How would you describe the Irish character

completedit

With images of love of a good time, light hearted, easy going, they all seem kinda at odds with our economy and high productivity ranking. How would you define Irish people in the 21st century. How do Dubs differ from rest of the country. I was having a conversation with a south Eastern European girl last night and was trying to explain Irish character. From my perspective I see us as having an aversion to seriousness and being overly earnest is definitely not a trait I'd associate with Irish people.
But maybe that's just my bubble. When I think of Irish people, I think of Ross O Carroll Kelly, he's an extreme but a good example.

jamesbere

We're quiet until we've had a few drinks

Bobblehats

Quiet the character

Stevieluvsye

We are laid back piss take artists in the general, moreso i find people from Dublin.

People from middle Ireland and ballygobackwards seem odd and 30 years behind dublin.

daveorourke77

Grand bunch of lads.

Mad_maxx

Very prone to group think

B_ecke_r

Begrudging.

Agricola

Not being overly earnest is a great national character trait. You couldn't imagine a shítshow like Brexit befalling us in Ireland, simply because the majority of people would be sensible enough to realize you don't rock a boat that's sailing along nicely enough. Whereas the British get so hung up on earnest pursuits like "sovereignty" and "taking back control" that they don't realize or don't care that they are about to torpedo their own vessel.

That's enough marine metaphors.

Thelonious Monk

B_ecke_r wrote: »

Begrudging.

I hate how people say that. We are the total opposite. We big up every tiny little achievement and any sporting success like no one else does. Just because people think Bono is a wanker, which he is, doesn't mean we are seething at the success of others.

Bobblehats

banal

beejee

As a group our greatest weakness is being pushovers. "we" constantly look for validation from the trends of other nations. The good boy of the class. We fold like paper when put amongst other groups.

Individually we are quite the opposite amongst ourselves, I feel, quite headstrong and confident, even contrary.

You could say the same for a lot of countries, but it just feels far more extreme here.

Very strange!

Thelonious Monk

beejee wrote: »

"we" constantly look for validation from the trends of other nations.

like how everyone goes into meltdown if Americans or people in the UK see some hurling by accident on tv and go on to mention it on Twitter. The indo actually publishes articles on this.

nthclare

Stevieluvsye wrote: »

We are laid back piss take artists in the general, moreso i find people from Dublin.

People from middle Ireland and ballygobackwards seem odd and 30 years behind dublin.

Depends on your version of behind.

Looks like your version of Ireland is a lot more backwards than you think.

Most of the professionals in Dublin are from the Country...

beejee

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

like how everyone goes into meltdown if Americans or people in the UK see some hurling by accident on tv and go on to mention it on Twitter. The indo actually publishes articles on this.

Oh sure, yep!

Definitely some kind of confidence problem when put beside other nations. But we'll eat the head off each other

Bobblehats

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Just because people think Bono is a wanker, which he is, doesn't mean we are seething at the success of others.

Does too. It means we’re seething at the success of loads of africans getting an irish passport

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Complicated, varied, humourous, productive, practical, frivolous, generous, outward looking, insular, inventive, creative, open, insular, argumentative, co-operative...like every country we have people of all characters. Some of the biggest errors in politics, business and society through the years have come from assigning a single character trait, or a particular series of traits, to a nation or a region as a whole.

Stevieluvsye

nthclare wrote: »

Depends on your version of behind.

Looks like your version of Ireland is a lot more backwards than you think.

Most of the professionals in Dublin are from the Country...

Love this
I'd ask for stats but you know yourself

Tell me how

Can I ask the OP, how would you define people of other countries in a single encapsulating way.

Are French all prone to striking?
Are all germans devoid of humour?
Are all English obsessed with tattoos?


Generally speaking, I think the Irish are engaging, resourceful, witty and can work hard and unwind at appropriate times. I wouldnt say we are begrudgers as such, but we don't like people bigging themselves up too much.

Ross is a caricature of less than 1% of the country.

JohnnyFlash

A bit thick in general.

whisky_galore

The 'shur it'll be grand' attitude.

Can be both endearing and infuriating.

beejee

Stevieluvsye wrote: »

We are laid back piss take artists in the general, moreso i find people from Dublin.

People from middle Ireland and ballygobackwards seem odd and 30 years behind dublin.

Beyond the gaa team, I really feel as though the character of Dublin is nigh on non-existent anymore, and I say that as a Dubliner.

A vacuum of personality has developed, but that's like most "big cities" I suppose.

Busy and bland for the most part. It's as appetising and interesting as a slice of white bread.

Mad_maxx

Agricola wrote: »

Not being overly earnest is a great national character trait. You couldn't imagine a shítshow like Brexit befalling us in Ireland, simply because the majority of people would be sensible enough to realize you don't rock a boat that's sailing along nicely enough. Whereas the British get so hung up on earnest pursuits like "sovereignty" and "taking back control" that they don't realize or don't care that they are about to torpedo their own vessel.

That's enough marine metaphors.

We are a deeply unideological people

Bigboldworld

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

I hate how people say that. We are the total opposite. We big up every tiny little achievement and any sporting success like no one else does. Just because people think Bono is a wanker, which he is, doesn't mean we are seething at the success of others.

Disagree with this, I’ve seen it time and time again, we’re good at getting behind people when they are underdogs getting behind small achievements etc but when someone actually starts doing really well and are no longer an underdog they then become a wanker

jimgoose

Niall Toibin, considered by many the ultimate Corkman, used to tell a story about an English academic over here on a mission to complete a paper on the Irish in an attempt to capture the essence of "Irishness", as 'twere. "I am here," he thundered in the finest Received Pronunciation at some poor Finbar in a pub on barrack Street, probably MoKs, "to find out what it is that makes the Irish people tick!" Finbar thought for a second, and replied, "I dunno like, I suppose we're just tick!!"

And that, ladies and gentlemen, I submit, is a good chunk of the Irish character.

Hulk Hands

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

I hate how people say that. We are the total opposite. We big up every tiny little achievement and any sporting success like no one else does. Just because people think Bono is a wanker, which he is, doesn't mean we are seething at the success of others.

We big up the success of our own teams or stars because it reflects well (or we hope) on us as a nation out to the others in the world. And it's only the ones that are out there representing the nation that get praise. Look at how much scorn is thrown on local celebrities

Begrudgery on a personal level is rampant. Almost every instance i've ever heard of someone normal doing unexpectedly well for themselves has been met with a begrudging voice by someone who knows them. Achievements are put down to luck or circumstance with a undercurrent of "who do they think they are" present.

The Irish are fabulous as a whole and I generally prefer Irish company no matter where I travel but bregrugery is 100% a big trait of ours.

Bobblehats

We big up other goys.....uh...huhhuh.....

Thelonious Monk

Bigboldworld wrote: »

Disagree with this, I’ve seen it time and time again, we’re good at getting behind people when they are underdogs getting behind small achievements etc but when someone actually starts doing really well and are no longer an underdog they then become a wanker

Example?

Bobblehats

Well whoever you do choose to get behind be sure to give them all your support.

Me I’ll be watching on from the eh, terraces.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Childish Philistines on sugar-highs.

Thelonious Monk

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Begrudgery on a personal level is rampant. Almost every instance i've ever heard of someone normal doing unexpectedly well for themselves has been met with a begrudging voice by someone who knows them. Achievements are put down to luck or circumstance with a undercurrent of "who do they think they are" present.

You must know an awful lot of ****.

Bigboldworld

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Example?

One example would be someone in the workplace who works up from the bottom and starts doing well and making more money, initially it’s he’s a great worker then gets a few bumps and it’s he’s a wanker your man there, knows such and such he’s one of them now, all the guy did was work hard when others were lazy and suddenly he’s a wanker because he deservedly earns more money, that’s something I’ve personally witnessed a few times and think that mindset can apply to many industries music, entertainment you name it