While our most stereotypical memory is awkwardly changing into our togs under a towel on the beach, according to Cadbury Dairy Milk Egg ‘n’ Spoon.
It seems nothing makes the Irish smile more than a bit of unexpected sunshine! The happiest family moment for the majority of Irish adults has been revealed as hot weather that takes us by surprise (72%) according to a new survey from Cadbury Dairy Milk Egg ‘n’ Spoon, as part of their Share ‘n’ Moments of Joy campaign.
Almost 1 in 5 of us also look forward to enjoying sand covered ham and cheese sandwiches on the beach in summer. However the most stereotypical childhood moment for over a third (37%) of Irish is awkwardly changing into our swimming togs under a towel on the beach.
20% of adults’ also fondly remember playing conkers as a child, but this was a much happier memory for the boys rather than the girls! (23% male vs. 8% females). Over a fifth of us also have fond memories of drinking red lemonade and eating Cadbury at the weekend (28%).
Although almost half (45%) of Irish adults’ parents feature most in their happiest childhood memories, almost 15% adults’ happiest memories also include their grandparents. This is across all age groups and shows how special spending time with grandparents is for children.
The Irish were also revealed to have long memories. The average age most Irish adults remember their earliest childhood memory is as young as four. A fifth of our earliest childhood memories are school events, followed by family days out (13%), family holidays (12%) and the favourite - family trips to the beach (12%).
When it comes to family holiday memories, these are changing with each generation. The typical family holiday memories have developed over the years with far flung sun holidays becoming much more common among younger generations; 18-24 (30%), 25-34 (18%), 35-44 (7%) and 45+ (2%).
When it comes to heart-warming moments closer to home, over a third (36%) of Irish adults said their most heart-warming family moment was watching Ireland at the World Cup Italia in 1990. This is mainly driven by 25-34 (54%) and 35-44 (57%) year olds. However Dana’s Eurovision win was most memorable among 45+ year olds (38%) compared to other age groups.
Half of Irish adults say you know you’re an Irish family when you’re being dragged to mass on a Sunday. However this quintessential Irish memory is becoming less relevant, as it was driven by 45+ year olds (59%) but less popular among 18-24 (35%) and 25-34 year olds (38%).
To find out more about the Cadbury Dairy Milk Egg ‘n’ Spoon Share ‘n’ Moments of Joy campaign, go to the Cadbury Ireland Facebook or Twitter page. 
