I've been living in Canada since April 2024, and the months have absolutely flown by — I guess it's true what they say: time flies when you're having fun.
During my time here, I've noticed numerous cultural quirks that distinguish Canada from my home country, Ireland.
Of course, the two nations share a lot in common. Both have a deep love of their own sports, a reputation for friendliness, and a tendency not to take ourselves too seriously.
Approximately 4.5 million Canadians can trace their roots back to Ireland, resulting in a significant Irish influence in the country. For instance, St. John's, Newfoundland, has a huge Irish diaspora.
That said, there are some apparent differences too — some subtle, others impossible to miss.
Canada is MASSIVE compared to Ireland
I knew before coming here that Canada is the second-largest country in the world, behind Russia, in terms of land mass. However, I still struggled to fully grasp the extent of Canada's size.
For example, the province of Ontario, where I live, spans over 1 million square kilometres. In contrast, the entire island of Ireland is about 84,000 square kilometres. So, Ireland could fit into Ontario more than 12 times, and there would still be room to spare.
That size is evident when I go on road trips in Ontario. I'd think nothing of driving three or four hours to get somewhere, whereas that would be a massive drive back in Ireland.
When I'm on FaceTime with family members, they still don't understand how big Canada is. They think a journey from Toronto to Vancouver is like driving from Galway to Dublin!
The food is so different in Canada
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Canadian food — poutine is the GOAT.
I also appreciate the multicultural nature of Canadian cuisine, as it incorporates elements of dishes from all over the world and puts its own unique spin on them. Especially here in Toronto, I can order any food I want in seconds on my phone.
However, there are some foods I miss from Ireland. I yearn for Irish pork sausages, rashers (bacon) and white and black pudding. If you try really hard, you can find it in Toronto, but you're paying through the nose.
Also, you can't beat Irish butter. Kerrygold, in particular, can't be recreated. Kerrygold is actually banned from being sold in Canada, too, because some Canadian farmers see it as a threat to their dairy products.
Canadian winters are SO cold
It's something that I was always warned about when I came to Canada, especially since I arrived in the spring.
Canadian winters are so cold. In Ireland, we experience relatively mild winters; it can be chilly, and there's also a lot of rainfall.
Canada is a different beast, though. I had to buy a proper winter jacket as the ones I brought from Ireland didn't suffice.
However, I went home last Christmas, and I found Ireland's air to be much damper compared to Canada's, where there's a much drier type of cold.
Canada is well-suited for the winter, offering activities such as skiing, ice skating, or ice fishing. In Ireland, when it rarely snows, everything comes to a halt. Schools are closed, and public transport stops running.
Irish drinking culture is harder
Canadians like a drink, but the Irish take it up a notch.
In Canada, a night out often means two or three beers on a patio before heading home — relaxed, measured, and social.
In Ireland, the pub is the centre of the universe. Rain or shine, there's always a reason to go for "just one", which inevitably turns into several.
The contrast is clear: Canadians pace themselves in moderation; the Irish go all in.
Side note: the quality of pints on draught is far superior in Ireland. I think it's due to the gas levels in the tap when the pint is being pulled, but there's much less of a head on the beer here and it can be flat. (Yikes, I sounded so Irish there).
Canadians are so friendly
Irish people are known throughout the world for being friendly. In Ireland, our tourism tagline is usually the phrase "céad míle fáilte," meaning "a hundred thousand welcomes."
However, Canadians take it to a whole new level. I had heard about the "sorry" stereotype, but it wasn't until I moved here that I realized people weren't exaggerating.
You could be walking down the street, and a Canadian might lightly brush against you, and they'd be apologizing profusely.
I always have a little giggle when a Canadian says, "sorrey" to me. But it's just so heartwarming, and it's a great cultural trait to have.
I find it amusing when Americans make fun of Canadians for being polite, as if that's something one shouldn't strive to be.
Canadians are so mannerly and friendly, but they're no pushovers either!
Public transport is miles ahead of Ireland
The public transport in Ireland is disgraceful in comparison to that in Canada.
Ireland has such a poor rail network. When you see the map of Ireland's train lines from the 1800s, compared to today, it's pretty depressing. The County of Donegal has no rail connection. My hometown of Tuam had a railway station, and it was closed in the 1970s.
There's no form of modern public transport in towns or cities outside of Dublin. Of course, we have buses, but Bus Éireann can be so unreliable. In the capital, they have the LUAS (streetcar) and the DART, which is a rapid transit system. However, there is no subway, as the Dublin MetroLink project keeps getting pushed back. Dublin is the only capital city in Europe without a rail connection to its airport.
Although people often complain about the TTC, it's great not to have to rely entirely on a car when living in downtown Toronto.
With VIA Rail, Amtrak, and Go Express, you can get around Canada without needing a car, if you choose. In Ireland, you'd struggle to get by without a car.
Our relationship with the U.K.
Both Canada and Ireland have a different relationship with the U.K.
Unlike Canada, Ireland is not part of the Commonwealth. We left it in 1949, as the Irish Free State became the Republic of Ireland. The U.K. is our closest neighbour, of course, as the North is still in the U.K.
The British monarch remains the head of state in Canada, and a governor general represents the Crown. That's not the case in Ireland; President Michael D. Higgins is our head of state, while we have a Taoiseach (prime minister), Micheál Martin, who is the head of government.
It shocked me when I came here when I found out that to become a Canadian citizen, you must swear allegiance to the Crown!
Our national sports are different
In Canada, hockey is king. In Ireland, it's the GAA — the amateur body behind Gaelic football and hurling.
Both nations treat sport like religion. Local pride in Ireland's county teams rivals Canada's devotion to the Stanley Cup, and the passion in the stands is every bit as fierce.
Hurling is the closest cousin to hockey: fast, physical, stick in hand — but played on grass, and without pay. Even at the highest level, GAA players remain amateurs, earning only expenses and sponsorship deals.
Different sports, different traditions — same obsession.
However, the 2017 documentary Poc na nGael suggests that hockey may have Irish roots. It tells the story of William Cochran, a hurler who emigrated from Ireland to Nova Scotia more than 200 years ago. Faced with frozen conditions that made hurling impossible, Cochran is said to have created an "ice version" of the game using narrower sticks — a twist that, over time, evolved into what we now know as Canada's national sport.
It's not the only Irish influence on hockey, as the Toronto Maple Leafs were once known as the Toronto St. Pats, and they wore a green shamrock on their jerseys. The Leafs wear these retro outfits once a year.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
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