I dont think there's a "class system" as much as people try to push one. My parents parents never owned their homes. My mother's parents rented in Cork City all their lives and my father's parents got free lodging with my grandfathers job. My dad was the eldest and went to work to pay for his siblings college educations while missing out on one himself. Due to this my aunt is a director of nursing in the hse (meant to be retired but came back to help out with covid) my uncle was an engineer and became CEO of a big government body (also retired but now back to help with the fuel crisis). My dad worked 2 jobs when we were kids and my mam did sewing on the side. They scraped every penny they had. Never drank or smoked and minded it. They now own 3 houses and have 3 kids. I currently live in the house ill be inheriting. A 5 bed semi d with no mortgage and I'm only 32. My parents probably would have belonged to upper middle class in the end but they never forgot their humble (very lower class) beginnings and never ever looked down on anyone unless they were helping them up. It's a narrative that certain people push. I also strongly feel that money talks but wealth whispers. People with flash cars etc have loans up to their eyeballs. I have a 162 car that was bought second hand and will do me another 5/6 years until I upgrade maybe to a 222 at that stage. And I shop mainly in penneys/dunnes. Have a few nice handbags etc but I work hard and if I want something I'll save up for it rather than take out loans. I have no debts and it's a nice feeling knowing that. I know I have been extremely lucky but its all down to my parents never forgetting their struggles and instilling that in us as kids.