I noted a few fun oddities about this while I was in Ireland last month. First, there is the whole driving on the wrong side of the road thing. Does anyone know where that came from? Then I noticed a couple of entertaining traffic signs. The traffic signs I can understand after spending just a short amount of time in Ireland. The Irish people love to tell stories. They are a very verbal people with their beautiful speech patterns and eloquent words. And so I get the need to transfer this to their traffic signs. In America, when there is something up ahead that requires one to slow down, there is usually a nice, succinct sign informing you … SLOW. In Ireland, it was a more verbose, elegant wording: Traffic Calming Ahead. (I just love that!) In America when it isn’t safe to pass, we are succinct – No Passing. In Ireland, it was slightly softer – Do Not Overtake.

They are delightfully elegant with their traffic signs – bathrooms are another matter. They are NOT bathrooms in Ireland. If you ask where the powder room is or the bathroom, they don’t have a clue. It is called a toilet – looking for the toilet? There’s the toilet! And that’s that!

Chris Moran