Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland 

On the island of Ireland and in the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland now finds itself in the middle of another unusual Venn diagram, being in the only part of the UK to remain in the EU single market and customs union.  

Featuring the 50-million-year-old Giant's Causeway and home to the ancestors of several American presidents (Jackson, Buchanan, and Arthur), Northern Ireland is a small ancient land with a long historic and cultural reach.  

The Jurisdiction 

The partition of Northern Ireland and the rest of Ireland occurred in 1921, when the Irish province of Ulster had a majority of Protestant and Unionist supporters who wanted to remain in the United Kingdom,; unlike the rest of Ireland which had a Catholic, nationalist majority which voted for separation. 

Northern Ireland’s unique position puts it in an enviable position with access to UK and EU markets, with strong links to the south as well as across the Irish Sea. A former shipping powerhouse (which built the Titanic) Northern Ireland suffered decline during the 20th Century, becoming a beneficiary of funding from mainland Britain and the EU. It is estimated that two thirds of Northern Ireland’s workforce is employed by the state, though service industries including film (and of course the Game of Thrones series) and tourism are of increasing importance. 

Lifestyle for Digital Nomads in Northern Ireland 

Long troubled by unrest, Northern Ireland remains politically unstable but with disagreement articulated in words not violent deeds.  

The environment itself is clean and features a variety of verdant landscapes, on account of the amount of rainfall. English is the primary language, though the accent can be a challenge to non-native speakers. Food and transport can be expensive but the opportunity of straddling the UK and EU with all the advantages of both makes that a small price to pay.