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Having not been to either Newfoundland or Ireland, it seem that (at first glance anyway) that these two places are rather similar in terms of landscape, climate, and culture.
For anyone who lives in Newfoundland, but has also visited Ireland (or vice versa), just how do these two places compare in terms of landscape, climate, and culture?
Maybe I'm imagining that they are more similar than they actually are since Ireland is the closest point in Europe to North America, and Newfoundland is the closest point in North America to Europe, but I'd love to get first hand info from those familiar with both places.
I have been to Newfoundland but not Ireland. Culturally I'm sure there are many similarities with Ireland but climatically, they have nothing in common. Ireland is a temperate oceanic climate with little snow and extremes in temperature whereas Newfoundland has a far harsher climate that ranges from Humid continental to subarctic on the northern peninsula. They have icebergs in Newfoundland in the summer. I don't think this happens in Ireland.
Agreed with Deneb78. The Island of Newfoundland has anywhere from 5a-7a hardiness zones - a similar hardiness zone dispersion you'll find up and down the Northeast coast. It's continental, so it doesn't have much in common with Ireland as far as climate. Culturally, absolutely!
Having not been to either Newfoundland or Ireland, it seem that (at first glance anyway) that these two places are rather similar in terms of landscape, climate, and culture.
For anyone who lives in Newfoundland, but has also visited Ireland (or vice versa), just how do these two places compare in terms of landscape, climate, and culture?
Maybe I'm imagining that they are more similar than they actually are since Ireland is the closest point in Europe to North America, and Newfoundland is the closest point in North America to Europe, but I'd love to get first hand info from those familiar with both places.
Thanks so much!!
I've been to Ireland once and Newfoundland multiple times. While they share heritage and cultural traits, they are far more different than they are the same in most other respects. Newfoundland is unspoiled wilderness for the most part while Ireland is much more developed. Ireland is covered in green fields and paddocks, while Newfoundland is covered in bush and bogs. It seldom drops below -5 C in Ireland, while Newfoundland suffers the same bitter cold and snow as the rest of Canada.
However, it should be pointed out that many Irish immigrants settled in Newfoundland, and this is reflected in some similar cultural traits. Traditional Newfie music sounds almost exactly like traditional Irish, and many Irish folk songs are played on the radio alongside Newfie music. There is a great number of Orange lodges in Newfoundland (at least in the Trinity/Bonavista Bay area where I visited) and both Guy Fawke's Night (Bonfire Night - November 5) and Orangeman's Day (July 12) continue to be observed in many parts of the island.
Having come from an Ulster-Irish background, it wasn't hard for me to see the Irish influence in Newfie culture. However, it seemed like my Newfie friends were quite ignorant about it.
Just remember, Newfoundland's climate is much like the rest of Canada, and not like Ireland's at all. If you are expecting to travel to Newfoundland and see a landscape similar to the 'green grass of Ireland' you are going to sadly disappointed.
Newfoundland has almost no arable land whatsoever. A few very small pockets of land where farming is possible, and even there it is marginally productive.
Newfoundland has a pretty mild climate, for Canada. The interior of the island gets quite cold in winter, but there are almost no people living more than a few kilometers from the coast, so the severe winter is not felt by the residents. Winter is very long, but the temperature in the coastal communities rarely drops more than a few degrees below zero. In ten yeas there, I never saw it go as low as -20 in St. John's. But snow is heavy and frequent. Summers are very cool, very windy, and rarely sunny. Rain and fog can persist continuously for a week. I've seen it snow in June, but snow usually doesn't start until December. September is usually the most summery month.
Some local Newfoundland accents, many traditional Newfoundland tunes (not that saltwater cowboy stuff you occasionally hear in the Protestant parts of the island), many surnames, a few turns of phrase, and several Newfoundland English words in common use are straight-up Irish. Even the faces of the people can appear to be familiar. Once upon a time, they also shared a certain domination of their lives by the Catholic church for those who went in for that kind of stuff.
The northwestern part of Ireland can appear somewhat similar to certain parts of Newfoundland when it comes to landscape, but their respective winter climates aren't remotely similar. All of Ireland is considerably milder in the winter. It isn't even close.
Very culturally different. The outports of Nfld. (the outlying, coastal villages) are where you'll find the most unique bits of Nfld culture. Nlfd is its own little world. Ireland has more of an affinity to Europe, as remote and unique as it is...a much longer history there.
Newfoundland is actually more English than Irish by a factor of 2 to 1. I'd say the culture is fairly similar to western and northern England, sort of blue collar British culture. Though I'd imagine it's becoming more and more influenced by America and mainland Canada.
I don't think the Newfoundland accent really sounds THAT Irish, it sounds kinda Welsh to me. Probably because most of the people there came from Southwest England.
Newfoundland is actually more English than Irish by a factor of 2 to 1. I'd say the culture is fairly similar to western and northern England, sort of blue collar British culture. Though I'd imagine it's becoming more and more influenced by America and mainland Canada.
Music, the various accents, a quirk or two, and the occasional turn of phrase aside, Newfoundland culture isn't particularly English or Irish. It has more in common with Maine, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick than it does with England or Ireland.
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