Poverty is a constant presence. In Limerick, it is seen as an unavoidable reality. Despite the presence of charitable organizations and basic public assistance, these do little to significantly improve the lives of those in poverty. For the McCourts, government aid is never sufficient. Upon their arrival in Limerick, Malachy receives a mere nineteen shillings a week to support a family of six. "Just enough for all of us to starve on," Angela comments. Consequently, the family often experiences hunger.

Food scarcity is not their only problem; their living conditions are appalling. The McCourts deal with infestations of fleas, rats, flies, and lice. There is only one toilet shared by all eleven families on their lane, situated right outside their door. In the summer, the stench becomes overwhelming. Poor nutrition and living conditions likely contribute to the deaths of the twin boys.

The children frequently wear worn-out clothing. At Leamy's School, six or seven boys attend without shoes. Frank's shoes are in disrepair, leading to a comical event where his father, after being called useless by his wife, attempts to fix them using an old bicycle tire.

Their poverty worsens when Frank's father finds work in England but fails to send money back home. The children sleep on piles of rags. The situation reaches its lowest point when Angela is forced to beg for food at the priest's house, highlighting the link between poverty and humiliation.

Limerick, a town not only drenched by frequent rain but also by alcohol, is deeply rooted in a drinking culture. Evenings see men gathering in pubs, indulging in pints of beer—often referred to as stout or porter—and whiskey, in what has become a near-sacred ritual. These nights provide an opportunity for male bonding and a temporary escape from the difficulties of their daily lives, including their marriages.

The appreciation for beer is swiftly transferred from men to boys. When Frank is around six years old, he accompanies his father to a pub, where his uncle Pa Keating tells him, "Frankie, this is the pint. This is the staff of life. This is the best thing for nursing mothers and for those who are long weaned." In what amounts to a coming-of-age tradition, boys in Limerick are introduced to beer drinking on their sixteenth birthday when their fathers take them for their first pint.

Beer drinking in Limerick is also seen as a competitive sport. Pa Keating takes pride in being the undefeated champion of pint-drinking. He wins wagers by outdrinking others, a feat achieved by vomiting in the restroom, which allows him to return to the bar and consume more beer. His son Mikey hopes to emulate his father's prowess.

The harmful effects of alcohol are starkly portrayed through Frank's father, who represents the stereotypical image of an Irish alcoholic. His addiction ruins not only his life but also those of his family. Another character whose drinking causes harm is Angela's cousin, Laman Griffin, who attacks Frank during a drunken rage. On Frank's sixteenth birthday, after drinking his first two pints, he finds himself in a heated argument with his mother, which escalates to him hitting her.

The people of Limerick are deeply rooted in the customs and teachings of Roman Catholicism, which they embrace without question. These beliefs shape Frank's young mind as he listens to adult discussions or tries to grasp the teachings at home and in school. The results are often amusing. For example, Frank eagerly looks forward to his First Communion for weeks, convinced it will be the happiest day of his life. His schoolmasters have told him that boys can collect money from relatives and neighbors afterward to buy sweets and visit the Lyric Cinema. On the special day, the priest places the wafer on Frank's tongue, which, according to Catholic doctrine, is the body of Christ. To Frank's dismay, it sticks: "I had God glued to the roof of my mouth. I could hear the master's voice, 'Don't let that host touch your teeth for if you bite God in two you'll roast in hell for eternity.'" Thankfully, the crisis is resolved. "God was good," Frank observes. "He melted and I swallowed Him and now, at last, I was a member of the True Church, an official sinner."

When Frank finds himself confused by religion, he assembles the bits of information he has gathered until they make sense to him. After the death of his younger brother Eugene, Frank wonders if Eugene feels cold in his coffin at the graveyard. He then remembers that angels come to open the coffin and take Eugene to the sky, where he is reunited with their other deceased siblings, and they enjoy fish and chips and toffee.

In contrast, the adults appear content with a narrow faith that claims only Catholics are saved. Protestants and others are destined for hell, and even unbaptized children are said to be stuck in Limbo forever. "Otherwise," explains Frank's grandmother, "you'd have all kinds of babies clamorin' to get into heaven, Protestants an' everything, an' why should they get in after what they did to us for eight hundred years?"