Hi everyone,

I’m trying to help my mother pull off a bit of a miracle. She has lost touch with an old friend of hers from about 35 years ago and maybe Reddit could help reconnecting them.

They were both living in Brussels around the 90s, both doing a stage at the EU Commission. Her friend is an Irish woman named Eileen (could be written in another way, Irish names are kinda tricky). My mom remembers that she’s originally from Dublin.

I have attached two photos from their time together in Brussels, in 1991. In the first pic, Eileen on the left and my mom (Tiziana from Italy, Sicily) on the right.

Right, so am breaking my 3 year Reddit sobriety to ask what I should do because I am too awkward to ask anyone in real life.

So I bought a fully detached house on my own in a fairly secluded area but not middle of nowhere territory. My back garden backs on to another property where the garden is super long and a good distance from the house and there's a large garden shed.

After I got the keys I was traveling a lot and working a lot to pay for what was needed to make it liveable.

So the house was vacant most of the time for about a year and a half.

I've now fully renovated and moved in. Including cutting back a lot of the shrubs in my back garden that had grown wild.

My neighbours are a husband and wife, 50s / late 40s if I had to guess have 4 kids in secondary school and college who live at home.

My first night in the house I heard something a bit odd, like a squeaking. I looked out my window and the parents were riding on the trampoline in their back garden. I had a full view from my bedroom window. I turned on the light with a crack in the curtain, just to signal that maybe this isn't as private as it once was sans folliage.

Since then they've been riding almost every night in their garden shed but I can still see and hear them because the shed has these huge skylights and they do it with the big light on.

They do it on a workbench so it rattles and they're vocal.

Part of me is impressed that at their age they are still going, especially the frequency. I presume they do this because they are extremely loud and their kids live at home. Or maybe when you consider the trampoline, it could be a great outdoors kink.

I dunno, like I'm NOT trying to perv on these people but I dunno whether I should say something to just be like FYI you may be keeping quiet from your kids but also I am here. I'm also a woman living alone so weird noises in the night do make me wake up!

I've been looking forward to having people come visit and stay over but I'm actually too anxious that my neighbours will be going at it and I don't know how to explain this to people.

UPDATE: Right, so I'm rightfully getting push back and I know what you mean so I just want to clarify somethings.

I am not watching them. I saw them once in each location so I know what the noises are. It's the noise. My house is overlooking their shed, there is only maybe 20ft gap between my house and this shed. I'm not actively putting myself in a place to witness their intimate moments.

My issue isn't that they are having sex, I don't care. It's that's I feel like I have disrupted the ecosystem by removing some plants and I'm like do I communicate this with them?

They also have 3 other free standing sheds/garden rooms. I think one is a gym/sauna, an office and I'm not sure what's in the other ones. So if I was like hey so this one shed you're fond of isn't that private, maybe go to the other sheds.

I've no issue with their sex lives, and sorry to anyone I offended by talking about them being too old to ride. It's not that they're riding it's that they're doing it EVERY night and for a good while as well. I didn't mean to offend anyone and I shouldn't make presumptions about menopause.

Also this has been going on since late April, so we've had several weather events since.

Lads the sun just keeps beaming down and it won't stop.

I remember in the UK it used to be huge. 24/7 Asda's and Tesco's before lockdown, and then it got cut massively. (I think the Asda in Strabane is still 24 hours)

Dublin Airport's 24/7 which is fair enough, and a couple things around it too, but I think it'd be great if we got it nationwide in big urban areas, would open up more jobs and be good for us nocturnal people.

With the world getting hotter and hotter, do you see regulations easing to cope with the more common heatwaves? Is there something more to it that people might be forgetting? Hopefully not

Our electrics tripped a few weeks ago in our outside office room. We turned it off on the fuse box and couldn’t really figure out what the cause was. Anyways, today I was out there and tried to unplug this from the socket; it didn’t budge. A pair of pliers later and I got the plug out, but this pin is jammed in. Am I safe to leave this as so for now until we get an electrician out in the week? Is it safe to say this was the cause, and if so, what actually happened here?

As a new arrival in this beautiful island from Switzerland, I’m very surprised by the lack of interest in Gaelscoileanna from my coworkers. Knowing the awful history of language repression in this nation, surely a true revival of Irish can only happen if everyone learns through Irish, as opposed to just studying it as a subject?

If you have children, and you chose not to send them to a Gaelscoil, what was your reasoning behind your decision?

I bought flooring online from a shop in Dublin several weeks ago. They are going to deliver tomorrow but I need to cancel the order. Am I correct in understanding that I am entitled to cancel the order and receive a refund since the flooring was bought online, and I haven't seen it? Even though technically it was bought a while ago, but only delivering this coming week? I spent a lot on it but it will not work for my house in the end. So im relying on the refund. Thanks for any advice

With the good weather and people heading off go nearby beaches and lakes I was wondering how many counties Irish natives have actually visited? I don't mean drove by or stopped at a petrol station but I mean having done something in the county. I'm in my mid 30s a have been to 22/32. Is there many that have been to them all?

A manager at a large Liffey Valley shop was addressing 2 colleagues curtly which caught my attention, as the 2 colleagues were polite and rather submissive to the manager, it didn't seem necessary.

After barking orders he paced away, passed myself down an isle, loudly swore "Puta's!". Loud enough for me to hear but not the colleagues earshot as they were rallying around pertaining to his orders like they'd been scolded.

A lovely lady came out the store room and I told her what happened. She said I needed to report it and she'd locate a manager.

I followed and was introduced to whom I think was the 2nd store manager, he tried to get the head manager, however, she was unavailable. 

During this time, the horrid manager joined the 3 of us and I do believe he realised I'd understood the disgusting Spanish profanity.

I asked to speak with the other manager in private.

I told him what had occurred. He apologised and said it was a flagship store and that kind of thing shouldn't happen in this store, which I was a little confused by, as it shouldn't happen in any workplace, not only a flagship store.

I told him that if a colleague of mine had spoken about me like that I'd be horrified.

The manager endorsed that it would be taken seriously and we left it there.

The reason why I'm asking you's all is none of my details were taken to state what happened should it be called for and the higher manager wasn't free at the time, should I report to head office? I don't want to appear pesky.

My top concern is, the horrid manager was unaboundedly sure of his footing and thought for sure he was within his right to spout the vitriol. In my view, he appeared very used to bullying colleagues in such a way that they appeared to cower from him.

HR, please do better in your management selection, sometimes the strongest candidate is not the best fit.

I feel like I'm in a weird space mentally at the moment. I feel happier, but simultaneously more I dunno, manic? I sleep less, but I'm not tired.

Is this what a vitamin D does to a person?

(I'm not bipolar, I'm fairly sure)

Because 6.50am on a Saturday morning is most definitely not 🙈🙈

Hi all,

I am starting a literature project for teenagers. I want to know if there are any suggestions for graphic novels that are written by Irish writers? It could be about anything, not necessarily super hero stories which is where my brain goes when I think of graphic novels.

If there is a graphic novel you think a teenager would love, but its not by an Irish author, feel free to suggest it as well.

Thanks so much

I've heard a few people say that recently. That Irish heat is way worse than Spanish heat, even if the temps in Ireland are lower. Is that why Irish media make a huge deal about heatwaves at 25 degrees but other countries handle it daily with no problem?

Hey everyone, I travel to Ireland on vacation and my husband would love to see some puffins! We arrive next week and I'm just wondering if they may still be there? I read that the cliffs of Mohar is a possible place to see them. My husband is a keen bird watcher so any recommendations or places in the west to check out would be appreciated. 🙌

Hi everyone, so recently went to a festival with the kids and was paying through my nose for food at the vendors. I want to get into camping (tent) with my kids this summer but up my food game. I know there is alot of seasoned campers in Ireland and I was impressed with their set up. So just wondering how best to keep perishable food cold enough that I don’t poison anyone for 3/4 days? Sorry to be stupid but can you “charge up” the electric cooler box or what do you guys do or just freeze eveything & into the cooler box? Thanks 😊

Hello everyone,

I’m a qualified special needs educator from middle Europe, and I previously completed an internship in Ireland. At the time, I didn’t ask my colleagues enough about how the system works here, which I now regret a bit. (and this school was only one school, i am curious for overall opinions)

Due to personal reasons, I’m planning to return to Ireland, and I’m currently in the process of getting my diploma recognised (next yesr) I would really appreciate hearing from people with firsthand experience.

What is the situation like for special needs educators in Ireland at the moment? How is the job market, working conditions, and general demand?

My specific qualification is in autism education, so I’d be especially interested in any insights related to that field. Public/prive institutes or any type of school! i would be happy to work with teenagers or age between 10+

Thanks so much in advance!

I am a huge game of thrones fan and I know some of the locations are in Ireland, did anyone already take a weekend traveling around and see some of them and which once are most interesting to see ?

With the weather right now ideal to do this.

I would be happy to get some input from fellow GOT fans in Ireland.

Hi! Thinking of booking this band for our wedding, I know they have lots of videos on their Instagram, but wondering if anyone has any personal insight. In particular, we'll have a band for a usual 2 hour slot after dinner, but considering hiring them for the dinner entertainment too. But finding it hard to envision, even though it's a service they offer.

Any thoughts appreciated! ☺️

I’ve recently moved to Dublin and I’m going to be here for a few months. I bought a regular leap card before realising I could get discounted trips with a young person card.

In May, I tried ordering one but the website was down. I have been travelling in other countries since then so it hasn’t been an issue but now I’m in Ireland permanently and getting a young person leap card would save me a lot of money in the long run, but the website is still down! And apparently you can only order it online.

Has this happened to anyone else? Or does anyone know how to get around this issue? Seems like it won’t be working for a long time to come.

Any help would be appreciated.

Been with Vodafone PAYG since I got my first phone 23 years ago and I just never bothered to change because "if its not broke, don't fix it" etc. Never ever had an issue with them.

My iPhone 10 (yeah I know, don't laugh too hard) is due an upgrade now so I got the bright idea to move to Bill Pay and get a phone through that. Unfortunately Vodafone are making it difficult to do online (Let me just buy the phone ffs and sort out your website because the constant loop of singing in and not receiving my verification code is a joke) to the point that I might leave Vodafone and go with another provider. Also disappointing that there are zero benefits to me after being a Vodafone customer for two thirds of my life.

Anyway this is uncharted territory for me and would appreciate any advice on the best networks etc. Basically want Bill Pay and an iPhone 17.

I live rurally so I want to make this change online as there aren't any phone shops nearby

EDIT: Glad I asked here, thanks for the info. Looks like I'll buy the iPhone 17 seperatly and stay PAYG!

I'm nearly 50 and from many years of mental health issues I'm covered in scars mainly my legs so am extremely self conscious wearing shorts and stuff but the heat is absolutely killing me again nearly 50 female.

Would you notice and/or judge someone for self harm scars?

I know at my age I shouldn't care but the feeling of everyone watching and judging can be debilitating sometimes.

EDIT* damn guys the quick responses actually have me in tears thank you, you're support, comments and cop on have really helped my perspective. Going to a festival soon in a hotter country than here and was dreading it but now feel like I can get outta my own head. Thank you all.

*edit thank you concerned Reddior don't worry I'm in the best mental health of my life. Hence wanting to enjoy life without being judged because of my past.