What American's think of Ireland!

eirebhoy · 12-02-2004 10:10pm #1

My mother is just back from New York and I can't believe some of the things she is telling me. For example, one American asked her, do you actually have cars in Ireland. Another actually thought the castles in Ireland are still lived in. Are there Leprechauns, etc. I could go on forever but you get my point, a lot of them really think we are still a really poor country.

I can see how they think this as nearly every Irish film that hit America was set back a few decades ago but c'mon. I really get annoyed listening to my mother telling me this. :mad:

Caliden · 12-02-2004 10:16pm

shhhh its a government cover-up to take over the world.

"pfft here come the paddy's, LOL"

" OMG they've got lasers, arrgggg"

So on and so forth

neoB · 12-02-2004 10:20pm

Well tbh, *cough* I though only the rich had cars and the rest rode on wagon, no lie. They have made other films when it looked like that. From people i talked to and from what I seen, the american films really distorts how Ireland is really like. As what they did for other countries. But I is no long ignorant of those stupid stereotypes. But really are those little green guys real? :P

bizmark · 12-02-2004 10:21pm

Well theirs like 9 million people in that city so im sure a few of them are retards Dont hold it against all of them because a few are a bit dim

eirebhoy · 12-02-2004 10:27pm

Originally posted by bizmark
Well theirs like 9 million people in that city so im sure a few of them are retards Dont hold it against all of them because a few are a bit dim

Don't worry I won't but its more than by the sounds of things.

User45701 · 12-02-2004 10:34pm

Originally posted by Caliden
shhhh its a government cover-up to take over the world.

"pfft here come the paddy's, LOL"

" OMG they've got lasers, arrgggg"

So on and so forth

What the hell are u talking about?
*whispers: Its suposed to be a secret! dont tell anyone*

ll=llannah · 12-02-2004 10:51pm

Are there Leprechauns

Wait, they exist?!? aw, how... quaint.

wait, but this means that countries outside of the US of A DO exist! Who knew?Wow! Watson! Call in that monkey in the big white thingy with columns and the wavy things attached to it with those starry, stripey thingymabobers! I've made one of them thar deeskooverees!

/scratches head in puzzled wonder as I scarf down a Big Mac

embee · 12-02-2004 11:01pm

Another actually thought the castles in Ireland are still lived in.

Some of them are........

Karl Hungus · 12-02-2004 11:04pm

I once convinced some american that Leprechauns were a delicasy.

bizmark · 12-02-2004 11:06pm

i once sent a american family all the way to dublin when they where just looking for a building 2 miles away.....GREAT FUN!

jerenaugrim · 12-02-2004 11:10pm

It's not just Americans who think Ireland is backward. I met this Swedish girl after a power failure here, and she assumed it was a regular occurence! Still, it's probably better if foreigners think we live in the dark ages. Those that come here will get a pleasant surprise, those that don't will leave us alone...:rolleyes:

bizmark · 12-02-2004 11:18pm

I say we start a war.....Notting like a war for increasing a countrys world wide rep

Dathai · 12-02-2004 11:29pm

Americans are fairly un-educated about the country that most of their ancestors came from plus they still think will still live like that.Im not suprised,they say you have to be very educated to be president of America but look! its George Bush sitting in the oval office choking on pretzels!Wow, goes to show you americans sure can pick a winner.:rolleyes:

DriftingRain · 12-02-2004 11:52pm

Well theirs like 9 million people in that city so im sure a few of them are retards Dont hold it against all of them because a few are a bit dim

Thank You for that statement! Not everyone in the US is like that. Another thanks to Embee! Some of your irish castles are lived in. Click the link to see!

http://www.hotel-ireland.com/castles/

Americans are fairly un-educated about the country that most of their ancestors came from plus they still think will still live like that.Im not suprised,they say you have to be very educated to be president of America but look! its George Bush sitting in the oval office choking on pretzels!Wow, goes to show you americans sure can pick a winner.

I'm American and I've been posting here for just over a year now! A good deal of Americans are undereducated for many reasons. One being that even most middle class americans can't even pay for their children to attend college. YES we pay for it ourselves over here..Its not given away! I had to work my tail off to pay for my college education, and nearly everything else I've ever owned.

Just because many of the irish came hopping on over during the potatoe famine dosen't mean that most of our ancestors are from ireland. We've a quite mix here of English, African, Irish, and so forth! If a family has stories that are passed down from grandfather/mother to child, and the child never learns different they tend to relate the story told as a child to the present!

And yes americans can sure pick winners...you dope! Anyhow, like my mother has always told me opinions are like A$$Holes, and everyone has one! You are deffinately entitled to yours. Good Grief....I'm not sayin that I agree with the whole Bush administration, but when it is time to vote for another president I would bet my life he's not re-elected! We don't get a say in everything he does and if you had an entire countries safety on your mind after the 9-11 attacks you may have done the same thing!

:rolleyes:
~DR~

Lump · 12-02-2004 11:52pm

Originally posted by Caliden
shhhh its a government cover-up to take over the world.

"pfft here come the paddy's, LOL"

" OMG they've got lasers, arrgggg"

So on and so forth

This is the only thing in tis thread that made me laugh. Nice one.

John

DriftingRain · 12-02-2004 11:54pm

This is the only thing in tis thread that made me laugh. Nice one.

Me to Lump!

~DR~

Makaveli · 13-02-2004 12:45am

Originally posted by DriftingRain

A good deal of Americans are undereducated for many reasons. One being that even most middle class americans can't even pay for their children to attend college. YES we pay for it ourselves over here..Its not given away! I had to work my tail off to pay for my college education, and nearly everything else I've ever owned.

Not being able to afford college is one thing. But that's higher learning. Wtf do you study in your high schools? Obviously not world history or geography. Or perhaps you do study world history, but only if America has been involved it in, and more than likely with an American bias.
I don't think all Americans are ignorant that would be stupid, but there certainly is a lot that are.

Lump · 13-02-2004 1:36am

To be honest, look at the size of america, and the size of Ireland. How much do you know about countries smaller then Ireland, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Liechtenstein, Maldives etc etc, Should I go on? Look at the films that are made about Ireland. What are people supposed to think?

John

DriftingRain · 13-02-2004 1:49am

Wtf do you study in your high schools? Obviously not world history or geography. Or perhaps you do study world history, but only if America has been involved it in, and more than likely with an American bias.

I think thats a stupid statement to make. How many kids do you know that have actually not thought of history class as their feck off class? I know I did, but still all in all history was my favorite class next to science. Someone once said to make a difference you must take the mistakes from the past and master them so the same mistakes aren't made again! If you know our school system, which I'm thinking you do not, 9th grade covers 1/2 a semester in geograpgy and the other 1/2 the state that you live in history. 10th grade covers U.S. history. 11th grade covers World history. And the 12th grade studies 1/2 semester in economics and the other in government!

Our school systems depending on where you live and the state in which you live also makes a difference. There a country schools that have super high drop out rates, and city schools with gang related tartyness. To ask what a school teaches is a stupid question...It is all in the person....Like me....I grew up in the most crap part of town...my mother called it the white trash ghetto. I was around drugs...murders...and overcame it because I wanted to make something for myself. Be somebody!...It's all in a child if it wants to succumb to its environment, or succeed at making something of theirselves! There are ways around everything. Don't blame the schools for not teaching students. Blame the students for not wanting to learn!

~DR~

ll=llannah · 13-02-2004 1:54am

I agree with DriftingRain. (Someone else from the US! Yay!)

Wow, goes to show you americans sure can pick a winner.

to be nitpicky, the popular vote was for Gore - the electoral college elected Bush. a lot of us are doing all we possibly can to try to get him out of office.

Obviously not world history or geography. Or perhaps you do study world history, but only if America has been involved it in, and more than likely with an American bias.

every country tends to teach history with a bias. it's not only us and that is such a huge generalization I don't even know where to begin.

This is the only thing in tis thread that made me laugh. Nice one.

I third that statement.

Pink Bunny · 13-02-2004 2:10am

Well, I'm an American and I never heard anyone ask me dumb questions like that when I got back from my holiday to Ireland last year.
You will find ignorant people all over the world-we are just such a big country we have more than most, I guess.

I've met people from all over the world that had misconceptions about the US to.

DriftingRain · 13-02-2004 2:15am

jerenaugrim · 13-02-2004 2:20am

I think Na Meiriceànaigh are winning this one. In fairness, when Tom Cruise set off on his little white ass to kill the landlord IS one of my favourite film moments. Up there for paddywhackery with The Bull McCabe offering to dance with the tinker's daughter in The (critically acclaimed) Field.:rolleyes:

DriftingRain · 13-02-2004 2:34am

I think Na Meiriceànaigh are winning this one. In fairness, when Tom Cruise set off on his little white ass to kill the landlord IS one of my favourite film moments. Up there for paddywhackery with The Bull McCabe offering to dance with the tinker's daughter in The (critically acclaimed) Field.

huh?
/me giggles at jerenaugrim.

jerenaugrim · 13-02-2004 2:54am

Originally posted by DriftingRain
huh?
/me giggles at jerenaugrim.

Just that, given some of the rubbish that's put out there in films representing Ireland, it's no wonder there are misconceptions.

Now where's me dunky, I'm aff teh kill de lanlord. Begorrah. To be sure.

po0k · 13-02-2004 4:24am

Frank McCourt should be shot, or at the very least ensure that the time frame of the book/film is clearly stated on each and every page/frame.

Though, tbh, Limerick is still a miserable hole.

Puck · 13-02-2004 5:00am

In fairness it's partly our fault. Look at the image we try to put forward for Ireland. Have you ever seen an add for Ireland as a tourist destination that didn't involve red haired caillíns in big chunky wooly jumpers standing misty-eyed in the middle of a bloody field smiling like they're on morphine while the wind blows in their faces!? You know the rest - pubs, fiddles, dancing, fields, more fields, etc.

And it's not just tourism. Most products seen as having an Irish connection will do just the same.

Our prime-leprachaun... er sorry... taoiseach goes over for St. Paddy's day with a big bowl of shamrock and an even bigger stupid smile on his face for **** sake!

simu · 13-02-2004 5:04am

Na Meiriceánaigh = the Americans, btw.

I don't really care what Americans think about Ireland in general. It's unsurprising that they don't know much about it, Ireland being such a small country and all. It would, however, be interesting to hear what Americans who have had a lot of contact with Ireland or, better yet, who have lived here, think of this country but in my experience, they tend to be reluctant to say anything negative to Irish people about the subject for fear of offending them.

(Apart from my American neighbour who keeps telling me that Irish sounds weird!)

jerenaugrim · 13-02-2004 5:24am

Originally posted by simu
Na Meiriceánaigh = the Americans, btw.

I don't really care what Americans think about Ireland in general. It's unsurprising that they don't know much about it, Ireland being such a small country and all. It would, however, be interesting to hear what Americans who have had a lot of contact with Ireland or, better yet, who have lived here, think of this country but in my experience, they tend to be reluctant to say anything negative to Irish people about the subject for fear of offending them.

(Apart from my American neighbour who keeps telling me that Irish sounds weird!)

There's this American on TV at the moment, letting impressionable people know what he thinks of Ireland. Of course, it's hard to take him seriously, 'cause he's got some agenda, is on the make, and is knackered 'cause he's not used to working for a living. What wd b interesting wd b for one of the "ignorant, drunken Irish" he racially abused in the first programme to take over HIS life for a month. Now, that I wd PAY to see.

BuffyBot · 13-02-2004 9:06am

We don't get a say in everything he does and if you had an entire countries safety on your mind after the 9-11 attacks you may have done the same thing!

What, choke on a pretzel?

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 13-02-2004 9:09am

Originally posted by jerenaugrim
There's this American on TV at the moment, letting impressionable people know what he thinks of Ireland. Of course, it's hard to take him seriously, 'cause he's got some agenda, is on the make, and is knackered 'cause he's not used to working for a living. What wd b interesting wd b for one of the "ignorant, drunken Irish" he racially abused in the first programme to take over HIS life for a month. Now, that I wd PAY to see.

:rollears:

dudara · 13-02-2004 10:51am

Not being able to afford college is one thing. But that's higher learning. Wtf do you study in your high schools?

In Texas, they don't teach sex education,n (thanks to Bush) and in other states, evolution doesn't exist, but God does.

Any individual americans I've met have been fine, no stupid preconceptions or misconceptions about us Irish (beyond the drinking of course). But as a nation, they take my breath away.

Saviour_Angel · 13-02-2004 11:17am

American's are idiots....

I work in a pub and last summer a group of American tourists come in for lunch and a few drinks.... They asked me about sites and I gave directions to various places.... Then 1 of them, not jokeing but been serious, asked me were could they find Leprechauns....:p I held back my laughter and asked him to repeat himself....He did, and it was then that I knew he was serious. I gave them direction to nowhere and they fully believed me.......

After they left I was on the floor with laughter at how stupid they were....

growler · 13-02-2004 11:22am

I used to work on the tourist information desk at Dublin airport for 6 months, believe me you get some strange requests. I had one american become quite irate when I couldn't tell him where his 7 year old daughter was likely to see a real live leprechaun, he got quite agitated , like I was hiding them, so I eventually sent him to Leitrim and told him to buy a net and get some cream in case he got bitten.

Most of the time Americans wanted to see the postcard view of Ireland, which was fine , as I happily sent them off to Donegal, Galway, Clare and Kerry, they often came back to thank me for the advice and were usually delighted with rural Ireland but shocked at Dublin being a modern city with all the crap that goes with it. We market Ireland as the land of castles and fairies so can't complain when they believe it and expect it.

The most worrying misconception I ever heard from an American was in London after a big ira bomb in the City, where this guy announced to all ,after the news headline flashed up , that Britain should nuke ireland and solve the terrorist problem once and for all. Sadly he hadn't realised he was in an Irish pub, and seemed quite keen to retract that statement after a few minutes debate.

There are plenty of ignorant feckers in the UK and Europe too , you don't ahve to look to the US for it.

bus77 · 13-02-2004 12:01pm

Excuse me while I stumble in with this

Exit · 13-02-2004 12:05pm

What. The. Hell. was that?

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 13-02-2004 12:14pm

where this guy announced to all ,after the news headline flashed up , that Britain should nuke ireland and solve the terrorist problem once and for all

rofl

cournioni · 13-02-2004 12:24pm

haha... One time I went to America someone asked me did we have playstations in Ireland. I was like "yeah, we have them along with loads of other consoles."

The guy was like wow... I didn't know that. Then I asked him if they actually had smart people in America. He went red with anger!

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 13-02-2004 12:25pm

my what a racist thread

keep 'em comin..

bus77 · 13-02-2004 12:25pm

Originally posted by Exit
What. The. Hell. was that?

hmm Ill get me coat ...

...beep.

Johnny Versace · 13-02-2004 12:44pm

Originally posted by Caliden
shhhh its a government cover-up to take over the world.

"pfft here come the paddy's, LOL"

" OMG they've got lasers, arrgggg"

So on and so forth

LOL!

PS Top o' the mornin' to ya!

Beruthiel · 13-02-2004 12:59pm

Originally posted by Mordeth
my what a racist thread

keep 'em comin..

ok then...

how about the american who turned to his fellow american while standing in front of those little thatch cottages down in Adare I think it was, and said
“how do they grow that stuff on the roof like that”

Johnny Versace · 13-02-2004 1:02pm

Or my American friend who, after walking around Glendalough with me for a few hours said, "Why haven't they finished building all these buildings?"

THEY'RE RUINS YOU RETARD

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 13-02-2004 1:09pm

lol.... you're not serious beruthiel.

Beruthiel · 13-02-2004 2:00pm

Originally posted by Mordeth
lol.... you're not serious beruthiel.

yup
I am

carrotcake · 13-02-2004 2:20pm

i dunno... i never got any stupid questions during my stay over there. yiz all must attract them!

Lemming · 13-02-2004 2:32pm

A quote from an incident my mate kate (from boston) encountered, whilst her then b/f was showing his (irish) passport to a few of the natives in Boston.

One of the girls piped up with "I'm getting one of those!!", whilst indicating to the passport

BlitzKrieg · 13-02-2004 2:38pm

fav american lines i have heard

2001 BAAF festival new york.

interviewer: Where you from?

Me: Ireland

Interviewer: Wow all the way from texas am i right???

Me: ???

Interviewer: that is a town down south right?

Me: Its a country!!

Interviewr: OH in europe!! WOW!!!

1992 new york again.

Boat driver: So your from ireland huh?
Dad: yeah tipperary.
BD: Wow, you know i'm related to ireland
Dad: Really?
BD: YEah, you see my next door neighbour has a scottish terrier, and i think he's scottish, and he's my next door neightbour, and scotlands next door to ireland, so therefore i'm irish.
Dad: Ok...(leaves quietly)

Hobbes · 13-02-2004 2:42pm

Originally posted by carrotcake
i dunno... i never got any stupid questions during my stay over there. yiz all must attract them!

Depends a lot on where you go. Boston for example never had much problem with stupid comments but in states/towns where there are few tourists (let alone visitors) the remarks were quite comical.

I was in a diner one time after being at a party at a friends house in the rat azz of no where. Through some fluke the guy sitting behind us was from Ireland, and he was telling two girls at the table about how he had to fight to stay alive in Dublin for fear of being shot by snipers or being dragged away by the black and tans. The sad thing was the two women were beliving every word of it.

Joeface · 13-02-2004 2:56pm

Was in roswell NM,
and when I asked for Directions
To the next large town the man replied, I dont know , ask my manager he knows every thing.

And then to make thinks worse he asked where we were from ,and upon hearing Ireland..... he asked , wheres that

while trying to explain its location , i found out he did not know were the atlantic ocean was....

they must have some schools there..............................

god help the nephews and nieces

Lump · 13-02-2004 3:36pm

Originally posted by BlitzKrieg

1992 new york again.

Boat driver: So your from ireland huh?
Dad: yeah tipperary.
BD: Wow, you know i'm related to ireland
Dad: Really?
BD: YEah, you see my next door neighbour has a scottish terrier, and i think he's scottish, and he's my next door neightbour, and scotlands next door to ireland, so therefore i'm irish.
Dad: Ok...(leaves quietly)

Now that IS funny.

John

What American's think of Ireland!

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