A new United Nations report has found Ireland to be the tenth happiest country of the 156 surveyed in the world. The news comes as bit of a shock with Ireland’s bleak economic forecast.
Journal.ie reports that in the first-ever World Happiness Report by the UN, the Irish population landed in the tenth spot, ahead of both the UK (11th) and the US (18th.) Rankings for the report are based on “an aggregate of annual global polls between 2006 and 2011, and therefore includes Irish responses before and after the onset of the financial crisis in 2008.”
Most impressively, however, Ireland was came out on top for the poll that gauged how happy resident were “yesterday.” On the 1-10 scale, Ireland ranked highest in the world with the average of most responses being over 9 . Just behind Ireland in the “happiness yesterday” poll were Costa Rica and Denmark.
Countries that are quickly becoming home-away-from-homes for many displaced Irish, Australia and New Zealand, ranked in eighth and ninth respectively on the list for overall happiest in the world.
Denmark is ranked as the happiest country in the world, just ahead of Finland in second and Norway in third proving that Scandinavian nations are the happiest.
Among the least happiest? Georgia was ranked as the unhappiest place on earth, with the Congo, Togo, Armenia and Iraq also ranking low. These countries are, of course, marked by poverty and war so the ranking aren’t all that surprising.
And just because the Irish are so darn cheery here's "When you're laughing":
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.ciaradexy | Apr 14, 2012, 08:06 PM EDT
IrelandN, why the obsession with Alan Shatters religion? No one else in the world seems to be.
esatdigiwank | Apr 13, 2012, 07:39 AM EDT
Well I've bad news for you FutureT. JC is not coming back. So get on with your life :).
FutureT | Apr 13, 2012, 12:07 AM EDT
I am an American. On my Father's side I am Irish and Cherokee Indian, and my Mother's side I am Polish. If you ask me, I think "happiness" is purely economical. When there is money in the bank, and you do not have too worry about being homeless, then a person of any nationality can be happy, even though money is not everything. Also, if all of us did not have to worry about taxes that would help and go along way. Global Dictatorships do not do nothing to contribute any happiness, and we would be better by ourselves. It all depends on what stupid laws one has to follow. When Yeshuah Ho Messiah(Christ) returns then we can all be happy, and you know that this happiness is infinitely eternal.
IrelandNorth | Apr 11, 2012, 07:50 AM EDT
Was Louis Prima one of the downtown Gortahork Prima's? Bythebay! To paraphrase Jewish-Irish Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence (JEDward!) quip to Sinn Fein - "Get a [personality]!" Irland's answer to Johnny Carson, Gay Byrne, used to joke: "My wife is a lovely redhead. No hair! Just a redhead!" Boom! Boom! It's a cracker. It's the way I [didn't] tell 'em! Arrggghhhh! Ugghhh! Ohhooo!
bunkerhill | Apr 08, 2012, 05:38 PM EDT
No surprise about Irish being happy. However spent a lot of time with Swedes and found them very somber and unhappy. Found Norwegians feisty and happier. Danes are very friendly and very much like the Irish. Didn't find many Norwegian redheads. Didn't find even one Swede but did find red heads in Denmark. Have to get back to happy Ireland.
ciaradexy | Apr 08, 2012, 02:18 PM EDT
Collette, if youre looking for redheads, try Norway.
Collette2 | Apr 08, 2012, 12:28 PM EDT
And the prettiest, with flaming red locks, and tempers to match.
Don Booker | Apr 08, 2012, 06:35 AM EDT
They must have asked a bunch of high living-high earning civil servants or those who had their skin saved by the bank guarantee. Does NOT reflect the reality on the ground in our broken country.
brian22 | Apr 07, 2012, 11:33 PM EDT
Another good reason to relocate to Australia! The Scandinavian countries may head the list of Happiest Nations, but in Australia you won't freeze your bits off and you can smile in the warm sunshine.
irishpjk | Apr 07, 2012, 07:50 PM EDT
A UN study is really not very impressive anymore and not worth the paper it is printed on, they are one useless group. Any person running for public office who says he will pull the US out of the UN will get my vote and a donation to help put him in office. Their stupid sanctions against Iraq and their promises that they would veto any attempt by G W to use force led to war in that country. If you have been in Ireland you have seen the happiness on gurneys in hospital hallways. Visit a few graveyards and speak to a few of the sad survivors near a fresh grave and you will feel the hatred many of them have for the medical care that neglected their loved ones. Talk to a few of the unemployed or the relatives of some of the 76,000 people who have emigrated over the past year and a half. Ask the young person looking for a driver’s license how happy he was when he found out it is going to cost him five hundred euro to get his license. I stop now because my comments should not be longer than the story.
STEVENSTAR | Apr 07, 2012, 05:44 PM EDT
HA HA HA HA!!!
sirpeter | Apr 07, 2012, 05:38 PM EDT
Happiness is a state of mind.Stupidity is the state of Bythebay's mind.What has suicide got to do with anything.The USA and Ireland have the same suicide rate of just over 4 people per 100,000.Maybe the UN survey should have been done in an Irish cancer ward.That should change the stats and make some of the thick stupid here a lot happier.
SeanO | Apr 07, 2012, 02:53 PM EDT
All the unhappy ones emigrated in the thousands to find happiness.Permanent dolers are always happy not having to work for a living. Where does Irelands underreported suicide rates stand? ? ?
89west | Apr 07, 2012, 02:24 PM EDT
You didn't need the UN to tell you the Irish are a happy lot. Now the question is, was it the Danes, the Celts or the Normans we can thank for this attribute.
ciaradexy | Apr 07, 2012, 02:10 PM EDT
This survey refers to Irish not Americans. Renee, Denmark doesnt have legal pot. Do your research.
christilcaugh | Apr 07, 2012, 01:42 PM EDT
It's not so much we are the happiest because we HAVE been assaulted over the centuries by those who would conquer and kill us, no it's more that we know extent of the pain and look for the joy when we can and celebrate it.
padraiginrua | Apr 07, 2012, 01:24 PM EDT
And the name of the Louis Prima hit is "When you're Smiling"
Alexiswolf | Apr 07, 2012, 01:10 PM EDT
That's odd, it was only last week Irish Central had a story about the amount of suicide because of the economic situation.
CelticQueenUSA | Apr 07, 2012, 11:34 AM EDT
I am Irish and happier than many people I know. I expect little from anyone and am never disappointed. Works for me. I put myself in God's hands and never look back.
Renee750il | Apr 07, 2012, 10:52 AM EDT
It's in the DNA. Of course Denmark and Costa Rica are happy -- Denmark has easy, legal pot and Costa Rica has a perfect climate.