Pride in being Irish

lufties

I never really understood why 'being Irish' was such a popular thing, but having left Ireland a couple of years ago, and lived in five countries, I understand why we are portrayed as the cool people we are.

People see us as 'having character', which is entirely true, Irish people don't give themselves enough credit. This isn't a pat on the back thread, just a high five one really;)

Tell me how proud ye are :cool:

Mr. Incognito

lufties wrote: »

I never really understood why 'being Irish' was such a popular thing, but having left Ireland a couple of years ago, and lived in five countries, I understand why we are portrayed as the cool people we are.

People see us as 'having character', which is entirely true, Irish people don't give themselves enough credit. This isn't a pat on the back thread, just a high five one really;)

Tell me how proud ye are :cool:

Proud? Ireland?

You have been away too long

Duff

Thinly veiled "I'm cultured and well traveled" thread.

lufties

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

Proud? Ireland?

You have been away too long

Nah, our 'leaders' are selfish c*****, otherwise we're the best

bodice ripper

Yeah, leaving made me realise that

Out foreign = surprisingly foreign

And

Home = home.



No one was more shocked than me.

Sunnyisland

I am so proud I even eat the bread


http://www.irishpride.ie/

lufties

Duff wrote: »

Thinly veiled "I'm cultured and well traveled" thread.

Yes, five countries in five years...some legend

mosstin

lufties wrote: »

I never really understood why 'being Irish' was such a popular thing, but having left Ireland a couple of years ago, and lived in five countries, I understand why we are portrayed as the cool people we are.

People see us as 'having character', which is entirely true, Irish people don't give themselves enough credit. This isn't a pat on the back thread, just a high five one really;)

Tell me how proud ye are :cool:

Cool people? That would be the ****ing Atlantic.

The Purveyor of Truth

lufties wrote: »

People see us as 'having character', which is entirely true..

"Just because you are a character doesn't mean that you have character" - The Wolf.

Wompa1

lufties wrote: »

I never really understood why 'being Irish' was such a popular thing, but having left Ireland a couple of years ago, and lived in five countries, I understand why we are portrayed as the cool people we are.

People see us as 'having character', which is entirely true, Irish people don't give themselves enough credit. This isn't a pat on the back thread, just a high five one really;)

Tell me how proud ye are :cool:

Last time somebody posted this it got mainly replies of "I didn't pick to be born or raised here, why would I feel pride, that's stupid" and "How could anyone be proud to be from this Banana Republic?"

Honestly, I have not called attention to the fact that I'm Irish here. It hasn't come up much since my first few months here and it only came up then because I had to provide my previous address or used my Irish passport as ID for stuff.

I'm proud that as a nation we are one of the most generous in terms of charitable donations. I think our country has produced a staggering amount of top class musicians and writers. We do ok in many sports, which is impressive for a country so small when put up against much larger countries.

But, I never really felt any pride in declaring that I'm Irish to somebody....The initial excitement from the other person and the oh that's so cool, tends to be followed by "Where in Ireland are you from?"..."Galway"..."Oh, I don't know Galway" and Silence....

lufties

bodice ripper wrote: »

Yeah, leaving made me realise that

Out foreign = surprisingly foreign

And

Home = home.



No one was more shocked than me.

Ok

Duff

lufties wrote: »

Yes, five countries in five years...some legend

Aye, that's the point I was making.

dxhound2005

It's the best wee country in Ireland.

Ice Storm

I hate when people assume I "have character" just because I am Irish. They are inevitability disappointed when they discover that in fact, I do not.

lufties

Wompa1 wrote: »

Last time somebody posted this it got mainly replies of "I didn't pick to be born or raised here, why would I feel pride, that's stupid" and "How could anyone be proud to be from this Banana Republic?"

Honestly, I have not called attention to the fact that I'm Irish here. It hasn't come up much since my first few months here and it only came up then because I had to provide my previous address or used my Irish passport as ID for stuff.

I'm proud that as a nation we are one of the most generous in terms of charitable donations. I think our country has produced a staggering amount of top class musicians and writers. We do ok in many sports, which is impressive for a country so small when put up against much larger countries.

But, I never really felt any pride in declaring that I'm Irish to somebody....The initial excitement from the other person and the oh that's so cool, tends to be followed by "Where in Ireland are you from?"..."Galway"..."Oh, I don't know Galway" and Silence....

I know what you mean, well, personally I think it's the fact that we are hardy and articulate, while also being human. I live in London

truffle5

The only place on the planet where it's cool to be Irish is the USA...and even that's only since the 60s after JFK became President...and only among white Americans. Before that the Irish were portrayed as violent drunken apes one step up from black people. It's funny how the Zeitgeist changes. Americans and Israelis used to be well-liked across the world too but their reputation has been sullied a bit.

Red21

lufties wrote: »

Tell me how proud ye are :cool:

**** pride. Pride only hurts,never helps - Marsellus Wallace

Sound of Silence

You can't grow up in a Country and not be somehow moulded by it.

Say what you will about not "choosing" to be born here, but you can't deny that things might have turned out different if you were born elsewhere. Being Irish, whilst certainly not a huge part of your character, at least forms a fraction of who you are.

Taking pride in that is a lot better than the alternative - Feeling shame.

lufties

truffle5 wrote: »

The only place on the planet where it's cool to be Irish is the USA...and even that's only since the 60s after JFK became President...and only among white Americans. Before that the Irish were portrayed as violent drunken apes one step up from black people. It's funny how the Zeitgeist changes. Americans and Israelis used to be well-liked across the world too but their reputation has been sullied a bit.

Who cares what the Yanks think, they are probably the dumbest 'race' on the planet in present affairs. The Brits? well..I would'nt ate a whole one. Germans? I prefer having a soul thanks. The rest? Meh..:P

daviecronin

Im extremely proud to be irish, we are admired by most and know globally for our traits. I'm extremely proud of our history fighting for what was right and never giving up!

Birneybau

Yeah, we're alright for a bunch of pixie-heads.

I do hate the whole diddly eye sh!te side of us though.

Lapin

We invented the White House. How could we not be proud ?

Wompa1

lufties wrote: »

Who cares what the Yanks think, they are probably the dumbest 'race' on the planet in present affairs.

:eek:

P_1

To be honest I feel neither pride or shame because of what my nationality is. One's achievements and actions towards others are better yardsticks to use than what national emblem is on the front of your passport.

Captain Chaos

Yeah I'm so proud of being born into a country purely by random chance. It's like saying you're so proud of your eyes being blue because you put so much work in making them that way all by yourself

lufties

Captain Chaos wrote: »

Yeah I'm so proud of being born into a country purely by random chance. It's like saying you're so proud of your eyes being blue because you put so much work in making them that way all by yourself

Ok, Emigrate and see how being Irish is different.

Captain Chaos

lufties wrote: »

Ok, Emigrate and see how being Irish is different.

Different than what exactly. It's only other nationalities perceptions at the end of the day and who really cares what others think. Every person is different regardless where they happened to be born, we can't control that.

Aongus Von Bismarck

I live in Germany. Bringing up the delicate subject of rabid nationalism in polite conversation doesn't really happen. I'm always rather perplexed when I arrive back into Ireland and hear this weird mixture of hating the country, yet getting ultra defensive if anyone says anything negative about it.

I met a few school friends for drinks at Christmas. Most of them are still living in the home town, or working in factories in Galway. I made a remark in passing that I felt the people of Ireland don't get much value for money in public services considering how much they pay in tax. Thirty minutes of them giving out about the Government. The usual old rubbish which comes down to wanting to pay no tax, but wanting world class services. Blaming others for having made the decision to buy a badly built house in a one-horse town. Such negativity.

Yet by the end of the night they were getting emotional while listening to some barstool republican fire out songs about James Connolly and Sean South while their bellies grew even larger with nationalistic pride.

It's a weird type of dichotomy.

Remmy

Fcuk bitches get Money- Seamas Heaney

Faux Socialist

I don't get it why Irish immigrants bond together with other Irish immigrants in English speaking countries. It's bizarre. It's like someone from the west of Ireland and Dublin bonding together over their nationality even though they are worlds apart back home.

kingchess

P_1 wrote: »

To be honest I feel neither pride or shame because of what my nationality is. One's achievements and actions towards others are better yardsticks to use than what national emblem is on the front of your passport.

"breathes there the Man,with soul so dead,who never to himself hath said,this is my own, my native land!"-

Frank Lee Midere

Faux Socialist wrote: »

I don't get it why Irish immigrants bond together with other Irish immigrants in English speaking countries. It's bizarre. It's like someone from the west of Ireland and Dublin bonding together over their nationality even though they are worlds apart back home.

I don't get why people generalise.

Frank Lee Midere

kingchess wrote: »

"breathes there the Man,with soul so dead,who never to himself hath said,this is my own, my native land!"-

It is odd to not feel any live for your own place. That said the vast majority of people who "hate Ireland" never leave it, and never will leave it.

Fighting Irish

I'm glad i'm Irish but proud? not really, i've done nothing to make Ireland the way it is

Faux Socialist

Frank Lee Midere wrote: »

It is odd to not feel any live for your own place. That said the vast majority of people who "hate Ireland" never leave it, and never will leave it.

I don't get it why people have stupid user names.

P_1

Frank Lee Midere wrote: »

It is odd to not feel any live for your own place. That said the vast majority of people who "hate Ireland" never leave it, and never will leave it.

Ah don't get me wrong I love the place. I just think that nationality is a very odd concept to feel pride or shame over.

FierceMild

Faux Socialist wrote: »

I don't get it why Irish immigrants bond together with other Irish immigrants in English speaking countries. It's bizarre. It's like someone from the west of Ireland and Dublin bonding together over their nationality even though they are worlds apart back home.

What? How is someone from Galway "worlds apart" from a Dubliner? It's hardly akin to a rural Texan meeting an urbanite New Yorker.

Karl Stein

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

I met a few school friends for drinks at Christmas. Most of them are still living in the home town, or working in factories in Galway. I made a remark in passing that I felt the people of Ireland don't get much value for money in public services considering how much they pay in tax. Thirty minutes of them giving out about the Government. The usual old rubbish which comes down to wanting to pay no tax, but wanting world class services. Blaming others for having made the decision to buy a badly built house in a one-horse town. Such negativity.

Yet by the end of the night they were getting emotional while listening to some barstool republican fire out songs about James Connolly and Sean South while their bellies grew even larger with nationalistic pride.

I don't believe one word of the above.

Faux Socialist

FierceMild wrote: »

What? How is someone from Galway "worlds apart" from a Dubliner? It's hardly akin to a rural Texan meeting an urbanite New Yorker.

For starters Galway isn't a city, it's a town (a kip of a town).

Dots1982

Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. Just like that line.

4zn76tysfajdxp

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

I live in Germany. Bringing up the delicate subject of rabid nationalism in polite conversation doesn't really happen.

That's weird. I wonder why?

lufties

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

I live in Germany. Bringing up the delicate subject of rabid nationalism in polite conversation doesn't really happen. I'm always rather perplexed when I arrive back into Ireland and hear this weird mixture of hating the country, yet getting ultra defensive if anyone says anything negative about it.

I met a few school friends for drinks at Christmas. Most of them are still living in the home town, or working in factories in Galway. I made a remark in passing that I felt the people of Ireland don't get much value for money in public services considering how much they pay in tax. Thirty minutes of them giving out about the Government. The usual old rubbish which comes down to wanting to pay no tax, but wanting world class services. Blaming others for having made the decision to buy a badly built house in a one-horse town. Such negativity.

Yet by the end of the night they were getting emotional while listening to some barstool republican fire out songs about James Connolly and Sean South while their bellies grew even larger with nationalistic pride.

It's a weird type of dichotomy.

Well in fairness, that is weird..having lived in germany, I can safely say the germans are not much different in that respect. The point of my thread was that generally, Irish people are warm, and human..compared to some of the snakes I work with here in london, who would sell their own mother for a pound. We are not perfect but should be proud collectively about who were are and what we came from.

Strong Life in Dublin

You should be proud to be Irish in fairness. We are a very small country but we have contributed alot to the world.

biko

Faux Socialist wrote: »

For starters Galway isn't a city, it's a town (a kip of a town).

Dafuq?
We could never be friends even if we met on Mars, Mr Rathgar :mad:

Irishcrx

Faux Socialist wrote: »

For starters Galway isn't a city, it's a town (a kip of a town).

I'm fairly sure Galway is a county..

FierceMild

Faux Socialist wrote: »

For starters Galway isn't a city, it's a town (a kip of a town).

Well, maybe the reason you are incredulous that Irish people can bond despite their geographic differences is because, unlike you, they don't hold such dismissive opinions of each other's locales.

WilyCoyote

lufties wrote: »

I never really understood why 'being Irish' was such a popular thing, but having left Ireland a couple of years ago, and lived in five countries, I understand why we are portrayed as the cool people we are.

People see us as 'having character', which is entirely true, Irish people don't give themselves enough credit. This isn't a pat on the back thread, just a high five one really;)

Tell me how proud ye are :cool:

Quilligan! Are you coming back to Rathkeale for Christmas?

dd972

Ice Storm wrote: »

I hate when people assume I "have character" just because I am Irish. They are inevitability disappointed when they discover that in fact, I do not.

It's connected to the myth that having an Irish accent or birth cert somehow makes you witter, earthier, more poetic, rugged and more authentic than those who don't, you could be called Oisin O'Conghaile, speak fluent Irish, have Irish parents and citizenship yet being born outside the 'hallowed emerald' and having a less than Irish accent somehow makes you 'lesser' and 'inferior'.

GB Shaw said that the stage Irish person is a roaring bore, Dara O'Briain is one for example.

I Heart Internet

lufties wrote: »

I never really understood why 'being Irish' was such a popular thing, but having left Ireland a couple of years ago, and lived in five countries.......

"I have many leather bound books."

lufties

dd972 wrote: »

It's connected to the myth that having an Irish accent or birth cert somehow makes you witter, earthier, more poetic, rugged and more authentic than those who don't, you could be called Oisin O'Conghaile, speak fluent Irish, have Irish parents and citizenship yet being born outside the 'hallowed emerald' and having a less than Irish accent somehow makes you 'lesser' and 'inferior'.

GB Shaw said that the stage Irish person is a roaring bore, Dara O'Briain is one for example.

Bull****!

fryup

lufties wrote: »

The point of my thread was that generally, Irish people are warm, and human..compared to some of the snakes I work with here in london, who would sell their own mother for a pound. We are not perfect but should be proud collectively about who were are and what we came from.

and what other nationalities aren't human

anyway i think the whole "friendly irish" thingy is greatly exaggerated

some of the most cold hearted mean minded fu&kers i've come across in my life have been irish