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"The English are no craic"

completedit

Anyone see that interview with Donnacha O'Callaghan. He says they're polite and nice but "no craic". Is this an example of Ireland exceptionalism? I wouldn't call what English do when they go to football tournaments "having the craic" but it's not like they're all stuffy posh types. Of course, when he means having the craic he might mean something else. I do actually think it's a uniquely Irish thing. It's not like other countries aren't fun(Spanish I'd say are more extroverted and outgoing than Irish) but the craic is different. It's actually innocent enough messing combined with a self-awareness. There's gob****es who think they're great craic when really they're just ***** but I do think we have a unique sense of humour and happy go lucky attitude. Again, it's not like all Irish people are funny but it's like we have a national light hearted mentality.

What do you think?

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partyguinness

cgcsb wrote: »

That's bullying. They'd be sacked if she were Indian.

I don't think the arrogance is a former colony thing, they view themselves as superior to everyone regardless of where else in the world they are from. Same attitude is prevalent in France. The French and English like to talk about how different they are to eachother but really they are a hop skip and jump. The superiority complex permeates all levels of society. I'll give you an example, the plastic bag tax. They agonised over this policy for years, report after report, never once acknowledging their neighbours had this system for years and it worked well. They just like everything they do is for the first time in the world, same with Boris Bikes and all that.

The opposite is the case in Ireland whenever a new project or policy is discussed the first port of call is how our neighbours tackle the same issue.

Exactly. They go on about the plastic bag tax and pub smoking ban as if they were the first in the world to come up with it (neither was Ireland for that matter).

Some sections of the media cannot bring themselves to acknowledge any Irish success.

I recall an article a few years in the Metro about Saorise Ronan. I am not joking she was described as:

"New York born London based actress"- not one solitary mention of Ireland. They just could not bring themselves to acknowledge she was Irish.

Loads of examples like this over the years. My English wife thought I was just being paranoid for ages but after awhile she actually began to see the bias.

MPFGLB

Having grown up and gone to college in the west of Ireland , lived in Dublin for 4 years and now in London for some years I constantly ponder the traits and differences between the people

I like I can go home to the west of Ireland and have a great night of craic with many people I don’t know including unplanned nights of innocent fun till morning doing silly stuff like brush dancing or singing songs where everyone joins in. Nights like this can be great fun .There is almost an unwritten rule that people who are miserable bastards in the cold light of day are in the pub for craic and fun. One thing I noticed when I first went to London is how quiet th pubs are with roughly the same number of people ..Irish people do love to talk…even if its about nothing in general..in fact they prefer if its about nothing in general
But it is true that a lot of Irish people who love this drinking craic behaviour can be very stand offish and insular in the cold light of day. Its almost like that having the craic gives them permission to be child like and unburdened

I found in Dublin alot of people who were very quick and funny but a good few smart asses. However they too liked to let their hair down and have craic

English people I know from north and south do not tend to spend time talking gibberish in the pubs and are not as spontaneous and as inclusive in this setting

However the British imo have the best sense of humour in the world and they tend to prefer more serious and witty conversations. They usually don’t take the piss as much as the Irish

But what I will say the British are more honest and though harder to get to know and not as inclusive as the Irish they make for deeper and more honest friendships

Also maybe not judge the British by the British press who most people abhor
And contrary to stories on here the British I know love the Irish as I am often told ...we are seen as fun loving , warm and unburdened ..if only they knew

partyguinness

MPFGLB wrote: »

Having grown up and gone to college in the west of Ireland , lived in Dublin for 4 years and now in London for some years I constantly ponder the traits and differences between the people

I like I can go home to the west of Ireland and have a great night of craic with many people I don’t know including unplanned nights of innocent fun till morning doing silly stuff like brush dancing or singing songs where everyone joins in. Nights like this can be great fun .There is almost an unwritten rule that people who are miserable bastards in the cold light of day are in the pub for craic and fun. One thing I noticed when I first went to London is how quiet th pubs are with roughly the same number of people ..Irish people do love to talk…even if its about nothing in general..in fact they prefer if its about nothing in general
But it is true that a lot of Irish people who love this drinking craic behaviour can be very stand offish and insular in the cold light of day. Its almost like that having the craic gives them permission to be child like and unburdened

I found in Dublin aot of people who were very quick and funny but a good few smart asses. However they too liked to let their hair down and have craic

English people I know from north and south do not tend to spend time talking gibberish in the pubs and are not as spontaneous and as inclusive in this setting

However the British imo have the best sense of humour in the world and they tend to prefer more serious and witty conversations. They usually don’t take the piss as much as the Irish

But what I will say the British are more honest and though harder to get to know and not as inclusive as the Irish they make for deeper and more honest friendships

Also maybe not judge the British by the British press who most people abhor
And contrary to stories on here the British I know love the Irish as I am often told ...we are seen as fun loving , warm and unburdened ..if only they knew

I suppose you can add that the pub is not as central to UK social intercations as it is in Ireland.

One big difference I have found is that the English do not go out of their way to make a new person feel welcome or to bring the new person into their social circle. Yes they are polite and couteous but good luck breaking into their social circle of existing buddies. Where I grew up if there was a new person in the area you went out of your way to chat and get to know them and to make them feel welcome. Out for a few drinks and sure by the end of the night your invitng them to your wedding and all sorts.

I have stood like a melon where lads have gone off to the pub and they have just said 'Bye'- no invite. Where I would not dream of doing that back in Ireland. Maybe it's just me.

I have had our neighbours who we are pally with throw all singing all dancing B&Qs next door to us on a Saturday and just looked over the fence and said Hello. Not so much as an invite- I am sorry but that it just rude but then they are chatting to us the next day like we are the best of pals. Weird.

I am pally with a few Asians (second generation Indian) through work and they have the same gripes with the 'English' (as in white).

[Deleted User]

MPFGLB wrote: »

Also maybe not judge the British by the British press who most people abhor
And contrary to stories on here the British I know love the Irish as I am often told ...we are seen as fun loving , warm and unburdened ..if only they knew

I often remember something that was said by that great philosopher of human relations, Imelda May, when the President went to England. She announced that we were allowed to like the English now 'but secretly, we've been liking one another for years'.

I think it's great that we can look at each other as friends as well as neighbours. I remember as a kid failing to understand why the Swedes didn't hate the Norwegians, and the French don't hate the Germans. It seemed expected that you should dislike your neighbours -- and I have a mum who grew up in the UK, we weren't even the slightest bit republican.

Lots of us make British jokes, but they're not intended to offend or hurt. I cringe when I read serious, vicious insults against the Brits. That's how you should feel about insults agin your neighbours and friends, it transpires.

partyguinness

Look the English are grand. Yes they have their foibles like all nationalities- good traits and bad traits like the Irish.

Only advice when it comes to the English is to be very wary of the happy chappy guy in the 50+ aged bracket. They are devious and will turn on you if they smell weakness- keep an eye on them and keep them at arm's length. Get too close or let you guard down they will **** you- like a snake.

Any other smart Alex is just a big mouth. Give it back and that will shut them up.

Having said that I will take the English over the Aussies any day of the week.

123balltv

Give me a scouse over Irish anyday.

Vita nova

nullzero wrote: »

Spoken like a true bitter culchie.

"anything from Dublin is derivitive nonsense and all Dublin people are reprehensible".

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

Here's one...So a guy starts a thread about the English being no craic. Thread becomes Culchies v Dubs in record time.

Boom boom!

ILoveYourVibes wrote: »

Culchies and Dubs need to call a truce. :rolleyes:

Or else get a LOT funnier about slagging each other off!

cgcsb wrote: »

My experience of the garden variety midlands culchies is a fear and loathing of outsiders coupled with resentment and gossip.

A 'culchie' is an unsophisticated country person and is no more representative of all Irish people from outside Dublin or rural dwellers than a junkie or a 'west Brit' is representative of all Dubliners or urbanites.

As for "The English are no craic", that's patently untrue judging by their country's comedy output; it's just that their craic is different than our craic.

Anteayer

completedit wrote: »

Ash they are a nation of extremes tbf. But the ones who come to Europe will often be a bit dull. They're usually the ones who feel mortified to be American an have trump as president.

To be fair, that's understandable!
Can you imagine having that as your president?!
I know we've elected a few fine specimens over the years but he's off the scale and wielding enormous power.

[Deleted User]

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

I often remember something that was said by that great philosopher of human relations, Imelda May, when the President went to England. She announced that we were allowed to like the English now 'but secretly, we've been liking one another for years'.

I think it's great that we can look at each other as friends as well as neighbours. I remember as a kid failing to understand why the Swedes didn't hate the Norwegians, and the French don't hate the Germans. It seemed expected that you should dislike your neighbours -- and I have a mum who grew up in the UK, we weren't even the slightest bit republican.

Lots of us make British jokes, but they're not intended to offend or hurt. I cringe when I read serious, vicious insults against the Brits. That's how you should feel about insults agin your neighbours and friends, it transpires.

I get most of what you have said about the British, but I would argue that is more about the views of an ex pat in a foreign country than anything else.

The reason I can relate to it, is because that is pretty much my experience of the Irish having lived here for ten years.

Nobelium

"the english are no craic" - yet their comedies are some of the most popular on Irish TV ...talk about deluding ourselves.

[Deleted User]

Aegir wrote: »

I get most of what you have said about the British, but I would argue that is more about the views of an ex pat in a foreign country than anything else.

The reason I can relate to it, is because that is pretty much my experience of the Irish having lived here for ten years.

Would you mind expanding on that? I'm not sure I get you.

Are you saying that Imelda May only said that because she lives (I think) in the UK?

Actually I think a lot of us genuinely like most British people. I'm the first to hold my hands up and say I've made some distasteful jokes about the British, but in all fairness we really don't dislike one another on a personal level. The jokes, however unfunny, tend to be based on a colonial history, not at the expense of any individual British person.

[Deleted User]

"The craic" merchants have long been cringe to many Irish people - invariably being noisy, drunken, crowd-following arseholes doing idiotic things, shouting at televisions or generally disturbing the peace for all us "boring" people who are trying to have a good conversation without imposing our "craic" on anybody else's night. Obnoxious morons.

Beechwoodspark

In general I find the English more reserved than Irish.

They keep themselves to themselves more. Not particularly unfriendly as such but definitely do not go out of their way to be friendly with people.

Business types are unfailingly polite but not as informal as most Irish would be even in social situations.

sk8erboii

'Craic' ?

I dont know anything about that, but I can tell you, Irish humor is known internationally for its literary value. Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, Jonathan Swift et. al. are all well known for their absurdist humor.

For some reason Ireland breeds a lot of surrealist jokers, and for some reason the entire world is in love with them.

1o059k7ewrqj3n

Plenty of English are ****in unreal craic and I've great time for them. I've often gone over feeling like Frodo entering Mordor and been blown away by the hospitality and friendliness of them.

Beechwoodspark

I’d also agree that the English middle classes live very ordered lives. Much less spontaneity. Everything planned well in advance.

The city centre Pubs of the weatherspoons chain variety are to be avoided. General air of aggro in a lot of them. People lookin for trouble and often finding it.

They love complaining about this that and the other as well.

You’d feel like saying “not interested mate, do one yeah”.

mick malones mauser

Tongue tied sons of ghosts Bastards

mick malones mauser

Apart from that they're ok...be times

boardise

Deleted User wrote: »

Is Donnacha the lad with the fake tan?

It's even built into his his name - Donn-acha !

Berserker

Plenty of banter (craic) to be had in England. My family from SW6 in West London, proper upper class, no riff-raff etc, love good banter. Londoners, Geordies, Scousers etc are full of banter.

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

I’d also agree that the English middle classes live very ordered lives. Much less spontaneity. Everything planned well in advance.

The city centre Pubs of the weatherspoons chain variety are to be avoided. General air of aggro in a lot of them. People lookin for trouble and often finding it.

They love complaining about this that and the other as well.

You’d feel like saying “not interested mate, do one yeah”.

The Irish are world class when it comes to moaning, up there with the English. Both are a tier below the French, who are exceptional moaners but they'll do something about it also. The French love a good strike.

dd973

Which 'English' are we talking about, the sort of Middle England Tin Henman types are generally boring and only really gel with their own ilk similar to Blackrock College types here.

The 'awrite mate' South-East/Londoner types whom are the first go-to whenever an English accent is parodied tend to be dullards as well.

Have a weekend in Newcastle, Manchester or Liverpool and you'll encounter a far friendlier type of English person, well disposed towards the Irish as well.

There's a huge myth as well that only an Irish person can be 'earthy', 'authentic', or can tell a joke, you get gaggles of them in the UK, especially Irish pubs in London, accents turned up to 11, nauseatingly pleased with themselves about a random accident of birthplace they had no say over.

JoeEJ

My oh is English. I've got to know a lot of his family very well and they are all good fun and they share most of the same jokes as us but we do have that feeling of homesickness when we're over there sometimes like people don't get us.

They always make an issue of me saying I'm 'grand' cause to me it means ok! but to them it means mighty or something like that!

whisky_galore

road_high wrote: »

There’s a lot of Irish I’d describe as having “no manners” and it cuts across all classes and age groups. Years ago I worked for a summer in an Agri diy supplies and the ignorance was just incredible- older Irish men in particular are the most miserable, ungrateful mean people you could find. And never wanted to pay for anything- the most polite customers- a group of Irish travelers that came in for horse stuff!!
I don’t know what it’s like now, but past generations really missed out on basic manners and etiquette. Reckon a lot of these people most have been favored by the church/teachers and escaped all manners lessons.
Generally find continental Europeans and Americans so polite in comparison to many of us

Ould Irish farmers are some of the greatest cheapskate tyre kickers going. Would fight over €2 as if they were bargaining at a fvcking market stall in Thailand or somewhere.

whisky_galore

Nobelium wrote: »

"the english are no craic" - yet their comedies are some of the most popular on Irish TV ...talk about deluding ourselves.

The mainly awful output of Irish TV comedy is down to not spending money on decent comedy writers and the nepotism within RTE, giving airtime to connected people who are worse than useless.

Subcomandante Marcos

The English are craictose intolerant.

The Welsh and Scottish are great craic, especially the north Welsh. Great bunch of lads.

Mad_maxx

Subcomandante Marcos wrote: »

The English are craictose intolerant.

The Welsh and Scottish are great craic, especially the north Welsh. Great bunch of lads.

We tend to think Billy connolly is your typical scot where as the truth is much closer to Gordon brown

Very dour and they hate us in much of the country

[Deleted User]

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Would you mind expanding on that? I'm not sure I get you.

Are you saying that Imelda May only said that because she lives (I think) in the UK?

Actually I think a lot of us genuinely like most British people. I'm the first to hold my hands up and say I've made some distasteful jokes about the British, but in all fairness we really don't dislike one another on a personal level. The jokes, however unfunny, tend to be based on a colonial history, not at the expense of any individual British person.

i actually quoted the wrong post, apologies. I meant to quote PartyGuinness.

All of the traits he talks about can be easily relayed to the Irish and it isn't an English/Irish thing. I have German, French and Belgian friends here who all say the exact same thing about Ireland, so my conclusion is that it is an expat's view of the country they live in, rather than an actual english/Irish thing.

Duckjob

The whole concept of irish 'craic' is seriously overrated.

There is a genuine funniness/wittiness there in Irish culture but generally its displayed by those not even trying to be funny and they are just natural entertainers.

I find for most of those clinging on to "craic" for dear life as something that the Irish uniquely possess, "Craic" is just skulling down as much alcohol as possible as then acting like overgrown "teenage" adults. Embarrassing.

partyguinness

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

I’d also agree that the English middle classes live very ordered lives. Much less spontaneity. Everything planned well in advance.

The city centre Pubs of the weatherspoons chain variety are to be avoided. General air of aggro in a lot of them. People lookin for trouble and often finding it.

They love complaining about this that and the other as well.

You’d feel like saying “not interested mate, do one yeah”.

Yeah I have found that too- absolutely no spontaneity and everything planned to within an inch of its life.

And bitching about everything constantly- and its always someone else's fault.

Morrissey summed it up brilliantly in the song 'Everyday is like Sunday'.

fryup

morrissey is a miserable bastard