July Newsletter

In our last edition…

…we hope you enjoyed experiencing a wee bit of what we do in Galway.  Now we’d like to submerge you into where we live and work; to hand down what we’ve learned just being there.  Ireland.  A place of rich culture & history, steeped in religion, a slower pace of life, and hospitality so generous you leave feeling like you’re family.

Culture

The Irish are big on music and big on hanging out with friends.  As well they are not afraid to go a slow pace.  Our speedy American ideals have had to take a lesson in patience.  Things can move a might bit slower here.  Most times we don’t even see another soul on the streets till 8 or 9 in the morning—especially on the weekend.  A bit of that has to do with the nightlife.  It seems a majority of Irish are nocturnal in nature, with a good bit spending time at the pub scene.  Galway City Centre alone is literally packed until roughly 3am on most nights.  As said by Diarmuid de Faoite, “You can be drunk seven nights a week and people will say, ‘Right, he’s drunk seven nights a week’—it’s up to you then to mind your liver.” Over half of the 16 year olds in Ireland have reported being drunk at least once in the last year.  With that said, alcoholism is one of the major challenges in Irish society.  

Religion

We head up the youth program of Galway Christian Fellowship.  This is one of approximately 12 Evangelical Churches in a city that is the fourth largest in the country.  Ireland is mainly a Catholic nation, with only about 2% claiming to be evangelical.  Our broader scope is working with all churches—Evangelical or Catholic—hosting events through YfC Galway and sharing resources that will draw the youth in their groups closer to Jesus.  No matter their affiliation, there has been hesitancy to come together.  When we planned a bowling night last fall, we actually had someone say to us, “Yah, we’ll show up, but don’t expect us to interact with the other groups.”  Praise God, things are changing.  At the next event that same group was fully into the mixer activities.  There is a hunger for hope.  There is a desire to do what it takes to reach Galway for Jesus, including working together.

Language

Both Irish Gaelic and English are spoken (although in parts of Galway you would have doubts about the latter).  Language also tends to be a bit more on the colourful side, with swearing being a regular part of the vocabulary.  Thank goodness the girls haven’t fully deciphered the accent yet to know what is being said in the city center!

     Sláinte /sloyn-tche/   Cheers or Thanks

     Fáilte /foyle-ta/   Welcome

Food

We drink a whole lot of tea here, probably to drive off the damp chill (and because coffee isn’t as available).  To offer a tea is to offer friendship and the opportunity to socialize.  With the hospitable culture of Ireland it’s no shock then that it’s the 3^rd largest consumer of the beverage in the world.

     Fast Food:

Chips are French fries, crisps are our version of chips.

Sweets are candies.

Dinner refers to the size of a meal, not the time of day.