Feeling Patriotic?

connundrum

Just talking to the missus the other day about this..
You know when you go away on Holliers, to anywhere basically - Florida, Thailand, Aussieland, Tralee, Santa Ponza (I'm lookin at you Jecinta ) do you bring loads of Ireland jerseys, county jerseys and flags for the apartment block??

I don't think its knackery, cos I do pack a lot of the aforementioned items.. but it does beg the question of why the hell do you go away to be more Irish than you are at home? I remember trawling through Bulgaria searching for an Irish bar, and God knows had I found one then I would have sang my heart out to every ballad with any association to the Emerald Isle.

Seems a bit mental really - spend all the time in Ireland trying to make ourselves all cosmopolitan and European, then we go on holidays and become more Irish than Daniel O'Donnell. I don't have a problem with it but I just find it fascinating..

Oriel

I think that's sad.

SexeeAussie

Yep, and they ALL come out on St Pat's day...........

Anyone who has no Irish blood, but may have met an Irish person or maybe if they just KNOW where Ireland is will don green, drink Guinness and jump around saying "To be sure, to be sure!"

:-)

sinecurea

sinecurea wrote:

I think that's sad.

If it were up to you we would all be Eamon Dunphy on holidays.

Squirrel

I used to bring Irish jerseys, because they were something I wore, like Liverpool jerseys or anything, now I don't because I rarely wear jerseys. The people who bring Irish flags with Celtic crests on them just annoy me.

I did get patriotic on my last holiday, on the campsite football pitch, I was playing on a team with a few english lads, big campsite tournament thing, so I insisted on wearing my dad's Ireland jersey. They tried to get me to wear an English Jersey, and told me I wish I was English, only time I've ever kissed the crest on a jersey after scoring was in that tournament

Kiera

Its for 18 yr old leaving cert students on their first holiday away from the folks. No self-respecting adult would carry on like that.

LegacyUser

It’s a strange one all right.
When in Dublin, mingling with work colleagues, etc, we can often be 'oh so cosmopolitan', eating at the finest Italian/Chinese/Indian restaurants, sipping on the finest wines, and experimenting with various cultural tastes, in terms of Music, clothing etc.
However, once we depart the Emerald Isle, something comes over us, and we become incredibly patriotic.
We find ourselves seeking out Irish bars, roaming foreign streets, whilst wearing our county jersey, in search for a pint of Guinness, or a traditional Irish ballad band. Or Queuing to gain access to any restaurant that might serve 'Cabbage, Bacon and Potatoes'!:D
Quite funny really!

joejoem

Avoid them like the plauge. Its sucha common thing to see, your on a nice beach in Miami and you see a group of sunburnt ugly people walking down the beach in soccor shorts and gaa jerseys, you can almost see the booze on there skin from the night before. Red arms, faces and legs......

Or when your standing at the bar and you ask for your drink, one would turn to you and say "oh your from Ireland" (they are usually from Mayo, Galway, Cork or leitrim) and start a conersation. Two minutes into it you are wondering how the **** you will get out of this conversation about how locked they have gotten every night, your sweating from the heat off there sunburnt faces, the girls hair stuck to her forhead with sweat, booze and seawater. Her neanderthol male friends are all staring at you, you can see the one cog in there head turning, thinking "Feanshy fuchin Jaicín, woudnt leasht two fuchin sheckinds in Ballinaaaaaaaaa".

Eventually, you politley excuse yourself, explaining "Anyway, I better head back to the table with the drinks, the lads are waiting" The girls face turns sour instantly, like you shat in her kitbag/handbag. A bead of angry sweat rolls down her face taking pieces of dirt and slapped on foundation that makes her look like a cheetah as she shouts and spits "Oh you tink your so fúckin big cos your from Dublin" Everywhere the bar goes quiet, you cant hear a sound exceot the noise of sunburnt skin craking and the single cogs in each of there head turning faster as they think of how they will bite you or stamp on you.

There is no escape, just back away and say "No, Ill be back in a minute, sure we will have a sing song and a few pints of bulmers". The next step is to warn your friends and look for a back door. Just my experince of people who wear football jerseys abroud...



ps - I mean no offence to anyone from the counties mentioned, Ive met a whole load of great people from those counties, but there are allot of fúckin retards from there too, just like Dublin and everywhere else

xzanti

I wouldnt specifically pack them but I certainly wouldnt be ashamed to don my Dublin or Ireland jersey on hols... Why not, my dad is a divil for it though.. every holiday snap I see him in hes top to toe in green :rolleyes:

Parents eh

*cringe*

connundrum

Kiera wrote:

No self-respecting adult would carry on like that.

Ah now come on Ted :eek: I would consider myself to be an adult (there or there abouts ) and like I said earlier I still would bring all the jerseys etc. Dunno if I'd bring a flag on the next holiday but I'd consider it! Its nothing to do with lack of self respect, I think its a want to identify with other paddys when out foreign. Its a culture thing.. I think. No point in being snobby about it now Kiera

finlma

Anyone that brings an Irish flag on holiday unless they are going to a sporting event is pathetic. Its the type of carry-on adopted by uneducated, foolish people who make you embarrassed to be Irish. These people will be most likely seen in Irish bars on holiday reading a copy of the Irish Star.

joejoem

Thats such an irish thing, travel as far as you can, get off the plane and ask, can you point me to the nearest Irish pub.....

WhiteWashMan

why do people go on holiday to a foreign place, just to go to irish bars, and meet up with irish people?

why do people think i want to go to an irish pub and drink guinness when im in germany, or holland or the US?

i have no idea.

i much prefer to immerse myself in the culture of the country im in.
if i want to go to an irish bar, i'll go to ireland.

as for people wearing their jerseys on holidays, well, ive grown out of it myself, but i can see why people do it. if they want to show everyone that they are irish, or english, or brazilian or something, then go for your life.

however, if someone finds out im irish, it does not mean i want to talk to you, disuss ireland with you, talk about what school you went to, find out if we go to the same places, or any of that other 'god, isnt it a small world' crap that people of the same nationality come out with.

wow, you happen to be in the same location as me at the same time. what are the chances of that.i dont go up to every person in london and ask them if they think its amazing that we are on the same street at the same time...

Kiera

I’m not being snobby about it! I’m just giving my opinion on the subject. I think it’s for kids. I feel the same when I see a fat English bloke with loads of Bulldog tattoo’s and an England jersey. I just don’t think it looks good. It’s like they are trying to make a point. What is that point?? To me it says “I’m a Irish/English gob****e and I want everyone to know it.”

But why do you want everyone to know it, Connundrum?

alleepally

I'm Irish and don't try to be "all cosmopolitan and European" when I'm at home so I don't do anything different when I'm on holiday. Quite why anyone would consciously want to be "all cosmopolitan and European" is an alien concept to me.

If I happen to meet someone Irish on holiday I'll have a chat with them in the same way I might chat with someone in a queue or on the street when at home. I see plenty of people wearing county jerseys or Irish jerseys or whatever at home so if they wear them on holiday what harm.

ciaran76

When I travel I have only ever gone to an Irish bar because it was across the road from where I was living at the time (Australia) to watch the World Cup. Other then that whenever I go away on holidays I avoid all "Irish Bars".

I have never brought a flag with me on holidays either ? Why should I ? I know where I am from

connundrum

finlma wrote:

Anyone that brings an Irish flag on holiday unless they are going to a sporting event is pathetic. Its the type of carry-on adopted by uneducated, foolish people who make you embarrassed to be Irish. These people will be most likely seen in Irish bars on holiday reading a copy of the Irish Star.

Ahem.. I would consider myself to be fairly well educated, very well travelled and fairly up on most things that are of worldly relevance, my great job allows me to do most things I want. I buy the Sunday Business Post and the Times gets delivered to my desk every day. If I happen to pick up the Daily Star whilst on holidays then its my own choice and I feel I'm well entitled to, and if I feel like wearing a jersey then again - its my choice. Look your nose down on someone else please.
I started this thread meaning for it to be taken in a light hearted kinda way, but people seem to have a deep seeded want to make themselves seem great, superior and all the rest of it.

Get over yourselves.

joejoem

connundrum wrote:

I buy the Sunday Business Post

snigger

Kiera

connundrum wrote:

I started this thread meaning for it to be taken in a light hearted kinda way, but people seem to have a deep seeded want to make themselves seem great, superior and all the rest of it.

Get over yourselves.

Now who's getting all touchy? If you dont want people's opinions about something, dont start a thread about it!

connundrum

joejoem wrote:

snigger

*It's for work purposes I swear

But anyways, it was just meant to represent the fact that you don't have to be a dumbass to want to read the star and/or like being Irish whilst abroad.

WhiteWashMan

connundrum wrote:

Ahem.. I would consider myself to be fairly well educated, very well travelled and fairly up on most things that are of worldly relevance, my great job allows me to do most things I want. I buy the Sunday Business Post and the Times gets delivered to my desk every day. If I happen to pick up the Daily Star whilst on holidays then its my own choice and I feel I'm well entitled to, and if I feel like wearing a jersey then again - its my choice. Look your nose down on someone else please.
I started this thread meaning for it to be taken in a light hearted kinda way, but people seem to have a deep seeded want to make themselves seem great, superior and all the rest of it.

Get over yourselves.

and yet, if its an english person with the bulldog tattoes, and the england jersey singing god save the queen, its amazing how suddenly so many irish people will suddenly look down on those people with disdain.

its a shame that we cant all see ourselves in other people, no?

connundrum

WhiteWashMan wrote:

its a shame that we cant all see ourselves in other people, no?

If an English bloke is walking down the street in Spain with a Union Uack draped around him singing 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot', whilst I'm walking towards him with a tri colour singing the Fields of Athenry - I'm not going to stop and ask him what he's doing singing that awful tune in these parts. How hypocritical would I be then??

I do know people who do that though so I can see where the point is coming from.

I'm presuming that no one here has gone to a gig with a flag then, or taken part in a verse of Olay Olay Olay Olay.. guess not

Kiera

or taken part in a verse of Olay Olay Olay Olay.. guess not
Only at an Ireland game. Why would i burst into song just walking down the street

joejoem

At a football match where Ireland are playing yes, on a beach in malaga, no.

Sleepy

Can't stand "Irish bars" but it'd be fairly normal to see me wearing a Galway hurling jersey when I'm abroad (just as it'd be fairly normal to see me wearing one on a sunny day in Ireland).

The only time I'd voluntarily venture into an Irish bar abroad is if I happen to be away on All-Ireland day.

connundrum

Well then thats the difference I guess, when I'm away I like to meet other Irish people, I like to go to Irish pubs and I like to belt out a few tunes along the way. But I like to do most if not all of that here too. Doesn't make me any less of a sophisticae though

LegacyUser

Ok, I think we are all getting a bit too serious here, the thread was started with a lighthearted theme, and if I am correct, (and I am), the OP was poking a bit of fun at himself.

Who wants to go abroad to drink in an Irish bar? Well I do, and have done.
I went to Ayia Napa when I was 18, I wont lay any claim to being in any way cultured.

I was, (and possibly still am), a product of convenience meals, tacky romantic comedies, sitcoms and Brit pop. In other words, your typical clueless teen.
So what did I look for when I went abroad? Other Irish people, Irish bars, Irish food and cheap drink.
But I wasn't alone, oh no, I came into contact with about a thousand like-minded folk, and to be completely honest, I had the time of my life.

Now I have become slightly more refined over the years, probably due to a 5 year college education, but on my last holiday, to Bulgaria, after several days of 'immersing myself in the culture', I craved for the company of English speaking folk, of a similar age to myself, and I will admit to searching for an Irish bar, or anything resembling an Irish/English/Scottish bar.

I don’t feel it makes me any less of a person to want the company of Irish folks when abroad, and I certainly do not believe that anyone here has the right to cast judgment on some ones character based on their choice of holiday location, or activity.
(Don't mean to get all hot headed, just think that no one should be chastised for have enjoyed the Irish bar scene )

Tha Gopher

Its because we are proud of where we are from. Foreigners love the Irish, so why not highlight it?:)

*packs my Ireland jersey, Celtic jersey, Dublin and Boston Celtics basketball jersey for next summer*

connundrum

Tha Gopher wrote:

*packs my Ireland jersey, Celtic jersey, Dublin and Boston Celtics basketball jersey for next summer*

*doubles up by packin the Dublin And Offaly jersey, Celtic (home and away), Ireland rugby and football, and the international rules jersey..

"Ah, now we're all set lads!"

*throws in the 'Paddys on Tour' Tri Colour from USA '94.. just in case

Tha Gopher

Ah christ conundrum, I forgot to get the "Dub Crew Tour of Europe 2006" shirts with the destinations on the back printed:D

I deserve to be stripped of my citizenship for that woeful error




Better pick up one of those "Dublin" hoodies they sell in the diddly dee American tourist shops in town.

Dont think Ill go as far as my cousin though, he likes sporting his "IRA The Undefeated Army" shirt abroad

dundalk cailin

when i was 18, went to playa del ingles..didnt need anything to show i was irish, the place was full of irish..the only thing to do was state what town your from...you feel right at home there!
dont go in for the whole packing jerseys, flags etc..but i do like to frequent local irish bars if possible!

LegacyUser

dundalk cailin wrote:

when i was 18, went to playa del ingles..didnt need anything to show i was irish, the place was full of irish..the only thing to do was state what town your from...you feel right at home there!
dont go in for the whole packing jerseys, flags etc..but i do like to frequent local irish bars if possible!

Hey hey, your back, did you miss boards like crazy?

dundalk cailin

im still in ireland, but havent had time to surf boards for ages i missed ya's course! im trawling thru millions of posts now

ionapaul

I've been shuddering violently with disgust since the start of this thread...walking around a foreign country draped in an Irish flag is beyond pathetic. As someone mentioned earlier, I already know what country I was born in (something I certainly didn't have anything to do with and as such something I can't really be particularly proud of), don't need a flag or jersey to remind me...

meepmeep

ionapaul wrote:

I've been shuddering violently with disgust since the start of this thread...walking around a foreign country draped in an Irish flag is beyond pathetic. As someone mentioned earlier, I already know what country I was born in (something I certainly didn't have anything to do with and as such something I can't really be particularly proud of), don't need a flag or jersey to remind me...

Absolutely, and wearing a Celtic jersey is even worse.

Oh I know, I'll wear a Scottish football teams jersey and everyone will know that I'm Irish :rolleyes:

MadPatrick

If your ever in Aus go to Bondi. I swear it's like a sunny mini Ireland. County jerseys and Celtic tops as far as the eye can see, all flocking to The Cock and Bull (Irish bar).
For this reason I refused to live in Bondi and tried to avoid Irish bars coz I was there for a year and if I wanted to meet Irish people I would have stayed at home.
Even though it's true that most people love the Irish, that doesn't mean that everyone has to know you're Irish so they can love you from afar.
Paddy's Day is a different story of course. Then everybod has to have it rammed down their throat that your Irish, and a pisshead.

casanova_kid

it's boisterous in-your-face, false patriotism and foreign people hate it. Would you like if the French came with massive blow up cocks or the English came wearing their White and waving the Union Jack around the place?

Gandhi

Years back when I was young (and foolish) I brought a 5 x 3 Irish flag to a U2 concert in Philly. Some local frat-boy thought it was cool, so offered me all the money he had on him for it - $85 for a tattered flag that had cost me about $15 years earlier. Being young, foolish and patriotic (not to mention plastered drunk), I refused. The next morning I almost cried when I remembered it.

The only thing I do now is stick up an Irish flag on my house for Paddy's Day, though my neighbours who have last names like Kallmeyer, Roccia, Szilyagi, Gdowik, etc. have their houses absolutely covered with green crap for the entire month of March.

Gandhi

casanova_kid wrote:

Would you like if the French came with massive blow up cocks?

Ha ha ha ha!!!! If that was intentional - brilliant!!! If accidental - still brilliant!!!

connundrum

So whats the problem then? I don't see where ye're coming from.. wherever Irish people have gone for years and years, they have set up centres to promote Irishness - many of these I've seen (South Africa, Hong Kong, Australia etc) be it social clubs, bars, pubs etc. So what if people want to be out and about and showing their identity with pride?! How does that disgust someone?

casanova_kid

Gandhi wrote:

Ha ha ha ha!!!! If that was intentional - brilliant!!! If accidental - still brilliant!!!

Twas accidental initially but once i saw it i couldn't leave it out.

ionapaul

connundrum wrote:

So whats the problem then? I don't see where ye're coming from.. wherever Irish people have gone for years and years, they have set up centres to promote Irishness - many of these I've seen (South Africa, Hong Kong, Australia etc) be it social clubs, bars, pubs etc. So what if people want to be out and about and showing their identity with pride?! How does that disgust someone?

Are they really centres to 'promote Irishness'? Or crutches to help those who feel culturally adrift stay afloat? If Irish bars worldwide promote Irishness I don't think any of us should be particularly proud of what Irishness entails!

Social clubs are different, not something that I would have any interest in (yes, I have lived abroad for a number of years), but I think was is pathetic and a tad disgusting is your average idiot, approximately 19 years old, parading down the street on holiday waving an Irish flag in everyone's faces, looking like a million lira dressed head-to-toe in Irish / Celtic / county jerseys! Does it not say something interesting about people, about our society, when we are encouraged to be so proud and boastful about the accident of our birthplace, which had absolutely nothing to do with us! I'd have more respect for someone parading around with a 'I came 4th in the parish talent contest' flag...

brian_boru

God i remember when i was working in the USA 3 years ago with my Gf, she had a job in a Supermarket, Shoprite or some sh!te like that. She was serving some lady and the woman goes "Are you Iereland?" to which she regretted saying "Yes" because the woman went on to say "OH MY GOD, I'VE GOT AN IRISH SWEATER!!!".....

Im proud to be Irish no matter where I go, but sometimes, its better to say no!!!!

finlma

Its hardly like we chose to be Irish when we're born. It wrecks my head when I'm abroad and I see fools going around promoting their Irishness, equally with English, French and any other nationality. Fair enough for sporting events - I a jersey then myself.

Don't get me started on Sell-Thick jersies, they have nothing to do with Ireland. Hibs is far more an Irish club but most people here are too bigotted to realise this.

connundrum

finlma wrote:

Hibs is far more an Irish club but most people here are too bigotted to realise this.

I doubt its bigotted-ness which drives the popularity of Celtic, more the relative success of the club and the timing at which it caught the Irish public's imagination etc.. but, to the point.

IMHO, I like to see a county jersey, and I do like to see the odd flag on a balcony. Makes me feel better about the place - genuinely. Maybe its just me.. I agree that muppets who go round screaming with tri colour en tow should be put down, but the point is that in general I like to see it.

Maybe one day when I've got a family and don't want to go on the 'mad one' holiday I'll change my opinion.

As for the social clubs, whats the problem with them being a crutch for new migrants to lean on?? God knows if I moved to Australia it'd be one of the first places I'd seek out - it'd be an instant social circle from which to expand on. Its somewhere to ween you off actually being in Ireland and introduce you to a new country and culture. I think they're good.

fischerspooner

Irish bars are great in places like Berlin, Paris etc. where the Irish ex-pat community meet up at weekends to get drunk and have a laugh. But the notion of going to irish bars to drink with other irish people on your 2 week holiday in holiday resorts is just pathetic. It just shows how narrow minded they are and unwilling to try out new things and different drinks/food etc. I mean if you're only getting away once a year you'd think they'd want to experience something different. Maybe go to a tapas bar in spain and drink some sangria and eat some tapas instead of sitting around a tacky irish bar with celtic jersey-clad drunks. I've met people complaining that you can't get john player blue abroad. Most of the irish ex-pats that I've met while living abroad have been great though, and looked after me. It seems to be only the narrow minded idiots who venture abroad once a year that act in this way. The behaviour I've seen when I used to go to holiday resorts was appauling. Fighting with the locals, starting on innocent dutch tourists etc. These scumbags shouldn't be given passports.

magpie

This all backs up my theory that they should make flights more expensive, so all the aforementioned people have to take their holidays in Bettystown like in the good old days, and the cultured travellers among us can enjoy a fine Chianti while observing the Collosseum without the embarassing spectacle of the "Oirish" abroad.

Pass me my Pimms, Solar Topee and Revolver

FatherTed

I dunno but I think it's a little ironic when a short time ago there was a thread on here complaining about the Spanish girls who are in Dublin for the Summer learning English and how they always stick together yapping in Spanish etc. And we also love to snigger at the Yanks when they come over in their tour busses. Yet when us Irish go abroad as soon as we land at our destination the first thought is where is the local Irish pub. Then we proceed to don our Celtic/Eircom/GAA shirt that Mammy ironed before we left and off to the pub we go. Repeat until the vacation is over. In the meantime, we get a nice blistery burn because we think we're still back in Ballybunnion or Salthill and the sun isnt strong at all. It's kind of like when my parents went to Rome once which was their first time outside of the British Isles and I asked them when they got back how was the food, was it great? They proceeded to tell me they ate at McDonalds most of the time because they don't like that pasta stuff.

Irish people need to get a life sometimes.

Zebra3

The sight of Irish people (especially abroad) going around in British football shirts is embarrassing.

"Look at me! I'm so Irish even though I look like a Brit!". :rolleyes:

Then they meet British people who actually go to watch "their" tam and realise it has nothing to do with them. Oh, for the safety and ignorance of their local back home!!! :rolleyes: Morons.

SexeeAussie

connundrum wrote:

As for the social clubs, whats the problem with them being a crutch for new migrants to lean on?? God knows if I moved to Australia it'd be one of the first places I'd seek out - it'd be an instant social circle from which to expand on. Its somewhere to ween you off actually being in Ireland and introduce you to a new country and culture. I think they're good.

We have numerous Irish/English pubs here in Canberra....aptly named things like "PJ O'Reilly's, Filthy McFadden's, The Wig and Pen, The Durham etc"

You go there for a very expensive pint of Guinness or maybe at lunchtime for a really fat filled meal with stupid names like a "Dublin Dog" or "Kerry Casserole"

We do have the Canberra Irish Club which I am a member of....don't go there often, but it's a licenced club where those that are Irish and those that are not...(LOL) can go for a drink, play the poker machines, have a meal etc. They have a great comedy night on Friday nights (they call it Green faces).

I can't see anything wrong with it. If I was in a different country long term I would try and meet up with people from home esp if I got homesick! But you wouldn't see me wearing an Australian jersey or holding up a boxing kangaroo......

Blisterman

I brought an Irish Flag to Live8. Thats the only time I've worn an Irish Jersey or an Irish Flag.