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Why are Nordies so dour?

JohnnyFlash

I’ve had the misfortune of being up North for the past 2 days. Now we all know about the terrible roads, the flags, the grey and dilapidated towns, the run down chippers and off-licences everywhere; the lousy sense of humour, the shocking standard of basic spelling and grammar skills amongst the people, the depressing murals, and so on and so forth.

What baffles me the most though is how dour the people are up here. It’s not exactly rudeness or unfriendliness either, but this aura they give off. Like the weight of the world is on their ample shoulders (obesity is a real problem up here as well). Life appears to be lacking in any levity or zest for them. Where a smile looks like it’s causing them some discomfort.

Has anyone noticed this as well? I mean we can all go speculating as to the reasons for it, but that’s the sort of uninteresting thread best suited to boring oddball obsessives in the current affairs forum. I’m looking for us to share experiences of meeting, conversing, and dealing with dour Nordies.

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gmisk

"Big lad" would be quite a common saying in the north imo

IAMAMORON

BDI wrote: »

I have found from my time in the building trade that northern Irish people are the most likely people to tell you they seen a gay person the night before in a pub they were in. Dublin is shocking bad for it apparently.

Of course I have seen or heard of people from all over the country being homophobic but in work at 10 in the morning, eating a breakfast roll and worrying about Dublin’s soul.

what ?

Church on Tuesday

Had pints with a few after a gig in Belfast one night.

Completely sound people.

IAMAMORON

The sterling rate has never been cheaper. Loads of really nice hotels and places to go out in Belfast, Derry, Coleraine etc. It is a no brainer to get your arses' up there. Don't forget to go clothes shopping either.

I don't think it is fair to call anyone "Dour", especially without walking a mile in their shoes.

Balmed Out

From Cork so obviously not there routinely but have gone to Belfast twice Derry three times and sport events have led me to Antrim on a few occasions and have always got on well with Northerners of both persuasions. Odd time id be conscious of my accent and car reg but more often then not its probably a bit of paranoia or coming in a bus marked Kilbrittain bus Company.
Particularly like Derry, always feels like what Galway is supposed to be if it werent a bit too commercialized.

As an aside I was travelling with a protestant Corkonian friend in Africa 20 years ago. We picked up a Unionist from Belfast and gave him a lift for 3 days. At the outset we explained that between ourselves we had a lot of sectarian jokes, hed make catholic jokes and I prodestant ones. The guy was very quiet the entire time and on the last night let us know how uneasy hed been listening to us. When wed explained that we always made these jokes he was only getting used to our acccents and hadnt a clue but as he began to understand us he got very uncomfortable.

Mad_maxx

fussyonion wrote: »

I lived in Newry for a few years and hated it. It was grey and depressing and there was always a maudlin atmosphere.

Found the people very stand offish and I was told to 'F*ck off ya free state b*tch' as I drove by the Buttercrane.

I felt like I won the Lotto when I was able to move back to Dublin.

Newry is 80% plus Catholic

road_high

Balmed Out wrote: »

From Cork so obviously not there routinely but have gone to Belfast twice Derry three times and sport events have led me to Antrim on a few occasions and have always got on well with Northerners of both persuasions. Odd time id be conscious of my accent and car reg but more often then not its probably a bit of paranoia or coming in a bus marked Kilbrittain bus Company.
Particularly like Derry, always feels like what Galway is supposed to be if it werent a bit too commercialized.

As an aside I was travelling with a protestant Corkonian friend in Africa 20 years ago. We picked up a Unionist from Belfast and gave him a lift for 3 days. At the outset we explained that between ourselves we had a lot of sectarian jokes, hed make catholic jokes and I prodestant ones. The guy was very quiet the entire time and on the last night let us know how uneasy hed been listening to us. When wed explained that we always made these jokes he was only getting used to our acccents and hadnt a clue but as he began to understand us he got very uncomfortable.

Southern and northern Protestants are a completely different species in my experience-might as well be from different planets. The Nordie ones being paranoid and devoid of all humor like the guy you met

blinding

gmisk wrote: »

Shure wasn't it grand when it left!

It would be still going today except for the big fooking:eek: .....lookout:eek:..iceberg:eek:

blinding

Listening to Southies whinging would dour anyone !

mikemac2

You stand in a queue for a nightclub and the Bible thumping Presbyterians want to discuss God with you and invite you to bible study. It’s a crazy place ha

Not even the Jehovah Witnesses approach drunks

The Satanist wrote: »

I always found the Titanic thing baffling. It's a giant moment to failure. They should be ashamed of the shoddy workmanship.

Built by Irishmen

Sunk by Englishmen

SharpshooterTom

Are people from Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan considered nordies?

People from Dundalk and Crossmaglen sound kind of similar.

Lord Glentoran

Why are Northerners so dour? Because when they hear a southern accent, the finger wagging and hubris about a United Ireland aren’t far behind.

Northern Monkey

Boom_Bap wrote: »

Yeah I'm a fan as well....apart from the tailgating. Rampant tailgating.

I should just open the boot next time I'm up there and invite people to park in it.

Are you in the overtaking lane doing half the speed limit at the time?

Charles Babbage

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

I should point out that I haven’t received any real “hassle” from the loyalist/unionist side but, by god, the amount of time you have to waste listening to “nationalists” griping at you, you personally, for “leaving them behind” and “not caring”. It’s ridiculous.

Did you leave them behind?
Do you care?
Are people who complain about mé feiners worse than mé feiners?

LillySV

Majority of people I’ve encountered when up in Belfast and other parts of Northern Ireland In recent years have been friendly and helpful. In fact I prefer going out in Belfast to any of the Irish cities as the people there are more friendly... I actually feel safer up there too than the likes of Dublin.

I find it remarkable that people seem to be able to come out with general statements about Northern Ireland and uk people in recent days! I heard 2 guys in work describe uk people as thick ***** with no education but an odd one is ok !! And that was from two “open minded modern liberal” people! Would it be acceptable if I made a general derogatory statement about all gay people or all females in Ireland!? I don’t think so!

Real problem here is too many Ignorant overly confident people in Ireland who think they know it all about everything... including brexit

Tammy!

I just had a lovely weekend in Armagh there. There's a nice woods where we camped.

I have to say though when driving through and past the estates and houses, it did seem a bit grim. Definitely got the Holyhead feeling. It's like the way the houses are designed or something?

johnmcdnl

Upforthematch wrote: »

I googled Portadown. Couldn't figure out from Google maps if it is county Armagh or county Down. Then I noticed Google maps doesn't have any county boundaries for the north but does for the rest of Ireland.

Wonder why?

Google uses heavy shaded lines to denote national borders, and dotted lines to show subdivsions of countries, in our case the 26 counties, in the UK, the 4 countries.

The England-Wales and England-Scotland border are dotted, just like the Irish counties.

It would need to have a secondary subdivision layer for the counties in NI, but that isn't implemented, just like how you won't see county lines in US states unless you explicitly search for the county name. If you type in 'Co. Fermanagh' for example you'll see it highlighted, but it doesn't have anything on the base layer.

Pop over to the USA or any other country, and you'll see the same there, a thick heavy line for the border with Canada, and dotted lines for the states themselves, but if you type in a secondary subdivision region you'll see it highlighted.

Conall Cernach

Upforthematch wrote: »

I googled Portadown. Couldn't figure out from Google maps if it is county Armagh or county Down. Then I noticed Google maps doesn't have any county boundaries for the north but does for the rest of Ireland.

Wonder why?

Portadown is in Co. Armagh but counties don't exist under the UK system anymore. It is now in the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon District for local government purposes.