Irish expat, 23, admits why she decided to leave Australia after just five months: ‘So icky’

When Dearbhla O’Neill moved from Ireland to Australia in January, she thought she would stay indefinitely.

But four and a half months later she has made the difficult decision to move back home.

Being half a world away from family and friends was too much for the 23-year-old college graduate, along with the rising cost of living.

She was also deterred by the closure of most pubs at 3pm and the brutal job market.

‘Why am I going home? Because I want it. Do I think some factors here make me a little sad? Yes,” she said in a now-viral TikTok video.

Although Ms O’Neill did not hate Australia, she found certain aspects challenging and ‘difficult’ about settling in Melbourne.

During her time Down Under, Ms O’Neill stayed in Sydney and Melbourne and traveled the east coast visiting Byron Bay, the Gold Coast, Noosa and Brisbane.

She also sailed in the Whitsundays and visited Magnetic Island and Cairns, where she was impressed by the natural beauty of the coastline.

While she enjoyed her travels, she was left disappointed in the job market.

Even after she managed to get work at the charity sale, she had a panic attack on the third day and it proved to be too overwhelming, so she quit. She also described the work as “too icky.”

“I struggled to even get a job in a cafe, shop or bar simply because a lot of people weren’t recruiting anyone and the places it was so competitive,” Ms O’Neill told FEMAIL.

‘I had spoken to Australians who said this wasn’t just an issue backpackers faced, but they themselves were struggling to find work.

‘I didn’t even try to get a job for my studies while I was there because I knew it would be difficult to get a working holiday visa.’

Ms O’Neill was also put off by the cost of living crisis and the small aspects of Australia, including the fact that most cafes close at 3pm.

‘Why am I going home? Because I want… Do I think certain factors make me a little sad? Yes,” she said in a now-viral TikTok video

Eventually she realized how homesick she was.

This came as a surprise to Mrs O’Neill when she was studying away from home at a university in Liverpool. Now she is back in Ireland with her loved ones.

‘I am extremely happy to be back home. I find it hard to explain to people that I loved Australia, especially because I came back so early, but I really loved the country, but now that I’m back with family and friends, there’s nothing better. I am very happy,” Ms O’Neill told FEMAIL.

She said she might live in London or Manchester in the future, but right now she’s happy to be with her family and her pets.

Eventually, Mrs. O’Neill realized how homesick she was and missed her family dearly

Ms O’Neill also shared her advice for others looking to move to Australia.

“I would never turn anyone away from coming to Australia, even if ultimately it wasn’t my place to live. “That doesn’t mean the next person couldn’t love it,” she said.

“I would probably recommend that they travel a bit when they first arrive, just in case they want to go home early.” At least then they have seen several parts of the country.’

She also recommended saving “a good amount of money” because the job market is “so tough right now.”

More than 300 people responded to the video and other expats expressed their support.

‘I’m the same. I must have been in New Zealand at exactly the same time and I can’t wait to get home!!’ said one.

“Sometimes you have to move to come home,” wrote another.

“Aw girl, I came home from Australia after three months and I felt so judged for not loving it – but it’s not for everyone and I feel so much better being home,” said a third.