what to take from this book. I feel like the Irish should have been given a rebuttal.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a touching, at times a little boring, account of an American family moving to Cork, Ireland. They deal with a lot of the outsider issues that pop up for anyone that lives abroad, but deal in Irish quirkiness the most. I was ready to pick up and move to Ireland after reading about how in Cork "people are valued for being unpredictable, for being chancers and dreamers and misfits, and above all for being characters. If you are odd [t]here, you might fit in." Such is the romantic picture he painted of a place unlike any other place on earth. Of course, that's true of every place: that it's, in some small way at least, unlike any other place on earth. But a city of misfits and dreamers? I will definitely be planning a future holiday there.

I also love the following exchange, being a bit (okay, sorely) lacking in irreverent humor lately:

"Did you know that the sun is a nuclear weapon?"
"I never heard that, no."
"Well, it is, and if you are against nuclear power, you are then against the sun, and therefore you want to be dead."
"The only time I want to be dead is when I am listening to you."

[Jim Reaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was first interested in this book for the sheer boldness of a family uprooting themselves to move to the Emerald Isle. I have often dreamed of doing this very thing...however, sanity does prevail!

I enjoyed this biographic book for its presentation of very many quirky characters but especially for its welcome, insightful, and clearly focused update on a country too often looked at through rose-colored North American lenses.

I also enjoyed the lexicon used! I have expanded my vocabulary with every chapter...although I wonder if some of these new words are a wee bit Oirish...

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is an Irish-American writer who moves from Connecticut to Cork, Ireland with his wife and three children. The story is a fish-out-of-water tale that provides a lot of humor and insight about the Irish people. It really made me rethink some of my naive assumptions about whether or not you'd be embraced in Ireland just because you have Irish roots, and also how frustrating it would be to try to start a new life in a foreign country. I enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it.

[Bianca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Man moves family to Cork, tries to pitch a local magazine, fails, eventually they move back to States. I wanted to like this, and I wanted to feel like I was getting a good idea of the people in that area of Ireland, but instead I felt this was more about this man and his family than Ireland itself. Sure, Ireland plays a big role, but it's the Ireland he chooses to see (mostly through rose-tinted glasses) and isn't until toward the end that he begins to see the "true" side of things.

[Traecy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent book about an American family who decided to move from New England to Ireland for a year. While the anecdotes were interesting, they didn't always paint Ireland in a great light. I also felt as though the parents who dragged their young children half-way around the world really didn't do the necessary research and planning to ensure that things went smoothly--that's not my style, to just "wing it." Not bad, but I kept thinking how dumb the parents were.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found it next to the Fodors Guide at the library while planning a trip to western Ireland, and thought it would be a good read while traveling there. It was a warm introduction to the overall feeling of being among Irish people in the non-Dublin parts, and felt very familiar, even though we never made it to the Cork region that the book focuses on. Good character studies and an easy, enjoyable read.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't hate it, I didn't love it. Entertaining at times, but then it would slow down and I'd find myself skimming entire chapters. Still confused as to why the author and his family just picked up and moved to Ireland (Cork to be exact, where my maternal family emigrated from) but still envious that they had the guts to do it.

[Ngdecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting book telling of the author's move to Ireland for a couple of years. There are a lot of endearing incidents and people, and a few that are rather horrifying! We have visited Ireland and loved it. After reading the book, I wouldn't want to move there, but really enjoyed his views on the Ireland of today.

[Athena · Rating 1 out of 5]

Many people said that this book was funny; how? Funny as in...it's funny knowing that after reading 62 pages, the only take away is that a man, who used to visit Ireland, decides to uproot his family for a distant memory of what the country once was? Words fill the pages with the ramblings of an older man, who had a fairly boring time in Ireland.

[Mike Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful Writing

I greatly enjoyed this collection of, essentially, essays on moving to and living in Ireland. The author's choice of words and phrases is inspiring and leaves me wanting to be able to replicate his style and vocabulary. Overall, for an Irish-American who's only visited Ireland for 7 days, this was a very enjoyable book.

[Divya Gupta · Rating 2 out of 5]

A travelogue with a heart

It's a travelogue which beautifully walks through a lot of facets of life in Ireland. It does tend to be verbose and winding in parts. But definitely helps one understand the country and it's folks. Reminds you of a famous campaign don't just go there #livethere

[Corinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a true story about a guy relocating his family to Ireland and their ups and downs that they go through while doing so. It's really engaging, hilarious, and very informative too. A really great read!

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

not quite Around Ireland With a Fridge but still not a bad read. It had an irresistable cover: a Guinness Go-Cup. I think I like reading about Ireland from the Irish better than from Americans!

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

So technically I read two-thirds of this. Good if you're wholeheartedly interested in the story of relocating to Ireland. But I couldn't get through it. Just wasn't my pint o' Guiness if ya know what I mean.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Almost-Insider's View of Ireland

I was looking, for the sake of a novel I'm writing, for more than one gets from vacationing in Ireland. I wanted Ireland unvarnished, contemporary, unflinching. I got it from this author, well-told with heart and wit.

[Jacquie Jerrard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

A story of aspiration moving from one countries everything culture, to one where you are not excepted until they know you. Here is the story of friendship, history, and the all encompassing Irish sense of humour I loved it.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an autobiography of a man who picks up his family and moves from the US to Ireland. Very accurate and candid story of living in Ireland.

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, if a bit forced at times. Monaghan gives a heartfelt account of an expatriated American's love-hate relationship with living abroad.

[Frank Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for anyone from North America who plans to live in Ireland

[Kelli Bostwick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of boring.

[Jayne Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book kept my interest, it may have changed my mind about traveling to Ireland. It didn't paint a pretty picture.

[Alvar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute. Nice summer read for those familiar with modern Ireland.

[Jackie McCarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any Irish-American with a romanticized view of the old country should read this funny take on a family who goes to Dublin to live for one year.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book as one Irish-American's perspective on his time in Ireland. I plan to read the next one he wrote as well.