Jaywalking with the Irish
David Monagan, the narrator, explains why he had decided for uprooting his family and moving to Cork. Reasons are mainly of social nature – Americans are so busy working that they do not attain their highly regulated standard of living. Above all, they talk about casting aside their dreadful daily obligations, but never realize that. So Monagans are in quest for less programmed life. The problem is that David experienced “idyllic Ireland” as a student which has changed significantly due to the economic boom. Despite some bureaucratic problems at the beginning (unable to open a checking account, impossible to pay with a credit card in a grocery store, difficulties getting a phone line ...) the family settle down gradually. Obviously, Irish culture is not equal to the American which can be seen in the following incidents: neighbors simply stopping by whenever they like to and discuss whatever came to their minds, superstition and fairies playing an important role, not expressing their opinion directly as David is though in the pub, consequently one should always watch one’s back. Asking questions about your job are considered to be too straightforward if not even rude, on the contrary, the most common way to get a well-paid an influential post is by knowing the right people. That’s why Jamie fails to find a job despite her desperate search. Some other Irish features are shared pint-buying and procrastination as well as reckless drivers on the jammed roundabouts and wide highways.
The Monagan family often undertakes trips to different regions in order to get in touch with the culture and to avert kids from being homesick. They are introduced to the Irish attitude “the more the merrier”, which proves to be one of the leading ones when it comes to parties. There are people dropping in till the house is bursting at the seams.
When Irish lives were progressing on all cylinders, Monagans face another Irish phenomena: exponentially raising crime rates. A burglar broke into their home and their car is stolen during the night. Back in the fifties Ireland was the safest place to live in on the entire Globe, but now due to the radical changes in the economy which affected the social life, it is not like that anymore. Above all, young people under the influence of alcohol loose control and smash everything around them, beating up innocent people or committing other crimes. Monagans even file a formal complaint with the police against youth gone wild in their neighborhood.
In spite of their wish to stay in Ireland another year, things turn out differently in the end. Some family members in America are becoming ill, others have even died. Above all, Harris has failed his class and their renter has moved out of their house. Consequently, they chose to move back to America with a pleasant memory in their hearth about a country where they have been loved and accepted.
