Feelings on the Irish becoming swiftly disliked?

dr gonzo

OK ill start by saying ive no statistics or specific articles that im talking about here but it seems that even the most half-assed google search with the word Irish in it seems to bring up a raft of pages full of people ranting about how much they hate us or hate being one of us.

So from purely curiosity i was wondering what the boardsies think about our new image, we used to be poor but rich in spirit and friends now we just seem to be poor in every way.

Do you care that our national image is apparently going out the window or can haters just get on their bikes?

epgc3fyqirnbsx

most people on the internet are jealous

Celly Smunt

Haters be hating.

genericguy

perhaps its because irish people abroad think:

everyone should be intimately aware of our history.

it's ok to get pissed out of their skulls and start fights in every low budget sunny destination.

that shouting slowly makes people who don't speak english understand.

they have a god given right to behave any way they like, yet treat outsiders like shyte at home.


come to think of it, maybe we just get confused with the english.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

From knowing a lot of foreigners who have visited Ireland, it's a bit unfair, but deserved at the same same time.

A lot of people see Dublin especially as being extremly overpriced. Just because we had it good, doesn't mean we can rip the tourists off. Same thing said about tour-busses in the west and south.

Also, badly organised. If you don't rent a car, you're screwed. They did not like getting around.

On the plus side, still see the Irish as being friendly and relaxed (apart from bar owners and staff) and apparently it's a surprisingly good place for hitchhiking.

Still very popular with Americans (although a suprisingly high numbe of them know we hear "Oh! I'm one-quarter Galwegian!!" every ten minutes!)

dvpower

Sure even God hates us now.
http://www.godhatesireland.com/

genericguy

Rylie Melodic Hospital wrote: »

most people on the internet are jealous

ah yes, jealous of our weather, our wimmin, our history of licking arse, our unemployment rate, the fact that we'll be paying for everyone else's houses for the next 50 years, our abysmal health service, our draconian laws which infringe on freedom of speech and personal liberty...

jd007

I couldn't give a fuck what the rest of the world thinks of us tbh.

The_Kew_Tour

dvpower wrote: »

Sure even God hates us now.
http://www.godhatesireland.com/

Well if thats the case then every other country is fooked too

dr gonzo

dvpower wrote: »

Sure even God hates us now.
http://www.godhatesireland.com/

Ah the westboro baptist churchs everybody, its just their thing.

The only thing i notice about Irish people lately that might be ruining our image is the ridiculous overreaction some people have to foreigners saying they're Irish, whats the harm really?


...Unless theyre Israeli commandos with Irish passports but we wont go there.

Nodin

pmcmahon wrote: »

Haters be hating.

Word.

Wolfe Tone

I can honestly say that any place I have ever been I have got a very warm welcome once they learn I am Irish. One of the best things about being Irish imho.
Surely that must be unique to Ireland?

Lukker-

Sure they have good reason, we're a bunch of pricks. I mean look at our represintive on the global stage, WORST_AMBASSADOR_EVER

dvpower

dr gonzo wrote: »

Ah the westboro baptist churchs everybody, its just their thing.

I'd start to get very worried if they said that God loved us.

My name is URL

http://www.ihateireland.com/

dvpower

Lukker- wrote: »

Sure they have good reason, we're a bunch of pricks. I mean look at our represintive on the global stage, WORST_AMBASSADOR_EVER

Micheál Martin?

Pauleta

Maybe its the whole "The Oirish are loved everywhere" thing that makes people say what a bunch of a-holes. Or maybe Irish people are just really gullible

fisgon

I welcome this, it's a rebalancing. For too long we have had the misty eyed romanticism from Americans, British and Germans especially, as if we were some form of special people, imbued with poetry and spirit. Which is ballacks of course, and we bought in to it too, while the stuff that spawned the Ryan report was going on here we thought we were the greatest people in the world, free of the sin and degradation of the outside world. Now we, and everyone else knows that we are no better than anyone else.

No worse, mind, but no better either. A dose of realism that should have come 40 years ago.

Rockshamrover

are we the only nation that worries about what other people think of us?

Celly Smunt

Rockshamrover wrote: »

are we the only nation that worries about what other people think of us?

nah i'm sure the germans are pretty uptight after that whole jewish thingy

rovert

Never noticed this.

Ickle Magoo

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

I can honestly say that any place I have ever been I have got a very warm welcome once they learn I am Irish. One of the best things about being Irish imho.
Surely that must be unique to Ireland?

If you mean getting a warm welcome for being Irish being unique to Ireland then yes, obviously - if you mean warm welcomes must be unique to irish people then no, no it's not. Sorry.

xoxyx

I'm not surprised.

We always had our own reputation - saints/scholars/raging alcoholics, but we were respected in that we were thought of as a strong willed people.

I'm sure lots of people won't agree with me, but since the Celtic Tiger took hold and we got used to having plenty, we turned soft, and now that things have gone sour, we've become a nation of whingers. We go on about how life is shite, but, most of us do little other than whine.

Once the respect is gone, the things about us that were previously endearing quickly just become flaws.

Don't get me wrong, I miss the economically good times. And I am in no way condoning those rebellious movements or groups which have cost so many lives. I just think we were very quick to roll over and show our belly when we thought it would get us a new car or second house and we've lost our edge because of it.

saywhatyousee

genericguy wrote: »

ah yes, jealous of our weather, our wimmin, our history of licking arse, our unemployment rate, the fact that we'll be paying for everyone else's houses for the next 50 years, our abysmal health service, our draconian laws which infringe on freedom of speech and personal liberty...

that shocking and i find it offensive and it is all lies i dont what ireland u live in

myflipflops

Meh, I love abroad with a wide range of nationalities around here. Most people seem to like the Irish.

My name is URL

fisgon wrote: »

I welcome this, it's a rebalancing

z_topaz wrote: »

I'm not surprised.

but...

dr gonzo wrote: »

OK ill start by saying ive no statistics or specific articles that im talking about here

I think it's the new self-hatin' personality of Irish people more than it is outsiders hating us.

A recent article from Digg - http://digg.com/world_news/Irish_ship_on_Collision_Course_with_Israeli_Navy_Near_Gaza

Not much to go on, but most of the negative comments about Ireland there are from Irish people. Go fcuk yourselves I say, we're not that bad as a country.. seriously if you hate it that much then go somewhere else and let somebody with a bit of respect for the country take your job and your place in our society

Sanjuro

dvpower wrote: »

Sure even God hates us now.
http://www.godhatesireland.com/

Since there is no god, I'm not concerned.

Neither am I concerned what the rest of the world thinks. Once the alien invasion fleet arrives, we'll drop all our hatred of each other (other than the French) and transfer our prejudices onto dem ayldee-uns.

magick

Lol you think thats bad try being American

Celly Smunt

Shams wrote: »

Lol you think thats bad try being American

at least you have an army

yoshytoshy

Show the haters a map and I bet they don't know where we are.

D-Generate

I always find that those who hate Ireland most are the Irish people who have never left the country. Any Irish expats I have met on my travels or are living near me now all had a desire to go home because to be honest Ireland is a pretty great place to live.
Its good to leave when you are young just to broaden your mind but I can't think of another country that I would rather raise my kids in. I have no doubt that I will come back to Ireland to settle in properly.


To all those moaners who complain about health service/tax/weather etc, live in another country and see that they have their ills too. I would rather awful weather and a bunch of people with great sense of humour than good weather and not an iota of wit.

Stinicker

D-Generate wrote: »

I always find that those who hate Ireland most are the Irish people who have never left the country. Any Irish expats I have met on my travels or are living near me now all had a desire to go home because to be honest Ireland is a pretty great place to live.
Its good to leave when you are young just to broaden your mind but I can't think of another country that I would rather raise my kids in. I have no doubt that I will come back to Ireland to settle in properly.


To all those moaners who complain about health service/tax/weather etc, live in another country and see that they have their ills too. I would rather awful weather and a bunch of people with great sense of humour than good weather and not an iota of wit.

To be honest I think the haters are those of us who have left the country and only then do we realise what a total piece of sh1t our country is. The Ireland's great people most likely have never left.

My name is URL

Stinicker wrote: »

To be honest I think the haters are those of us who have left the country and only then do we realise what a total piece of sh1t our country is. The Ireland's great people most likely have never left.

No that's bull. Where do you live? You're forever giving out about how Ireland doesn't suit your far-right agenda. In fact after your posts earlier about forced abortions for women carrying disabled children I do hope you live elsewhere

ragg

There is a serious self loathing element in Irish society, we are not overly hated, we are not overly liked.

Rented Mule

dvpower wrote: »

Sure even God hates us now.
http://www.godhatesireland.com/

Hate him back ......works for me.

Celly Smunt

Rented Mule wrote: »

Hate him back ......works for me.

is you love them back it annoys them more

Latchy

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

If you mean getting a warm welcome for being Irish being unique to Ireland then yes, obviously - if you mean warm welcomes must be unique to irish people then no, no it's not. Sorry.

Yes, warm welcomes are for everybody as they should be .It's how you behaved during your stay how your hosts decide if you deserved it

ragg wrote: »

There is a serious self loathing element in Irish society, we are not overly hated, we are not overly liked.

Indeed , the Irish do not hold the monopoly on being hated or loved although we are up there for navel gazing a lot

Dudess

dr gonzo wrote: »

OK ill start by saying ive no statistics or specific articles that im talking about here but it seems that even the most half-assed google search with the word Irish in it seems to bring up a raft of pages full of people ranting about how much they hate us

Wasn't aware of that at all.

There's definitely too much thought given here by people as to how other nationalities perceive us - it manifests itself in two ways, which are both sides of the same coin IMO:

- Defensiveness, zealous nationalism/patriotism, over-analysis and imagining offence when there's none or none intended (particularly when it comes to "the Brits")
- Inferiority complex: we're backwards, ugly, begrudgers, drunken idiots, violent - presume the Irish people who harp on about the above are including themselves? Also, the country is a "banana republic", it's "fukked-up", stuff about government corruption, censorship... attempts to make this country seem like a South American dictatorship (probably seems kinda romantic - and chicks dig that oppressed sh1t); we should be "ashamed" to be Irish over e.g. the Ryan Report, as if our nationality makes us remotely accountable in any way, etc.

I couldn't give a sh1t what anyone thinks of Ireland/the Irish, apart from when it manifests itself as racism and it directly impacts on people's lives - but if some fuk-wit somewhere in the world thinks I'm an imbecilic savage, that's their ignorance, not my problem.
Shame though that some Irish people themselves feel a compulsion - sometimes it seems like even a duty - to cave into that kinda thing.

Oh and anyone who dislikes the Irish because e.g. Dublin's over-priced... is an idiot.

Dudess

My name is URL wrote: »

A recent article from Digg - http://digg.com/world_news/Irish_ship_on_Collision_Course_with_Israeli_Navy_Near_Gaza

Not much to go on, but most of the negative comments about Ireland there are from Irish people. Go fcuk yourselves I say, we're not that bad as a country

+1

Hate that constant sh1t on Boards - it's not because I'm patriotic/nationalistic, but I am Irish, and I don't appreciate people (especially fellow Irish people) telling me I'm this that and the other because I happen to have been born on this island.
One of the Irish moaners about the Irish here lamented on this thread "our" lickarsery - it's true. There seems to be a culture all right of "Yes you're right - we Irish ARE sh1te; roll me over oh lord and master and give it to me up the tail-pipe."

Even The Simpsons writers seem to be aware of this:

Bart - "Whacking Day was an excuse to beat up the Irish!"
Leprechaun guy - "Tis true... I took many a beatin'. Ah but 'twas all in good fun..."

StormWarrior

I'm sure most non-Irish people don't think about it that much. The only things I know about the Irish are Magdelene laundries, Father Ted and leprachauns. I'd say that's all most people across the world know of the Irish.

xoxyx

My name is URL wrote: »

but...

I think it's the new self-hatin' personality of Irish people more than it is outsiders hating us.

Pah! Just because the OP doesn't have stats (although (s)he really should) doesn't make their point incorrect.

Besides that, however, if Irish people are falling into such a funk that they've got nothing better to do than imagine how much everbody else hates them, then isn't that the best endorsement of the fact that there's something dramatically wrong.

Funk (fallen into).

CrazyRabbit

I still love you all.

Stinicker

My name is URL wrote: »

No that's bull. Where do you live? You're forever giving out about how Ireland doesn't suit your far-right agenda. In fact after your posts earlier about forced abortions for women carrying disabled children I do hope you live elsewhere

Hang on there now one goddamned second, you are completly taking this out of context and to call me far right is about as accurate as to say Stalin was a neo-liberal. I never said anything about forced abortions but was saying that abortions in cases of disability would be more suitable to the family of the child and to the state.

I never said that all women pregnant with disabled children should be forced to have an abortion. In future get your facts right before you go around accusing people of being far right and forcing abortions on people

thetonynator

When the sun comes out in Ireland its one of the nicest places to be.

Stinicker

thetonynator wrote: »

When the sun comes out in Ireland its one of the nicest places to be.

And then follows the blood sucking midges to spoil the fun after 7pm in the evening.

My name is URL

Stinicker wrote: »

Hang on there now one goddamned second, you are completly taking this out of context and to call me far right is about as accurate as to say Stalin was a neo-liberal. I never said anything about forced abortions but was saying that abortions in cases of disability would be more suitable to the family of the child and to the state.

I never said that all women pregnant with disabled children should be forced to have an abortion. In future get your facts right before you go around accusing people of being far right and forcing abortions on people

Well I'm sorry if I mistook what you meant. In my defense, you suggested it at the same time as calling for an end to public healthcare. If those parents affected couldn't afford to provide the medical support for their child it would mean that abortion was essentially the only option that the state provides

InTheTrees

dr gonzo wrote: »

but it seems that even the most half-assed google search with the word Irish in it seems to bring up a raft of pages full of people ranting about how much they hate us or hate being one of us.

Hmmm. I tried google and used the keywords "being irish" and didnt get anything too negative.

Maybe you were searching on:

www.lowselfesteem.com

Killer Pigeon

The truth is people are jealous of the fact that Irish blood has swept to the four corners of the Earth and is influenced to world so much. People are just so jealous that for such a small nation we have had so much of an impact.

<insert abhrán na bhfiann video from youtube>

stovelid

genericguy wrote: »

it's ok to get pissed out of their skulls and start fights in every low budget sunny destination.

I've alluded to this before.

When abroad, a lot of Irish act in a fashion that they then negatively assign to the British when it suits.

If the Spanish see two Irish lads in Premiership jersies kicking fuck out of each other outside a bar and shouting in English, they just blame it on the Brits.

Killer Pigeon

Enter Irish people into google and you get:

"Irish people are impervious to psychoanalysis"

A nice Freudian quote in there.

z_topaz

z_topaz wrote: »

I'm not surprised.

We always had our own reputation - saints/scholars/raging alcoholics, but we were respected in that we were thought of as a strong willed people.

I'm sure lots of people won't agree with me, but since the Celtic Tiger took hold and we got used to having plenty, we turned soft, and now that things have gone sour, we've become a nation of whingers. We go on about how life is shite, but, most of us do little other than whine.

Once the respect is gone, the things about us that were previously endearing quickly just become flaws.

Don't get me wrong, I miss the economically good times. And I am in no way condoning those rebellious movements or groups which have cost so many lives. I just think we were very quick to roll over and show our belly when we thought it would get us a new car or second house and we've lost our edge because of it.

That's pretty accurate, IMO.

All in all, I don't think the Irish have ever been as universally loved as they liked to think. Sure, there is a lot of goodwill towards the Irish due to not starting wars and being good craic and all that, but a lot of people have rather negative impressions as well. I've worked abroad in several countries, and the Irish were NOT well thought of due to being unreliable, coming to work hungover, wrecking the accommodation, that type of thing. Like any other nationality, there are good and bad impressions. I'm still confused as to why so many Irish people reckon everyone loves them. It's not so. The Irish are certainly not disliked but I think a lot of people need to get over the feelings of superiority (or is it an inferiority complex which comes out as arrogance? I've given up thinking about it at this stage).