NickNickleby wrote: » eh, no its not. I've met many visitors who say Irish people are very friendly and they were staying in Dublin. Come on over and visit us for yourself.
bubblypop wrote: » Well your first few replies have proved you right! Personally I think Irish people are just basically racist & full of themselves. If you're foreign on holidays here, you will be welcomed by strangers. If you're foreign living here, maybe not so much. Also, Irish people love reland & cannot hear a bad word about it, although they are allowed to complain themselves about it, but no outsiders should ever say anything bad about the country.
New to Ireland wrote: » Irish people please give your opinion. Things I have noticed as an outisider visiting and living in this country as a middle-class white, educated, middle-aged man, Irish are NOT friendly or funny despite an outdated reputation, everyone is selfish and in a rush, will take everything they can get, hate manners and social etiquette like hello, please and thank you, love English things more than their own Irish culture, think that WE are rude as nice, polite outsiders, have no accountability and love to whinge at the pub about everything (a reputation given to the English funny enough). Please enlighten me, give me something, i have completely lost my love of this country and am now just beginning to hate it which I don't want. Why does no one want to help anyone here, or have meaningful, progressive conversations? Why is hating on everyone, being angry and rude ok but then call anyone else who cares arrogant?
abff wrote: » I think that was a genuine question, in which case your response was somewhat uncalled for. I'd like to know how long OP has been in Ireland and where he/she is living, because I would hate to think that what he/she has experienced is typical of how people behave.
DublinWriter wrote: » Sometimes the truth hurts. Born and bred in Dublin. These days, I don't recognise the place anymore. It reminds me of the worst of London in the yuppie mid-80's. These days, I'm over and back to London quite a bit. It's a far friendlier city than Dublin is, especially in Camden and Bermondsey. London has evolved, and I think maybe Dublin will, too. For those who say "well just get out of Dublin", I did in 2004 and I'm happy to have done so. Drogheda and Cork to me are more like Dublin I remember from the 80's. Ideally, I'd live in Belfast or Newcastle at the moment, but I'm still attached to Dublin for business reasons. The one thing most Irish people hate are 'foreigners' telling them a few home-truths. Get over it, we're big boys and girls now.
New to Ireland wrote: » I've been here 6 months now, I came across very excited about Ireland (obviously as my wife is Irish and I love her) and have been absolutely pummeled into the ground day after day after day with Irish 'hospitality' which is none. I've tried, over and over and meet the same brick wall of rudeness, ignorance, selfishness and close-mindedness. For your reference, I live in the midlands, commute by train every day to Dublin, worked across the country and have visited 25 of 32 counties already and listen to Irish affairs daily for any inside information into this culture I struggle with. I want to love ti for my wife, and am trying but people's rudeness over the months has put me into depression and I am trying to stay strong for my wife. It's the hardest thing I've ever done, and I've lived in other places before.
The Orb wrote: » Are you going to tell us where you're from ?
Alun wrote: » You've clearly never been to Germany, then.
d15ude wrote: » What's that supposed to mean? Germans (except Berliners maybe) are definitely friendlier than your average Dubliner.
bubblypop wrote: » What difference does it make?
ongarboy wrote: » OP, if your wife is Irish, have you not asked her why we are all so allegedly rude? Is she able to explain, or better, challenge your perceptions and experiences? Is she not annoyed or offended by your awful generalisation of an entire nation? Yes, people are possibly more self absorbed these days what with smartphones and social media addiction but what you say simply is not true both from an Irish person's experience and from what any of the many non nationals I work or know also say. Ireland is not perfect by a long shot but is generally friendly once people get to know you. We can't do artificially super friendly, confide our deepest secrets within 5 minutes of knowing you type engagement like Americans or some other races do but will be friendly in a slower more organic pace. I sense some of what you are experiencing is possibly self inflicted? If you are expecting a 16 year old Spar sales assistant to be full of the joys of spring at 6am while she hands you your change or receipt, you are being unreasonable. If "everyone" is so rude, then I would think the common denominator (ie you) somehow is a contributory factor to what's going on here. I don't know, just speculating. You mention potentially going into a depression over it. That is an extremely disproportionate reaction to such a situation. Outside of friends, relatives and possibly work colleagues you engage closely with, does it really matter if acquaintances or strangers aren't all super friendly or lovey dovey? Again that sends a red flag to what you or like or how you react which may cause people to engage accordingly. Ask your wife to be absolutely upfront about how you are with people and also to explain Irish people better!
New to Ireland wrote: » Thank you for your reply. Appreciate what you have written, of course i have asked my wife, over and over and spent time on this properly. If a place is depressive, and your experience is negative over and over and over again, you get depressed. You should know this but again this is defensive and not addressing my question. Why is your society so rude? Generally speaking? Have any answers on this? And I disagree, everyone I talk to does NOT have the delightful experience you are talking about again these people could have different opinions and you are not even aware of them. My experience is above, I have a positive personality and positive friends and people in my life and my life experiences all over the world, but Ireland has broken my spirit with it's continual negativity and close-mindedness which you are reinforcing here.
kravmaga wrote: » Visiting Ireland on a holiday and living in Ireland are two completely different things. I know some Americans that loved visiting Ireland every year, when they retired they sold up in USA and moved here, within 6 months they were back in the States. I lived in UK, London for many years and made the effort to settle in. You mention in your Opening post that you are losing your love of this country, so you did like it at one stage, was that when you were visiting during a holiday? Irish people in general compared to our European counterparts are friendly but you have to remember Irish people are very clannish, stick together, family is important. Irish people will have made friends since early childhood, school buddies and they keep that network throughout their life. They dont need to make new friends so are you expecting to be invited into your neighbours houses? What does your Irish wife have to say about your feelings on Ireland, did you talk to her about it before opening up on Boards to release your discontentment.? You cant make an entire generalisation that the whole country is rude as that's just not true. Im polite and do my bit to be courteous and helpful everyday, gave up my seat on the DART this evening for a pregnant lady when other passengers did not budge. I suspect you maybe American?
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