Finland and Ireland have a few similarities like: Rowan trees, size of population, an impossible national language, and a non-European DNA (Finns are not Scandinavian, by the way - their language is more related to Hungarian than anything else), and now thanks to Clairol, Ireland can boast as many blondes as Finland. Ireland was ruled by Britain as Finland was by Sweden and Russia respectively; however, Finland is now an intact sovereign nation but Ireland is not. The Fins, though subjected to the rule of Sweden for the same length of time Ireland was under the British, don't go on and on and on blaming the Swedes for all their problems as the Irish blame Britain. One last remote but interesting fact is that Irish is spoken by 6 percent of the population just as Swedish is in Finland.
Unlike Ireland, Finland never had the advantages of enormous E.U. handouts. Unlike Ireland, Finland didn't have to resort to breaking E.U. law by offering illegal tax incentives to get foreign business because Finland has developed its own thriving technology, industry, and businesses. According to international studies, Finnish industry today is among the front rank for competitiveness: state-of-the-art information technology and high levels of innovation. Nokia is probably the most easily recognized example of Finnish technological prowess closely followed by Linux, the most respected, free, open source, operating system in the world. Few realize those common orange handled scissors, Fiskars, are of Finnish design. Designers like Marimekko, Oiva Toikka, Anneli Sainio place Finland on a level with countries like Italy.
Finland has a total of 187,888 lakes (10 percent of its land mass) and I spent two gorgeous days on one of them. In a matter of 30 minutes, four of us found two kilos of Chanterelle mushrooms 50 metres away from the cabin. The water was clean and pure as is the drinking water (Ireland's is not - it still is fluoridated, chlorinated, and contaminated causing dermatitis in many people). The lake also provided an excellent splash after sauna.
Saunas define Finland's culture as nothing else; however, I'd like to add one very odd eccentricity which many don't know about. Finns eat 'Salmiakki'. It's licorice based, and I like licorice; but, this stuff contains tar and ammonia chloride as well - nope, I couldn't develop a taste for that. Ireland's eccentricity, Guinness, is far easier to acquire a taste for.
Unlike Ireland, waits in Finnish hospitals are about 30 minutes; not 4 days for a bed as happens too frequently in Dublin, or 7 hours for an x-ray which happened to a friend at Cork University Hospital.
Irish traditional cuisine is unimaginative, insipid, and limited; however, Finnish baked goods and fish are delicious and varied. I can take or leave the Reindeer, Elk, and Moose dishes.
The Irish definitely have it over the Finns in the realm of popular music; however, Ireland never produced the likes of Sibelius. Aleksis Kivi alone can't stand up to Ireland's great literary achievements. As for the world of Art, personally, I find Finnish painters far superior to those of Ireland, past and present - I'd like to take this opportunity to state that I find John Butler Yeats to be the most overrated, God awful painter in the history of mankind.
If it seems otherwise, I love Ireland and that's why I'm critical as I want it to improve. It continues to be the most expensive country in Europe (see RipOff.ie) driving away business e.g., recently Hospira, Inc. closed in Donegal to move to the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica - Clubman Omega Ltd, also in Donegal, closed to move to Lithuania - Quantum, in Dundalk, closed to move to another eastern European country - all within the span of one week. The low rate of interest feeds a society over extended on consumer credit; so when interest rates rise, more foreclosures and repossessions will occur.
I must say if it weren't for the difficulty of the language, the long winters, and the remoteness I wouldn't mind living in a cabin on a lake in Finland; but 'kiitos' all the same, I'll stay put in 'Tir na nOg'.
Slides of Trip