'Americans think the Irish are crazy and drink a lot'

Biggins

'Americans think the Irish are crazy and drink a lot'

Irish J1 students had difficulty getting jobs in California this summer because of their party-animal reputation. ‘A few Irish visitors are ruining it for everyone,’ they tell Stephen Mangan and Hugh McDowell

FOR SOME IRISH students, a summer of partying, surfing, and occasionally working, in California is considered a rite of passage. With all of the liberties and none of the responsibilities associated with adulthood, fun is guaranteed – but at what price to Californians?

In recent years, the reputation of young Irish people has been smeared by trouble and vandalism has been tarnished in popular American west-coast resorts such as Santa Barbara and San Diego. US beach resorts and cities experience a summer influx of Irish students year after year, but the reputation of some areas has been damaged because of behaviour linked to socialising and partying.

In 2005 the resort of Isla Vista in Santa Barbara, California, was the scene of an investigation by police after a group of Irish students caused $15,000 (€11,400) worth of damage in three apartments at an accommodation complex.
The problems are ongoing. This summer alone, Irish students are believed have caused $20,000 (€15,100) worth of damage, says William Sanchez, property manager of the Breakpointe apartment complex in Isla Vista. Sanchez describes housing Irish students as “the worst experience ever.

Last Tuesday night there was a couple of grand worth of damage done. Some Irish students were throwing microwaves into a swimming pool. It’s been going on for years.

Article continues: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2010/0807/1224276359790.html?via=mr

---

So the question I put before the jury of After Hours is: Are a small number of Irish students ruining all the rest of Irish youths chances and reputation abroad - or are we as a nation just now just exporting our version of the "British Lager Lout" ?

SeaFields

"Irish think the american are fat, stupid and trigger happy!"

coffee_cake

Biggins wrote:

our version of the "British Larger Lout"

Larger than what? :pac:

But yes, I would say irish students have a bad rep abroad, and it's nothing new...

I loved the two J1's I went on. I had the craic. Although I see no reason for destroying houses. i was in Hyannis last year and the only thing the Irish there got in trouble for was noise violations.

Pittens

Deleted User wrote: »

I loved the two J1's I went on. I had the craic. Although I see no reason for destroying houses. i was in Hyannis last year and the only thing the Irish there got in trouble for was noise violations.

Is that where the 22 were locked up?

Pittens

Pittens wrote: »

Is that where the 22 were locked up?

Yeah. For noise violation.:rolleyes:

Overheal

I dont think you're crazy and drink a lot: I know you're crazy and drink a lot. Big difference.

Paco Rodriguez

Just the Americans think that?

SEPT 23 1989

Boys will be boys

mikom

Biggins wrote: »

'Americans think the Irish are crazy and drink a lot'

Biggins wrote: »

says William Sanchez, property manager of the Breakpointe apartment complex in Isla Vista......

Whilst spilling tequila all over his poncho as he swigs from the bottle.

BASHIR

Was in Hyannis last year too ,All of my friends had jobs and they knew our "reputation" for drinking. Our employer actually gave us the day off every Thursday because Wednesday night was Irish night after been pretty hungover one morning, honestly imo OP I think it was got to do with location and the availability of jobs rather than our reputation

ringadingding

Any American i've met can't drink soup !

Pittens

Deleted User wrote: »

Yeah. For noise violation.:rolleyes:

Well done the US then. Hope they come out as old men.

Im setting up a keep the 22 Hyannis locked up forever fb page.

Cypher_sounds

Biggins wrote: »

'Americans think the Irish are crazy and drink a lot'

Well we are a nation of people that drink a huge amount of booze so the yanks are right

seawolf145

Biggins wrote: »

'Americans think the Irish are crazy and drink a lot'




Article continues: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2010/0807/1224276359790.html?via=mr

---

So the question I put before the jury of After Hours is: Are a small number of Irish students ruining all the rest of Irish youths chances and reputation abroad - or are we as a nation just now just exporting our version of the "British Lager Lout" ?

The Americans think the hole world is worse then them,so i wouldnt worry to much

spider guardian

i'd have been more shocked if the article read "americans think irish students are sober, quiet and studious".

look at the way the irish are depicted in family guy and the simpsons, it's a stereotype that needs only a few madheads to propagate

Einhard

Biggins wrote: »

So the question I put before the jury of After Hours is: Are a small number of Irish students ruining all the rest of Irish youths chances and reputation abroad - or are we as a nation just now just exporting our version of the "British Lager Lout" ?

We do drink a lot. The craziness is largely a consequence of that.

BASHIR

Pittens wrote: »

Well done the US then. Hope they come out as old men.

Im setting up a keep the 22 Hyannis locked up forever fb page.

Being there last year from what i remember it was this small few that gave the rest of us a bad name, it was always the same house that had the reputation for having the cops over. So ya your right in a way the minority can ruin it for the rest.

Einhard

spider guardian wrote: »

look at the way the irish are depicted in family guy and the simpsons, it's a stereotype that needs only a few madheads to propagate

Actually I think there's more truth in it than the average stereotype.

JONJO THE MISER

A lot of Americans espically in well to do cities are very sheltered, if they heard a few people fighting and having the craic they would say its the end of the world, you can be sure a lot of mommy's and daddy's are warning there daughters to stay away from the wild Irish, might visit there myself some time, seems like a blast:D

Amhran Nua

BASHIR wrote: »

So ya your right in a way the minority can ruin it for the rest.

I'd agree with this, I'm living in an estate near the Uni and there are a good few student houses around about. 95% of them are sound, quiet, and confine the parties to the weekend, but there are a few (always the same) houses where you eventually have to get the college authorities to fine them.

johngalway

They're right.

fontanalis

Remember The Sunday World had a story a few years back where a few Irish students damaged property in San Diego? I met a fella in New York when I was there one summer about 10 years ago and he said Irish people had a bad name there due to people mucking around and not paying bills. All it takes is a couple bad experiences of someone form a different nationality to get an ugly picture of a whole group. There are alot of stereotypes floating around Ireland of nationalities.

seawolf145

fontanalis wrote: »

Remember The Sunday World had a story a few years back where a few Irish students damaged property in San Diego? I met a fella in New York when I was there one summer about 10 years ago and he said Irish people had a bad name there due to people mucking around and not paying bills. All it takes is a couple bad experiences of someone form a different nationality to get an ugly picture of a whole group. There are alot of stereotypes floating around Ireland of nationalities.

Why isnt the yanks so popular abroad i wonder?Not the Irish fault is it?

Rubik.

And frat boys are models of sobriety and clean living.:rolleyes:

47

MOST OF THEM ARE RETARDED

fontanalis

seawolf145 wrote: »

Why isnt the yanks so popular abroad i wonder?Not the Irish fault is it?

What (to the power of infinity)?

titan18

I can see where they'd get that from tbh

JONJO THE MISER

I must say im shocked, there wasn't a mention of swans in the whole article, oh wait that's the Polish:p

Sisko

Don't they go crazy themselves for what they call spring break?

St._Andalou

A lot of Irish people have stereotypical views of Americans. They're fat. They're stupid. They all keep guns under their beds, etc.

Why are we so shocked that other countries hold stereotypical views of us? It works both ways.

There is a large percentage of Irish people who are normal amongst their own but for some reason seem to play up to every Irish stereotype when they meet a foreigner or go abroad.

As for this J1 thing, it's difficult. I'm just out of college, and my experience is a minority -- I would say a sizeable minority -- behave attrociously when they do their J1. Don't forget that Americans have very different views on alcohol comsumption to us.

Also, keep in mind that this article refers to the ones who go to California -- Santa Barbara and San Diego. The students who go to these places are by far the worst of the bunch.

I remember reading an article in which a judge in San Diego complained that his whole summer was taken up by Irish students running amuck. I think he ended it by telling one of the guilty to tell his friends not to come back next year.

So it's fair to say it's not just one or two giving the majority a bad name.