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Taboos in Ireland

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  • Registered Users Posts: 8,277 ✭✭✭AllForIt


    Proclaiming your not interested in GAA especially when your home county is in the final. I'm from Mayo and in the last few years I've had to pretend I'm really disappointed when we loose.


  • Registered Users Posts: 732 ✭✭✭Vita nova


    Smoking in houses that are shared with non-smokers.
    In general, smoking in shared spaces seems to be a lot more frowned upon in Ireland than most countries


  • Registered Users Posts: 18,150 ✭✭✭✭Malari


    Discussion of wealth.

    You should, by rights, pretend to have purchased everything you own in Penney's for €2.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,673 ✭✭✭mahamageehad


    Saying you drink neither tea nor coffee.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 827 ✭✭✭pxdf9i5cmoavkz


    Not littering


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  • Registered Users Posts: 25,688 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    Not owning a car: some people look at me as if i have two heads when i say that.


  • Registered Users Posts: 287 ✭✭HairyCabbage


    I think that being seen to have emotions or be emotionally affected by events in your life seems taboo in Ireland.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28,391 ✭✭✭✭murpho999


    Not owning a car: some people look at me as if i have two heads when i say that.
    Omackeral wrote: »
    Saying you support a football team from this country is certainly taboo. Allow me to demonstrate.

    ''Who do you support?''
    ''Shelbourne.''
    ''No but who do you really support?''

    You have to pretend to be a Manc or a Scouser and call each other the scum and things like that. Basically you're to adopt English football as if it's your own... unless England are playing that is.
    Saying you drink neither tea nor coffee.
    Vita nova wrote: »
    Smoking in houses that are shared with non-smokers.
    In general, smoking in shared spaces seems to be a lot more frowned upon in Ireland than most countries
    AllForIt wrote: »
    Proclaiming your not interested in GAA especially when your home county is in the final. I'm from Mayo and in the last few years I've had to pretend I'm really disappointed when we loose.
    RayM wrote: »
    Hating the Irish rugby team, and all who sail in it.
    Ludikrus wrote: »
    Hating GAA

    I don't think people understand the word taboo.

    Taboo means something that people don't talk about not peculiarities that people find odd.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 7,073 ✭✭✭Rubberlegs


    Telling a Barry's tea drinker that you drink Lyons:)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,852 ✭✭✭Steve F


    Putting new shoes on the table
    WTF is all that about?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


  • Registered Users Posts: 18,150 ✭✭✭✭Malari


    Steve F wrote: »
    Putting new shoes on the table
    WTF is all that about?

    What IS it about? I've never heard anything about that. It must REALLY be taboo. :P


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,781 ✭✭✭KungPao


    Saying that Jack Charlton wasted a golden generation of players who could have done a lot more if they didn't just hoof the ball up into the air and keep passing it back to the keeper, and ultimately 88, 90, and 94 were failures.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 118 ✭✭Resist ZOG


    Expressing admiration for Israel or Jews in general.

    Criticizing the lgbt movement.


  • Registered Users Posts: 732 ✭✭✭Vita nova


    murpho999 wrote: »
    I don't think people understand the word taboo.

    Taboo means something that people don't talk about not peculiarities that people find odd.

    You have a point but the meaning of taboo is a lot broader than you present:

    Synonyms (http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/taboo)
    Banned, outlawed, prohibited, unthinkable, anathema, disapproved, forbidden, proscribed, reserved, restricted, unmentionable, beyond the pale, frowned on, illegal, off limits, out of bounds, ruled out, unacceptable
    Etymology (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taboo)
    The term "taboo" comes from the Tongan tapu or Fijian tabu ("prohibited", "disallowed", "forbidden"),[3] related among others to the Maori tapu, Hawaiian kapu, Malagasy fady. Its English use dates to 1777 when the British explorer James Cook visited Tonga, and referred to the Tongans' use of the term "taboo" for "any thing is forbidden to be eaten, or made use of".[4] He wrote:

    Not one of them would sit down, or eat a bit of any thing.... On expressing my surprise at this, they were all taboo, as they said; which word has a very comprehensive meaning; but, in general, signifies that a thing is forbidden.[5]


  • Registered Users Posts: 28,391 ✭✭✭✭murpho999


    Vita nova wrote: »
    You have a point but the meaning of taboo is a lot broader than you present:

    Yes, so saying you prefer Lyons over Barry's is not taboo.

    Or shoes on the table is superstition not taboo.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,781 ✭✭✭KungPao


    Resist ZOG wrote: »
    Expressing admiration for Israel or Jews in general.
    A German (true story) once mentioned to me that Ireland seems a little anti-Jewish as 'we' are staunch supporters of Palestine and didn't give a fook during WW2 about the Jews seeking refuge. Also our president sending his condolences for the passing of Herr Hitler also raises eyebrows!


  • Registered Users Posts: 732 ✭✭✭Vita nova


    murpho999 wrote: »
    Yes, so saying you prefer Lyons over Barry's is not taboo.

    Or shoes on the table is superstition not taboo.

    No, but go back and look at all the cases you list (7 in total) in your original post and apply the definition above and you'll see how some of them could certainly be considered taboo in Ireland.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 870 ✭✭✭scopper


    Not saying thanks for the bus driver ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 287 ✭✭HairyCabbage


    I think a lot of taboos still exist in Ireland when talking to anyone over the age of about 50!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,962 ✭✭✭Mr. teddywinkles


    pone2012 wrote: »
    Totally agree to this... I love reading, hate drinking..did the obligatory bit of drinking from 18/22 but it got old fast... Started reading, training and studying

    I barely see my friends anymore as a side effect...

    I think there's a problem with people been seen drunk in public now as well. Where when I started out drinking back when I was younger it was more acceptable and common place.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,749 ✭✭✭tony 2 tone


    Abortion.
    Contributing the cause of the Troubles to any one else other than IRA.


  • Registered Users Posts: 119 ✭✭KaiserLu


    Vita nova wrote: »
    Smoking in houses that are shared with non-smokers.
    In general, smoking in shared spaces seems to be a lot more frowned upon in Ireland than most countries

    The oul lung cancer thing and other related illnesses probably to blame for that one.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,558 ✭✭✭✭Fourier


    Vita nova wrote: »
    Building roads through or near fairy forts:)
    To me this is the only serious answer that actually fits the OP. It's fairly unique to Ireland (although there are other countries like this)and genuinely taboo for those who follow it. Every other taboo mentioned is just "something 2% of the population might internally frown at you for".


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,750 ✭✭✭RobbieTheRobber


    Resist ZOG wrote: »
    Expressing admiration for Israel or Jews in general.

    Criticizing the lgbt movement.

    Ah sure the Jews are a great bunch of lads altogether.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,570 ✭✭✭Ulysses Gaze


    Speaking ill of the dead.

    Even if the deceased was an insufferable prick/arsehole/bitch.


  • Registered Users Posts: 287 ✭✭HairyCabbage


    Talking about people with disabilities in general


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,937 ✭✭✭6541


    Asking Gals for Anal....


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