Member-only story
Why marriage in Ireland is different.
From the outside, marriages in America seem like they are always the conclusion of a romantic relationship. They seem like a rollercoaster that ends in the blink of an eye — at least half the time with divorce. Impulsive perhaps? From abroad, Americans do look like they’re collecting marriages like Pokemon cards.
The idea of marriage here in Ireland compared to that of the US seems very different. So we have a strong Catholic history that has held a firm (but loosening grip) on the country, and the states are more of a melting pot of religions and ethnicities. You would expect that this would create different outlooks on spending your life with someone — and it has.
Catholicism has had a huge impact on marriage in Ireland.
The average age of Irish people marrying in 2020 heterosexual relationships (as we do have same-sex marriage) is 35–37. The average age for same-sex marriages veers more on the side of 40. In the US, it is between 25 and 30 — not a significantly huge difference. Still, when you examine how most Irish people do not remarry after a divorce, it paints a completely different picture.
Catholic guilt has been passed down from generation to generation through our tiny, (newly)fairly progressive country — we haven’t had a great history for the treatment of women. Marriages were made to last…
