Are Irish people hard to make friends with?

JackieChang wrote: »

A French lady told me today that Irish people are very "closed".

We are one of the "most friendly people in the world" on a Saturday night (drink obviously), but we'll never be seen again. Come Monday we don't want to hear about them.

She works in a big multinational corporation and is finding it hard to make friends with Irish colleagues.

I'm posting this as it's actually the millionth time I've heard this from a foreigner.

What do you think?

Ya so what? Wanna fight about it??

French are extremely arrogant or so I've heard.

I've come across a few and they don't play ball the way one should..... Hand ball that is.

Well, how long do you tkae before you decide someone is your friend?

My experience with going out back home is that people were freidly and chatty for the most part, but it was all mostly small talk. It took a bit of time to get to the point where people would actually talk about something deep or personal.

Not sure if that's the same as "making friends" though as.

The problem is that Ireland is so small that many people are still really good friends with their classmates and friends from their youth well into their 30's here due to how easy it is to keep close with them. It's not like vast/densely populated countries like the US where friends in your 20's are completely different to friends in your teens.

As such I think a lot of us have a tendency to stick to that group as opposed to actively seeking to make new friends. It doesn't mean we don't WANT to make new friends, it just means we won't make nearly as much of an effort as someone who.. say.. came over from a different country by themselves.

So yeah, I think unless you know the standard Irish person from childhood or through work, we can be difficult to make friends with, in our own country at least.

Pixie heads

Compared to some we are definitely. If you meet an American out randomly and have the craic with them over the course of a night, they’d think nothing of asking for your number to hang out again or even invite you to a social event like a barbecue they’re having.

We’d think that’s weird.

I'd say it mirrors my own experiences.

Irish people are very, very easy to talk to, have a bit of banter with, etc. But very, very hard to actually get to know. I sometimes think all the talk is just to hide the fact that really, they're about the most intensely private people I've ever come across.