Things about us micks that drive you foreigners nuts...

toomevara · 18-07-2006 05:43PM #1

Recently posted a thread re: a typically horrendous/hilarious (delete where applicable) bashup I witnessed between a bevy of baltic bruisers. A particularly thin skinned Lithuanian replied telling me that the paddies also engage in annoying alcohol abuse and pointless violence (shock, horror, stop the presses)...which he found distasteful....

Got me thinking though...So come on foreign types! Tell us all about your Paddy pet hates....and do you actually like living here or are you all in it for the cash?

CrazyGirl · 18-07-2006 06:18PM

who cares!

whiskeyman · 18-07-2006 06:30PM

toomevara wrote:

or are you all in it for the cash?

Aren't we all in it for the cash anyway?

Plug · 18-07-2006 06:48PM

CrazyGirl wrote:

who cares!

Very intreasting.

greenteaicedtea · 18-07-2006 06:54PM

well people don't move to dangerous countries just for the cash. They go there because it's safer than what was back home, sometimes.

toomevara · 18-07-2006 08:10PM

CrazyGirl wrote:

who cares!

Nothing like an intelligent, incisive response to a post to make it all worth while....

damnyanks · 18-07-2006 08:11PM

If someone has a problem with the place they can always move. If it's not worth moving over its not something that drives them nuts

Me personally the typical Irish lady irritates me, died blonde hair, fake tan and just random crap coming from their mouth. I've been abroad for a few years now , it doesn't seem so bad anymore.

I'm just negative when I'm bored though

toomevara · 18-07-2006 08:13PM

whiskeyman wrote:

Aren't we all in it for the cash anyway?

Ummmmm.... no. I guess what i'm trying to get at is what feelings of affinity if any do people coming to live here have....what do they like/dislike about ireland etc...in other words are they here for purely economic reasons or are there other considerations.....

toomevara · 18-07-2006 08:16PM

damnyanks wrote:

Me personally the typical Irish lady irritates me, died blonde hair, fake tan and just random crap coming from their mouth.

Elaborate please and could you be more specific re: the 'random crap'. you'll get
no argument from me concerning the fake tan...the OompaLoopa look beloved of so many Irish ladies does leave me cold....

Ickle Magoo · 18-07-2006 08:33PM

greenteaicedtea wrote:

well people don't move to dangerous countries just for the cash. They go there because it's safer than what was back home, sometimes.

Not all "foreigners" here are economic migrants - some of us were stupid enough to marry an Irishman....:p

There are loads of things I don't like about Ireland....the truly awful drivers, being laid back to the point of almost being unconcious & so nothing ever gets done (tradesmen & politicians especially), moaning to each other but never to the appropriate authorities so things change, the drinking culture is unbelieveable, it's like a mini US but several decades behind, the corruption (guards letting off pals, dodgy politicians are forgiven instantly, etc), the Catholic Church & the hold they seem to have on A) the public &

the state....erm....there is more but I think that is quite enough to be getting by on....:o

For the record, there are also hundreds of things I love about the Irish/Ireland....it's not all bad!

Hobbes · 18-07-2006 08:57PM

Ickle Magoo wrote:

being laid back to the point of almost being unconcious & so nothing ever gets done (tradesmen & politicians especially), moaning to each other but never to the appropriate authorities so things change

Heh! You just named two of my missus pet peeves. Especially the first one. We had plumber in to fix something one time and she was freaking wanting to know why he didn't show up when he said he would and turned up a few days later.

Another one I heard from a friend (she lives down the countryside) was that nearly everyone in the village had to know what she was up to and had to tell everyone else.

Mind Hunter 85 · 18-07-2006 08:58PM

What annoys them is Irish Employers thinking that they should work for up to 50%
less wages, when they have the same or more experience as their irish counterparts .
And the fact there there treated as second/third class citizens who should be grateful for that .the 2 basic issues they have are that money and disrespect.

damnyanks · 18-07-2006 09:03PM

ASTA20 wrote:

What annoys them is Irish Employers thinking that they should work for up to 50%
less wages, when they have the same or more experience as their irish counterparts .
And the fact there there treated as second/third class citizens who should be grateful for that .the 2 basic issues they have are that money and disrespect.

Random crap I can't really explain... it's just one of those things sorry... this could of course just be my problem but its the general D4 attitude (But more so in the D6 area)

Bad explanation but thats what I'm about

The thing Hobbes said about everyone in the locality needing to know your business is true.

IRISH PEOPLE ARE NOT FRIENDLY, WE ARE NOSEY, WE WANT TO KNOW YOUR BUSINESS

Once again don't get me wrong, I'm nosey. I guess its being nosey / friendly. but more so nosey (Where ya from, will ya have sex with me ? Why not etc.)

Fanny Cradock · 18-07-2006 09:20PM

damnyanks wrote:

Random crap I can't really explain... it's just one of those things sorry... this could of course just be my problem but its the general D4 attitude (But more so in the D6 area)

huh?

^ that statement sounds like random crap to me

RandomOne · 18-07-2006 09:25PM

Ickle Magoo wrote:

Not all "foreigners" here are economic migrants -

There are loads of things I don't like about Ireland.... being laid back to the point of almost being unconcious & so nothing ever gets done

Not an economic migrant here either, but whilst that laid-backness is damn irritating when you're waiting for the plumber, it's also one of the best things about it. The "live and let live" attitude and (nosey)friendliness first, rather than suspicion and "Can I sue him for that". I know my neighbours here, I didn't in England. Teenagers say hello as I walk by whereas in England you really hope they ignore you. People are proud of their heritage and even if St Patrick's day is an excuse for an almighty booze session, at least you know when it is - ask an Englishman when St George's Day is! It's generally cleaner and even if your waste system is a tad bizarre to me, at least you're trying!

That's not to say some Irishfolk aren't bloody rude.

Drunken Irishmen you're really not half as funny as you think except to other drunken Irishmen!

Your "luxury goods" i.e. not weekly groceries are a ridiculous price and the standard of your roads are appalling but at least they keep moving outside of city centres and rush hour.

As long as I do a decent job, I get paid and have a decent standard of living without being put upon to do 6 other people's job as well and being constantly stressed out.

If I have a party at the weekend, no-one troubles me and it wouldn't occur to anyone to call the police or sue me for infringing on their right to a peaceful Sunday afternoon. If anyone's ever campaigned to have church bells silenced here and won, I've not heard of it.

Some of your bureauocracy is a joke whilst some of it is wonderfully simple. Either way, people try and get you through it instead of shrugging you off.

.... That's all I can come up with off the top of my head.

qwytre · 18-07-2006 09:26PM

Ickle Magoo wrote:

Not all "foreigners" here are economic migrants - some of us were stupid enough to marry an Irishman....:p

There are loads of things I don't like about Ireland....the truly awful drivers, being laid back to the point of almost being unconcious & so nothing ever gets done (tradesmen & politicians especially), moaning to each other but never to the appropriate authorities so things change, the drinking culture is unbelieveable, it's like a mini US but several decades behind, the corruption (guards letting off pals, dodgy politicians are forgiven instantly, etc), the Catholic Church & the hold they seem to have on A) the public & the state....erm....there is more but I think that is quite enough to be getting by on....:o

For the record, there are also hundreds of things I love about the Irish/Ireland....it's not all bad!

Well that was some rant and I found some of it offensive, I would reply properply but I couldn't be arsed, and I am a bit drunk.

RandomOne · 18-07-2006 09:30PM

qwytre wrote:

Well that was some rant and I found some of it offensive, I would reply properply but I couldn't be arsed, and I am a bit drunk.

God help you when you get to mine then!

eiretamicha · 18-07-2006 09:34PM

qwytre wrote:

Well that was some rant and I found some of it offensive, I would reply properply but I couldn't be arsed, and I am a bit drunk.

LOL. I'm assuming the irony of your reply was intentional.

crosstownk · 18-07-2006 10:12PM

Ickle Magoo - interesting post. I've always wondered what others think of the Irish, and what the Irish image is in the eyes of a foriegn person - and from the perspective of thier culture.

I'd be interested to hear from others too.

toomevara · 18-07-2006 10:26PM

Hmmmm, its all gettin' nice and juicy now....come on foreigners, more dirt..I love it (as an occasionally self flagellating Irish man)....Incidently Ickle Magoo, i spent 5 years living in London, coming home only for crimbo etc...and when I moved back, I was struck by many of the things you mentioned, indeed since I've come back I've never really felt at'home' here...weird...and am off again in september..

Whats all y'alls take on irish peoples perception of themselves? I've always felt we were intolerably smug, specially re: the whole "'sure were all great party animals and lovely welcoming sorts altogether, and everybody loves us" feckballery. Also is exploitation of foreigners as widespread as I fear it is?

qwytre · 18-07-2006 10:35PM

eiretamicha wrote:

LOL. I'm assuming the irony of your reply was intentional.

Yes....yes....em, intentional of course

Seriosuly though, a lot of what is said here I agree with but I was wondering if the people replying have spent all their time in Dublin? I find other parts of Ireland (e.g. Galway) to be be quite different to the "culture" in Dublin.

DublinWriter · 18-07-2006 10:41PM

toomevara wrote:

Whats all y'alls take on irish peoples perception of themselves? I've always felt we were intolerably smug, specially re: the whole "'sure were all great party animals and lovely welcoming sorts altogether, and everybody loves us" feckballery.

Very true. I got away with several shades of blue murder during my time as a consulting IT professional in London in the early naughties. But as I always delivered the goods and was seen as a 'good egg' it wasn't a problem rolling up to work smelling of wimmin and drink the occasional lunchtime. It was (still is to a lesser degree) fashionable to be Irish in London. I don't think any of my English collegues could have gotten away with the same feckballery and paddywhackery.

Compare and contrast with my Father's experience of working as a navvie in the London of the late 50's - early 60's. The whole 'No Blacks No Dogs No Irish' vibe was in swing and you were made feel about as welcome as a ham sandwich at a barmitzah or a fart in a spacesuit.

jimmycrackcorm · 18-07-2006 10:44PM

blah blah blah worst thread ever - where's me close button....

Ickle Magoo · 18-07-2006 11:03PM

qwytre wrote:

I was wondering if the people replying have spent all their time in Dublin? I find other parts of Ireland (e.g. Galway) to be be quite different to the "culture" in Dublin.

I'm "down the country" with in-laws in Dublin so see a good bit of both....:)

toomevara · 18-07-2006 11:10PM

DublinWriter wrote:

Very true. I got away with several shades of blue murder during my time as a consulting IT professional in London in the early naughties. But as I always delivered the goods and was seen as a 'good egg' it wasn't a problem rolling up to work smelling of wimmin and drink the occasional lunchtime. It was (still is to a lesser degree) fashionable to be Irish in London. I don't think any of my English collegues could have gotten away with the same feckballery and paddywhackery.

Compare and contrast with my Father's experience of working as a navvie in the London of the late 50's - early 60's. The whole 'No Blacks No Dogs No Irish' vibe was in swing and you were made feel about as welcome as a ham sandwich at a barmitzah or a fart in a spacesuit.

Uncanny, had a very similar experience in london meself (worked in publishing),and got away with blue murder, regarded as a 'character'. their word not mine.

toomevara · 18-07-2006 11:11PM

jimmycrackcorm wrote:

blah blah blah worst thread ever - where's me close button....

Good man, and now you've graced it with the worst post ever...where's me ignore button....

FlutterinBantam · 18-07-2006 11:46PM

Fanny Cradock wrote:

huh?

^ that statement sounds like random crap to me

Sounds like pure crap to me

FillSpectre · 19-07-2006 08:07AM

DublinWriter wrote:

Very true. I got away with several shades of blue murder during my time as a consulting IT professional in London in the early naughties. But as I always delivered the goods and was seen as a 'good egg' it wasn't a problem rolling up to work smelling of wimmin and drink the occasional lunchtime. It was (still is to a lesser degree) fashionable to be Irish in London. I don't think any of my English collegues could have gotten away with the same feckballery and paddywhackery.

Compare and contrast with my Father's experience of working as a navvie in the London of the late 50's - early 60's. The whole 'No Blacks No Dogs No Irish' vibe was in swing and you were made feel about as welcome as a ham sandwich at a barmitzah or a fart in a spacesuit.

My experience of London in the 90s was very different. English people drink at lunch time as a normal tradition a lot more than here. I found their work ethic quite low overall. I also got many racial taunts for being a "paddy" or "mick". Most thought it was fair that any Irish people should be treated differently when near mass trasnport. A decade later after peace I guess things could change.

As for Irish people being nosey that is part of social capital. If you remove group involvement it is actually very bad. There are good and bad with most things

19-07-2006 08:14AM

OK, I've heard one complaint while overseas. Why does the Guinness in Dublin taste like divine brew, and the stuff that's exported to the States often tastes terrible?

The Hill Billy · 19-07-2006 08:51AM

toomevara wrote:

Uncanny, had a very similar experience in london meself (worked in publishing),and got away with blue murder, regarded as a 'character'. their word not mine.

Doubly uncanny - Worked just outside London (in IT) & got away with blue murder in work, also regarded as a 'character' (the only manager to wear an earring & Doc Martens' with a suit). Regularly pursuaded my boss to have "off-site planning meetings" in The Three Horseshoes in Marlow. Dem were de days!

/misty-eyed with nostalgia

toomevara · 19-07-2006 09:34AM

FillSpectre wrote:

My experience of London in the 90s was very different. English people drink at lunch time as a normal tradition a lot more than here. I found their work ethic quite low overall. I also got many racial taunts for being a "paddy" or "mick". Most thought it was fair that any Irish people should be treated differently when near mass trasnport. A decade later after peace I guess things could change.

As for Irish people being nosey that is part of social capital. If you remove group involvement it is actually very bad. There are good and bad with most things

There's no doubt that english attitudes to the irish changed totally over the 90's....I first went to London as a young lad in the late 80's (working in pubs and clubs) and received regular and often quite scary abuse both at work and out and about...some pretty hair raising stuff, so i couldnt believe it when I went back ten years later, albeit in a white collar job, attitudes had turned a full 360, it was very cool to be a paddy and in four years never experienced a single incident....

Even now there's still a residual whiff of cool about being a muck mucher over there....but a good friend of mine who's a senior nurse in london often gets alot of abuse in A&E and even had an incident where, recently, an older chap refused to be treated by him 'cos was a 'paddy', mind you he says the filipinos and nigerians get constant abuse.....

Things about us micks that drive you foreigners nuts...

Comments