How does Ireland function as a country?

Last week Pam and I were talking about Ireland and how amazing it is that it manages to work at all. I mean they’re successful players in the EU, they’ve won (and even hosted) the Eurovision, they are the roaring Celtic Tiger, they gave the world Westlife, they have modern technological industries, and of course there’s Guinness.

But how does it do it?! Harsh, I think not. We put it to you thus:

• There's not enough digits in phone numbers, eg 012 34567 (that said I am always amazed at how we need eleven digits and ten does all of America)
• There's not any sort of code in the address, and unless they live on an actual street in Dublin or Cork they don’t even have house numbers. ‘Beacon House, Tamlaght, Co. Cork’ is enough. How does that work?

I have discovered something else which makes me wonder how they’ve made it this far. Signs.

As you probably know, I am not well travelled in Ireland and so when Jose declared his desire to go to the Guinness Storehouse I reluctantly agreed. Only because I know how much his beloved brew means to him.

Most people would have researched the trip thoroughly. Oh no, not me. I was furiously tidying last week and had a series of late meetings that meant I was not well prepared. I have driven my way through America and even through the Nation’s capital, I am a road trip master. I am fearless when it comes to a roadtrip. Nothing scares me. I have a good sense of direction and, sure there’s always signs.

No, no, there’s not. Not in Ireland. Sure, they might have one to get you on your way, but after that it’s all guess work, or you can take a chance with the left/right game. Last week I preferred the drive-straight-until-you-see-something-vaguely-familar method. To get to the Guinness Storehouse, it was basically drive until you cross the river, then turn right. And that’s what we did, and it worked. Although I really don’t think Jose knew how much I was winging it.
On the way home from Dublin, I discovered something that they do actually codify. Roads. No place names, or general clues as to what the N1-32 might take you to. No, no, just numbers as if you are supposed to magically know the route they take. So we followed signs to the airport, that was until they stopped after the second one. To be honest, it was a miracle we made it out at all.

Like I said, how does it function at all?