Sum up the Irish

zuutroy · 24-07-2007 03:46PM #1

Ok, so say you wanted to describe the Irish mentality to a foreigner in one sentence, how would you do it?
Personally, I think the quote from Bono does it perfectly:

"In America, you look up at the mansion on the hill and say, 'One day that could be me.' In Ireland, they look up at the mansion on the hill and go, 'One day I'm gonna get that bastard.'

Classic.

Slow Motion · 24-07-2007 03:53PM

zuutroy wrote:

Ok, so say you wanted to describe the Irish mentality to a foreigner in one sentence, how would you do it?

Diaspora !

Fratton Fred · 24-07-2007 04:01PM

Aggressive Helpfulness. Let me explain.

This is a variation on something I heard a comedian talking about the other day, he called it the Irish aggressive help or something like that.

If a tourist went up to an Irishman in the middle of Grafton street (If you can find one) and asked if he had seen your pet monkey, the response would be along the lines of “A Monkey, for fecks sake, you’ve lost yer bleedin monkey. Where did you last see it, have you looked there? Oi you, this gob****es lost his bleedin monkey, help me look for it” and Grafton street would be turned upside down looking for the afore mentioned lost monkey.

Try that in London and you will get ignored (or mugged in broad daylight whilst no one notices)
Try it in New York and you will get Mace sprayed at you.
Try that in Paris and it will start a demonstration by students and end up with a strike by air traffic controllers and
Try that in Milan and the guy will pretend to help you, while his friend sneaks up behind you and removes your wallet.

That’s my opinion anyway.

The Master · 24-07-2007 04:03PM

zuutroy wrote:

Ok, so say you wanted to describe the Irish mentality to a foreigner in one sentence, how would you do it?
Personally, I think the quote from Bono does it perfectly:

I think Bono sums up the Irish by spending €5,000 on a
pair of pink shades then appearing on TV asking for
the rest of us to fork
over our cash for the poor

Exit · 24-07-2007 04:08PM

Fratton Fred wrote:

Aggressive Helpfulness. Let me explain.

This is a variation on something I heard a comedian talking about the other day, he called it the Irish aggressive help or something like that.

If a tourist went up to an Irishman in the middle of Grafton street (If you can find one) and asked if he had seen your pet monkey, the response would be along the lines of “A Monkey, for fecks sake, you’ve lost yer bleedin monkey. Where did you last see it, have you looked there? Oi you, this gob****es lost his bleedin monkey, help me look for it” and Grafton street would be turned upside down looking for the afore mentioned lost monkey.

Try that in London and you will get ignored (or mugged in broad daylight whilst no one notices)
Try it in New York and you will get Mace sprayed at you.
Try that in Paris and it will start a demonstration by students and end up with a strike by air traffic controllers and
Try that in Milan and the guy will pretend to help you, while his friend sneaks up behind you and removes your wallet.

That’s my opinion anyway.

I don't think that's very true. You're more likely to get some combination of the London/New York/Milan reaction.

How would I describe the Irish in one sentence? "Love to moan, but can't be arsed doing anything to fix their problems"

Dun laoire · 24-07-2007 04:10PM

A grand bunch a lads

lukin · 24-07-2007 04:12PM

zuutroy wrote:

Ok, so say you wanted to describe the Irish mentality to a foreigner in one sentence, how would you do it?
Personally, I think the quote from Bono does it perfectly:

"In America, you look up at the mansion on the hill and say, 'One day that could be me.' In Ireland, they look up at the mansion on the hill and go, 'One day I'm gonna get that bastard.'

Classic.

I remember when he said that on the Pat Kenny Show. Have to say I think he is spot on. We're a nation of begrudgers and no mistake.

Mr Hyde · 24-07-2007 04:13PM

Jacky Healy Ray is an elected member of parliament and our taoiseach can't even spell the word government

Crumble Froo · 24-07-2007 04:16PM

optimistically apathetic... "ah, sure, never mind, it'll be grand..."

Heinrich · 24-07-2007 04:16PM

Celtic jerseys
Drunk and looking for fight
Moaners
Currently great Golf enthusiasts (good ol' Harrington)
Formerly great cycling enthusiasts (think Roche/Kelly)
Former F1 enthusiasts (think Irvine)
Shortly ladies hurdles enthusiasts (Derval?)

MrSquishSquash · 24-07-2007 04:16PM

Exit wrote:

I don't think that's very true. You're more likely to get some combination of the London/New York/Milan reaction.

How would I describe the Irish in one sentence? "Love to moan, but can't be arsed doing anything to fix their problems"

Then what the hell would we moan about for Christ sake?

I'd say "Small green place full of conflicting characters! "

Ishmael · 24-07-2007 04:19PM

"Ah it'll be grand, i'm sure someone else will sort that out"

Tar.Aldarion · 24-07-2007 04:21PM

zuutroy wrote:

Ok, so say you wanted to describe the Irish mentality to a foreigner in one sentence, how would you do it?
Personally, I think the quote from Bono does it perfectly:

"In America, you look up at the mansion on the hill and say, 'One day that could be me.' In Ireland, they look up at the mansion on the hill and go, 'One day I'm gonna get that bastard.'

Classic.

Whoops

My sentence is too insulting.
:-)

magpie · 24-07-2007 04:23PM

A nation of shopkeepers fumbling in greasy tills

Good old Yeats.

Msfc · 24-07-2007 04:29PM

''ahh, sure it could be worse''

Ruu_Old · 24-07-2007 04:33PM

Dun laoire wrote:

A grand bunch a lads

I thought that was the Chinese?

Yer health is your wealth.

Fratton Fred · 24-07-2007 04:46PM

Ruu wrote:

I thought that was the Chinese?

Yer health is your wealth.

isn't that VHI's motto?

sorry, that's "Your Health is our Wealth"

Slow Motion · 24-07-2007 04:46PM

Same as everyone else, only more so !

big b · 24-07-2007 04:52PM

It'd also be interesting to see how incomers would sum up the Irish.
But they'd get banned if it wasn't a glowing report..............

maybe that's a sum-up in itself?

Slow Motion · 24-07-2007 04:55PM

big b wrote:

It'd also be interesting to see how incomers would sum up the Irish.
But they'd get banned if it wasn't a glowing report..............

maybe that's a sum-up in itself?

I don't think so, there are plenty of non-Irish on boards !

kevmy · 24-07-2007 05:01PM

Serious answer here folks;

Laid-back, optimistic inside, pessimistic outside, sport loving, hard working but also hard partying, friendly (at least outside Dublin) and above all great craic

Slutmonkey57b · 24-07-2007 05:13PM

kevmy wrote:

Serious answer here folks;

Laid-back, optimistic inside, pessimistic outside, sport loving, hard working but also hard partying, friendly (at least outside Dublin) and above all great craic

Sport loving? hard working? If the sport is "pint relays" and the work is "elbow work" then I'd agree.

I'd go with "Unjustifiable Smugness"

Collie D · 24-07-2007 05:16PM

Slutmonkey57b wrote:

Sport loving? hard working? If the sport is "pint relays" and the work is "elbow work" then I'd agree.

I'd go with "Unjustifiable Smugness"

The attitude i that post rather than the opinion would sum it up for me. Kind of an inferiority complex for want of a better phrase.

galactus · 24-07-2007 05:16PM

"Errra, it'll be grand" says it all!

eddyc · 24-07-2007 05:24PM

Collie D wrote:

The attitude i that post rather than the opinion would sum it up for me. Kind of an inferiority complex for want of a better phrase.

Spot on, pessimistic people with an inferiority complex, must be the crap weather

biko · 24-07-2007 05:31PM

A green and pleasant land*

*might actually refer to England

Karl Hungus · 24-07-2007 05:34PM

Self-loathing at the best of times.

Terry · 24-07-2007 05:35PM

Begrudgers.

coyote6 · 24-07-2007 05:44PM

1) The ability to hold full joy and full sorrow simultaneously.
2) Right-brained.
3) Quiet ferocity.

Blitzkrieger · 24-07-2007 05:46PM

A Dutch guy once told me : "The Irish never know when to stop".

Or was it "The Irish do everything to extremes"? I was pissed at the time.

Fratton Fred · 24-07-2007 05:53PM

An Irish girl from Belfast told me that Ireland is the only country where the wars are happy and the songs sad.

This is starting to get very deep and meaningful:eek:

Sum up the Irish

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