The truth about the Irish and the English

I agree that the Irish (north and south) and English usually get on good, along with Welsh and Scots.
There may be some slagging after a few drinks, and even some fisticuffs, but in general we get along.

Not Nigel surely?

English and Irish people do have a lot in common although they’d annoy you the odd time with the ignorance over their own history and the waffling they sometimes do about it.

There are cultural differences between nationalities at times but class plays an equally important role at times I think. I’ll get on far better on the whole with Cockneys than I will with D4 rugger types.

I really think it depends.

I wouldn't think it's automatic that Irish would gravitate towards English people like the OP says.
There's definitely no hatred there but we are different with different outlooks.
Talking about gravitating towards Germans is unfair as there is a language and cultural issue that is a barrier but I think Irish would have no problem with Europeans if communication is not a problem.

England is the bigger country and therefore is under no obligation to learn our history nor care about it and why should they.

Australia doesn't care about NZ either but NZ has lots of opinions on them.

It's a weakness on our part

My experience with the English chimes very much with what the OP says. I've been to conferences and training courses all over the place along with the usual travel and for me they are the people we have more in common with than any other. As jetsonx says, there's what is presented to us by the commentariat and there is what each of us experiences in everyday life. One can have feck all in common with the other.

Sure, the shared language is a bridge to easy communication but over the years it has become more and more obvious to me that language is only one part of it. We really are a very different people from those in Germany or say, France. But then when you look at how their institutions are organised and law operates that really shouldn't be too much of a shock. We'll socialise, work and compete with them like any other but those differences are always there.

One thing I do like about the Brits is how they generally don't give a damn what the world thinks about them. As fryup says above, a lot of those historical disagreements and clashes (there's been a few) tend to fly over their head if they even register with them. We tend to have the opposite attitude. Both sides could probably work on that but I doubt it will happen.

Of course.

Mark Francois? Great bloke!
Jacob Rees Mogg? The sort of lad who's great craic down the pub with a pint of plain and a packet of Tayto inside him.
Priti Patel? I would



No need for the straitjacket, Doctor. I'll come quietly!!

Snickers Man wrote: »

Of course.

Mark Francois? Great bloke!
Jacob Rees Mogg? The sort of lad who's great craic down the pub with a pint of plain and a packet of Tayto inside him.
Priti Patel? I would



No need for the straitjacket, Doctor. I'll come quietly!!

Is she the one that suggested starving us out or some such?

Snickers Man wrote: »

Of course.

Mark Francois? Great bloke!
Jacob Rees Mogg? The sort of lad who's great craic down the pub with a pint of plain and a packet of Tayto inside him.
Priti Patel? I would



No need for the straitjacket, Doctor. I'll come quietly!!

The thing is that Jacob Rees Mogg is not actually that odd for an Englishman. There are so many of his type with the overly affected accent, trust me I worked with lots of them. Most would have a more limited pedigree than JRM.

Feisar wrote: »

Is she the one that suggested starving us out or some such?

Which is quite incredible given the millions the Tans starved to death in India where her family are originally from.

jetsonx wrote: »

Anybody foreigner reading internet forums would probably think that the Irish and English

I can testify that they are not. Many do not even know they are different countries. I was recently asked by a friend how we are dealing with not being in the EU anymore.

jetsonx wrote: »

Anybody foreigner reading internet forums would probably think that the Irish and English can't stand each other.

However, like a lot of things in life, what happens on the internet and what happens in real life is totally different.

When the Irish are in a room full of Europeans, the Irish and the English gravitate towards each other paperclips to a magnet. Over, the years I've seen this countless times in workplaces, conferences and other events. The fact is the Irish don't generally gravitate towards Sylvia from Stuttgart or Kurt from Klagenfurt. After just a few minutes, they will be talking to Nigel and Sally from Slough. And a few weeks ago, the great Tommy Gorman mentioned this phenomenon as well from this his time in Brussels. The Irish contingent working for the EU were not hanging out with other Eurofolk but they were hanging out with Brits.

So despite all the negative talk about Brexit, I think it finally time for the Irish to admit that culturally we are much closer to Britain than any other country in Euroland and they might actually like each other.

Another way to interpret this extensive research is that the Continentals are very clannish and they snub the Brits and the Irish. Forcing them to talk among themselves. I bet the Germans and the Austrians go into their own little huddle and ignore any attempts at conversation from anyone else.