Diary of a Gen Z student: Why do young people want to move away from Ireland?

Jane Cowan: I definitely think about leaving Dublin after graduation.

I’m nearly 20. It’s an odd age. When I went into college, it was the first time I really noticed my peers starting to move in different directions. Some of us went to college, others worked, or became apprentices. We all pursued different things. But one thing I have noticed since this divide is that most young Irish people have a similar plan for the future: we want to move away from Ireland. And I find it upsetting in some ways, though I understand. I definitely think about leaving Dublin after graduation.

I’m the youngest of four children. My oldest sibling moved to London after his undergrad. He did a masters degree in London with the intention of staying there to work afterwards. That’s exactly what he did – he still lives there. My sister moved to Melbourne in May. She had a job in engineering in Dublin, but still she left. And she’s planning to stay for a few more years, at least. My other sister has finished college and also has a great job. But she, like so many other young people, is thinking about leaving Ireland. This is a common picture of an Irish family where the children are now young adults. So many of us plan to leave.