what are the 5 things i have to know about Irish man?

notsogreen

Ok, may be it is not so good idea, but...
My 18 y.o. felt in love with Irish. And I am not sure what to expect and how to approach this guy as a parent. He seems nice over the PC screen. Swear a lot (it it normal?).
So, I was thinking... If Irish man can tell me 5 most obvious things about been Irish
Thank you!

silverharp

I was hoping this was in After Hours, it would have been entertaining. Im not sure what kind of an answer you expect? What country are you from yourself for context? In the most general terms Irish lads would be similar to lads in other countries in the Anglo world or Northern European.

ongarboy

Generalizing a gender by race is not a good idea either. The Irish male is not one homogeneous group that acts, thinks etc the same way.

Why not focus on getting to know this particular individual man for what he is and not what nationality he is. You might be surprised to find he is not an alcoholic, repressed Catholic, mammys boy, begrudger of success, Brit hater, spuds eater....feel free to add any other stereotypes...

irishman86

ongarboy wrote: »

Generalizing a gender by race is not a good idea either. The Irish male is not one homogeneous group that acts, thinks etc the same way.

Why not focus on getting to know this particular individual man for what he is and not what nationality he is. You might be surprised to find he is not an alcoholic, repressed Catholic, mammys boy, begrudger of success, Brit hater, spuds eater....feel free to add any other stereotypes...

I'd be shocked if he isnt all off those tbh
Most Irish lads are exactly what you described

notsogreen

Sorry for delay answer.
I am new here and still trying to figure out how this THING works.
Anyway, thank you for reply, guys.  I am not sure about After Hours, where it that?
Little about me. I am american female empty nester with kid in college, who informed me she got THE IRISH. I have no way to meet him since they are dating via texts for now, but he is coming to visit soon. And from what I know he is "full package" (no insults, just my observation). He swear and drink beer (at 19 y.o.???). And yes, some religion staff going on and he LOVE his mom. I understand how i sound now, and trust me I hate it. But it is my reality now and I am not sure how to deal with it. Any hope? What you, guys, end up looking like in ....10 years after school graduation?

Jeans.
Spuds.
Ciggies.
Cans.
Taxi.

notsogreen

Deleted User wrote: »

Jeans.
Spuds.
Ciggies.
Cans.
Taxi.

I was wondering more about goals orientation. Cans - beer? Oh........ And "spuds"?   Like couch potato?
You don't drive in general?

eviltwin

notsogreen wrote: »

Sorry for delay answer.
I am new here and still trying to figure out how this THING works.
Anyway, thank you for reply, guys.  I am not sure about After Hours, where it that?
Little about me. I am american female empty nester with kid in college, who informed me she got THE IRISH. I have no way to meet him since they are dating via texts for now, but he is coming to visit soon. And from what I know he is "full package" (no insults, just my observation). He swear and drink beer (at 19 y.o.???). And yes, some religion staff going on and he LOVE his mom. I understand how i sound now, and trust me I hate it. But it is my reality now and I am not sure how to deal with it. Any hope? What you, guys, end up looking like in ....10 years after school graduation?

"she got the irish".....its not a disease you know

Don't see the problem, most 19 yr olds here, male and female, drink. Our legal drinking age is 18.

He loves his mum, well that's a good thing right

Swearing, don't see the issue personally once he knows there is a time and a place for it

Religion, he was probably raised in a religious family. Most here are, most are religious only for Christmas and weddings. Unless he is trying to convert your daughter or something it shouldn't be a problem.

Every lad I was friends with at 19 was the same. I'm 41 now and they have all settled down into stable lifestyles. And tbh, I'm pretty sure American teens are not much different to our own.

I get you have concerns about your daughter hooking up with someone so far away but wait until you meet him. Irish lads are some of the best in the world, friendly decent blokes you would love to have in your family. If you are too negative now you will just make her want him more.

nim1bdeh38l2cw

notsogreen wrote: »

Sorry for delay answer.
I am new here and still trying to figure out how this THING works.
Anyway, thank you for reply, guys.  I am not sure about After Hours, where it that?
Little about me. I am american female empty nester with kid in college, who informed me she got THE IRISH. I have no way to meet him since they are dating via texts for now, but he is coming to visit soon. And from what I know he is "full package" (no insults, just my observation). He swear and drink beer (at 19 y.o.???). And yes, some religion staff going on and he LOVE his mom. I understand how i sound now, and trust me I hate it. But it is my reality now and I am not sure how to deal with it. Any hope? What you, guys, end up looking like in ....10 years after school graduation?

You're allowed to drink beer at 19 in the civilised progressive part of the world (i.e. not the USA) and yes, Irish people swear a lot

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

Sleepy

TBH, given the American penchant for marrying at ridiculously young ages, I'd say his mother has far more to worry about than you do OP.

johnnyskeleton

notsogreen wrote: »

I have no way to meet him since they are dating via texts for now, but he is coming to visit soon.

Has she met him in person? If not, the general advice, regardless of his nationality, is to be very cautious about such a relationship.

What you, guys, end up looking like in ....10 years after school graduation?

Time makes a waste of us all. Irish people age no better nor worse than most. We are not a nation of George Clooneys if that's what you're asking, but by 29 he should still be young and have most of his original teeth. He may be going grey or bald and yes, Irish men tend to the overweight much like men across the entire western world.

notsogreen

Thanks to all for reply! I see now Irish guys do has great scene of humor. Good!:)
No, they met at work, he was here for the summer. And yes, we do not drink here until we are 21 y. o. I think it is fare game, since we drive starting 16.
The funny thing HE did not say his mom about American girlfriend and not planning to. Either he LOVE her tooo much or... Is it a shame to have someone AMERICAN due to all this and that political ****?
Also, what I noticed, he is very laid back.... Way too... laid back. He don't stress out about college and degree and good grades and credits and....all that staff that matter for successful life. He is still in school and just enjoying his life and friends. At the same time my kid is in college working on her double major and working part time. Something wrong with this pic, no? 
Anyway, may be I am just being paranoid and everything is fine.   :unsure:

Knex*

irishman86 wrote: »

I'd be shocked if he isnt all off those tbh
Most Irish lads are exactly what you described

I feel like OP was asking you specifically, irishman86, so if you wouldn't mind describing yourself please, we can all then move along.

notsogreen

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

notsogreen wrote: »

I have no way to meet him since they are dating via texts for now, but he is coming to visit soon.

Has she met him in person? If not, the general advice, regardless of his nationality, is to be very cautious about such a relationship.

What you, guys, end up looking like in ....10 years after school graduation?

Time makes a waste of us all. Irish people age no better nor worse than most. We are not a nation of George Clooneys if that's what you're asking, but by 29 he should still be young and have most of his original teeth. He may be going grey or bald and yes, Irish men tend to the overweight much like men across the entire western world.

Haha! I was asking about how your LIFE looks like in 10 years after graduation! Did not put my words correctly, sorry.

irishman86

Knex. wrote: »

I feel like OP was asking you specifically, irishman86, so if you wouldn't mind describing yourself please, we can all then move along.

Nope she already got the answer when the guy got defensive about how Irish lads totes arent all the same :rolleyes:
Like i said it would shock me if he wasnt like that, ive no idea why there is such a denial about such a obvious thing

witchgirl26

notsogreen wrote: »

Thanks to all for reply! I see now Irish guys do has great scene of humor. Good!:)
No, they met at work, he was here for the summer. And yes, we do not drink here until we are 21 y. o. I think it is fare game, since we drive starting 16.
The funny thing HE did not say his mom about American girlfriend and not planning to. Either he LOVE her tooo much or... Is it a shame to have someone AMERICAN due to all this and that political ****?
Also, what I noticed, he is very laid back.... Way too... laid back. He don't stress out about college and degree and good grades and credits and....all that staff that matter for successful life. He is still in school and just enjoying his life and friends. At the same time my kid is in college working on her double major and working part time. Something wrong with this pic, no? 
Anyway, may be I am just being paranoid and everything is fine.   :unsure:

OP if he's 19 and was working in America for a summer then for the visa requirements he would be in college. Plus the college system over here works quite differently to the US so there's no real credits system. You pick a course and study it, not like picking different modules and majoring in something. Just because he's enjoying life and going out with friends doesn't mean he's not working hard.

He might not have told his mam as it's still early enough days. Sure I didn't tell my mam every guy I went out with. She only got to know about ones where it was a bit more than just something casual. It's also different if he's living away from home for college. And how are you so sure he hasn't said it to his mam?

In terms of drinking in Ireland. The legal age here is 18 as has been said. And the legal driving age is 17. To be honest, I don't think those two are connected or should be. It's still illegal to drink and drive. It does mean though that people in college will generally go out and have a few drinks during the week. It's part of the culture as such here and I wouldn't look at it in a bad light.

witchgirl26

notsogreen wrote: »

Haha! I was asking about how your LIFE looks like in 10 years after graduation! Did not put my words correctly, sorry.

OP that all depends on the person - same in the US. For example. 10 years after graduating (high school, not college), my other half owned a house, had gotten professional exams, changed career direction and done a new course for it and had a great job. One of his best friends was still struggling to finish his Phd, living with his parents because rent is high in Ireland, trying to figure out what he wanted to work at full time and was teaching part-time short courses to get some money. It didn't make my other half a better person or anything. Just different directions.

ArthurG

notsogreen wrote: »

Little about me. I am american female empty nester with kid in college, who informed me she got THE IRISH.

Trump & De Vos really have destroyed the American education system :rolleyes:

setanta1000

ArthurG wrote: »

Trump & De Vos really have destroyed the American education system :rolleyes:

American pre third level education system has been destroyed for years - the private universities tend to catch up and, in some cases, pass out the rest of the world in third level and beyond but this is partly down to the ongoing fund raising that goes on.

General standard of literacy in the US is appalling - nearly as bad as the UK!

...apologies for straying off topic......

OP - general observation - does your daughter know that you are communicating with random strangers on the internet behind her back about someone she likes? My advice to the poor young man being investigated is to run a mile......

Sonics2k

ArthurG wrote: »

Trump & De Vos really have destroyed the American education system :rolleyes:

I mean, I'm no fan of Trump and DeVos, but it's pretty obvious the OP graduated a long ass time ago.

edit:
At the OP.

The Irish tend to swear more openly than the Americans, but we do it in a far more casual and less aggressive way.

Our legal drinking age is 18 (like the rest of the sane world).

University and College are very serious here, but not with the over-the-top levels of intense stress American students have to deal with.

He may not choose to tell his own mother yet because he's not sure how long/well the relationship will work out, especially if it's long distance.

Irish people in general don't get into long term commitments/marriage as young as Americans do.

notsogreen

Thanks again for taking your time and replying to my post. I got pretty good idea what is she getting herself in to. And yes, I talk on internet with random strangers about my kid's relationship without her acknowledgment. Guilty.  You see, I respect her choice and never going to interfere or voice my opinion on this guy. But I still have to know basics about different culture  to be ready for her if  things go south. 
About my educational level. Don't judge by the way I talk, English is not my first language, not even second. So I think I am doing just great.
Anyway, it was a pleasure to talk to you all. Thanks again.

2nd Row Donkey

@OP. When he arrives in America next summer, have a 'bag of cans' waiting for him in the car and you can't go wrong.

notsogreen

2nd Row Donkey wrote: »

@OP. When he arrives in America next summer, have a 'bag of cans' waiting for him in the car and you can't go wrong.

Had to Google 'bag of cans' thing
https://www.irishexaminer.com/examviral/marian-keyes-asked-twitter-what-a-bag-of-cans-was-and-this-happened-795173.html