If you see other irish abroad, do you approach?

BabyE · 19-11-2016 10:15PM #1

More so in places that aren't typical places to find irish(If I see an Irish person in Brooklyn im not going to say anything, if I see them in Des Moines, I defo would approach. Similarly not going to go out of my way in Salou, but today I overheard some Irish lads having coffee in the sun and I made it my business to say whats up.

Robsweezie · 19-11-2016 10:35PM

no, that would involve social interaction.

jamesbere · 19-11-2016 10:44PM

Depends on the circumstance, if I was on my own then I might but to be honest I probably wouldn't bother my hole.

The flying mouse · 19-11-2016 10:53PM

Going into faro airport the other night to collect my car and met a D reg driver leaving, we passed a few smiley hellos etc. and of we went, If I think I not intruding I do, but don't go out of my way really.

cookiexx · 19-11-2016 10:55PM

Probably 50/50. I'm in the UK so it's not like it's rare. Sometimes it happens several times a day. If I'm in a rush and just waiting on a service EG apple store with iPhone, coffee shop getting my morning coffee, then I won't bother my aRse.

Somewhere more social like a pub or club and I'd probably do the inevitable "so how long have you been here?" nod.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 19-11-2016 10:56PM

I was walking the city walls of Dubrovnik one summer morning in 2006 when I ran into a man in a Tipperary jersey. We got talking and and it turned he was from the same town I grew up in.

Chocolate fiend · 19-11-2016 11:01PM

Not usually. I am in Sydney and there are very few Irish people in my area, and I don't think that just because we are from the same country we would necessarily get on or have much in common. However the odd time especially in a shop or something one of us will pass comment and we will exchange pleasantries about where we grew up, how long we are here etc.

Older Irish people who have been here for a long time seem to love to interact with anyone with an Irish accent, and considering I have very Irish looking children (red hair and freckles) they do seem to go out of their way to chat to us. I like that.

There was an Irish dad at my children's school and he said something so offensive one day in regular conversation that I never spoke to him again. They have moved away.

Sometimes I crave the sound of an Irish accent, other times (when it is a sweaty mess wearing a GAA jersey and falling out of a pub) I would rather hear anything else.

I was in a cafe one day and a group of lads working on the road came in, they were lovely, they were polite and friendly and chatty and a real credit to whoever sent them out into the world. It was a good feeling to know I came from the same place as them, even if it was on one of my worst homesick days and did make me cry.

philstar · 19-11-2016 11:09PM

if they're wearing a GAA top or a sell'thick top i avoid them like the plague

osarusan · 19-11-2016 11:18PM

Very rare to meet any other Irish in Japan (apart from those I worked with) and I wouldn't approach any Irish people I bumped into. I wouldn't mind if they approached me I suppose, but hopefully not for some nostalgic lament for the auld sod.

lazybones32 · 19-11-2016 11:40PM

Not unless I have reason to. Being Irish doesn't make us friends, but I have met local people who were all chat while abroad but wouldn't give you the time of day when at home.

MadDog76 · 20-11-2016 01:00AM

I treat Irish people abroad the same as I do at home ............ I don't just approach random strangers .......... is it just me that finds the Op's question odd???

andekwarhola · 20-11-2016 01:05AM

Specifically approaching sounds a bit weird.

I'll chat to anybody anywhere in the right social context. Meeting the right type of Irish person abroad is always nice and a nice grounding affirmation but meeting the wrong type is a chore.

I suspect in this I'm like most normal people between the polar extremes of Rabidly Seeking People From Home Town and Student Twat Wanting Authentic Local Experience.

bikubesong · 20-11-2016 01:55AM

I worked in a retail job for a bit in London so naturally had to interact with customers. If I heard an Irish accent, I'd make reference to it just to open a bit of conversation. Met some lovely people but equally plenty of people who didn't give a shʼit - and fair enough, they probably twigged it was partly a sales technique.

To be honest, after a while I got the impression that people thought it was kinda passé to try and invite a bonding session about the faraway motherland so I stopped mentioning it altogether.

guppy · 20-11-2016 02:02AM

bikubesong wrote: »

I worked in a retail job for a bit in London so naturally had to interact with customers. If I heard an Irish accent, I'd make reference to it just to open a bit of conversation. Met some lovely people but equally plenty of people who didn't give a shʼit - and fair enough, they probably twigged it was partly a sales technique.

Kinda from the other side here, my partner is English and I pick up really quickly when I hear another English person around. He doesn't give a damn though and I've long since given up pointing it out because to him, it's just another person, and who cares where that stranger is from.

el diablo · 20-11-2016 04:08AM

No, I do my best to avoid them, especially the GAA shirt brigade and the loud agricultural types.

Cupcake_Crisis · 20-11-2016 05:14AM

There's so feckin many of us in Toronto that it's like being at home some days.

So no. I don't bother me hole. If someone approached me I'd be polite about it but I get so much 'OMG ARE YOU FROM IRELAND' in work that I'm fair sick of it by now.

Thespoofer · 20-11-2016 05:24AM

No. Don't like all that ' where you from ? ' bollox.
Was waking down the street in the ' town' ( population about 60k ) from where my Wife is from in Poland. It's an out of the way, quiet kinda place I enjoy going there even though it hasn't much going for it just to get away and disappear from life for a while.
Two people walking towards me and I hear the Irish accent from one of them, I was well pissed off ! This is my town.
Nevertheless I kept walking and said nothin.

Cee-Jay-Cee · 20-11-2016 10:43AM

It depends on where it is, Spain UK etc No I'd avoid them, in more obscure places I probably would at least say hello unless they're wearing a GAA jersey and then I'd put on an accent to be sure no one knew I was from the same country as them.

The flying mouse · 20-11-2016 11:13AM

Why are folks against saying hello to Irish people in GAA jerseys ? Don't see nothing wrong with it myself or any other jersey either, be Man u Liverpool or lenster or munster.If they want to wear them its there business.

And why would you change your accent because of what other people wear ?

HalloweenJack · 20-11-2016 11:16AM

Don't approach people for being Irish but don't avoid them for that reason either. I'll give anyone a chance, regardless of where they're from.

The flying mouse · 20-11-2016 11:20AM

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Don't approach people for being Irish but don't avoid them for that reason either. I'll give anyone a chance, regardless of where they're from.

Exactly, Some of the most dodgiest/**** people you meet. can come wearing suits and brand name clothing. Where I work I meet them all every year.

me_right_one · 20-11-2016 11:24AM

Whats with all the GAA hate? If you wouldn't say hello to a person for wearing a GAA jersey, then I think its them who are on the winning side of that particular encounter!

Your Face · 20-11-2016 11:29AM

No, I go on holiday to get away.

20-11-2016 11:36AM

Nope.. Sometimes the opposite actually. The only people who've ever made the mail-order bride comments and the "she's with you for your money / passport" stuff have been fellow Irish people on holiday who think they're funny or more often, want to hurt my and my girlfriend's feeling. Especially women between 25-35.

PANDDDKP · 20-11-2016 11:42AM

No I wouldn't bother unless I had to.

Another things that annoys me is people (my mates included) who head away on holidays and when there head straight to an Irish bar.. Why go abroad to hang out in Irish bars! It's usually a kip with diddily music on in the background! It's embarrassing.

nice_guy80 · 20-11-2016 11:51AM

el diablo wrote: »

No, I do my best to avoid them, especially the GAA shirt brigade and the loud agricultural types.

Which is half the country. Some people like broadcasting that they are from Ireland

I tend to avoid Irish pubs

I'd rather try something local

yesto24 · 20-11-2016 12:00PM

The flying mouse wrote: »

Why are folks against saying hello to Irish people in GAA jerseys ? Don't see nothing wrong with it myself or any other jersey either, be Man u Liverpool or lenster or munster.If they want to wear them its there business.

And why would you change your accent because of what other people wear ?

Because a lot of trouble caused by Irish people abroad is done by a drunken fool in a GAA jersey. This does not mean everyone in a GAA jersey does it or only Irish people in GAA jerseys are drunken fools.
If you only have a short time to get a first impression of someone you will use any information you can get. Clothing is a statement and well you see a GAA top and go no.
Also a GAA jersey is a statement of where you are from unlike other teams like Liverpool or Man united. And sometimes you ask yourself do I want to talk to a person like that.

nice_guy80 · 20-11-2016 12:01PM

PANDDDKP wrote: »

No I wouldn't bother unless I had to.

Another things that annoys me is people (my mates included) who head away on holidays and when there head straight to an Irish bar.. Why go abroad to hang out in Irish bars! It's usually a kip with diddily music on in the background! It's embarrassing.

With over priced crap booze and food

leggo · 20-11-2016 12:20PM

Depends. Are they from Tallaght or wearing a Celtic jersey? Then no.

MadDog76 · 20-11-2016 12:23PM

leggo wrote: »

Depends. Are they from Tallaght or wearing a Celtic jersey? Then no.

There's Tallaght jersey's???

leggo · 20-11-2016 12:30PM

MadDog76 wrote: »

There's Tallaght jersey's???

No.

If you see other irish abroad, do you approach?

Comments