Quick poll.... is the word 'Paddy' offensive to the Irish?

PinkTulips · 14-07-2009 06:23PM #1

Just wondering what the general consensus is as i've had a rather 'interesting' discussion today on this topic :rolleyes:

seanybiker · 14-07-2009 06:23PM

I dont find it offensive.

genericguy · 14-07-2009 06:24PM

no, personally I find 'Cunt' works perfectly well for me though.

jumpguy · 14-07-2009 06:24PM

Nah it's grand.

cherryghost · 14-07-2009 06:25PM

my friends name is paddy and it isnt offensive to him. unless he's hiding it inside?

Whiskey Devil · 14-07-2009 06:25PM

No. I doubt a Joe Duffy listener could even find that offensive.

TheInquisitor · 14-07-2009 06:25PM

don't give a crap The world is already too PC as it is

PinkTulips · 14-07-2009 06:28PM

This was an English woman, who classes herself Irish due to having Irish family :rolleyes: who said 'What is it with the feckin' irish?' and then refered to her relatives as the 'paddy aunties'

phasers · 14-07-2009 06:29PM

No

Latchy · 14-07-2009 06:31PM

No , any UK irish I know have no problem with it either .

Daroxtar · 14-07-2009 06:32PM

I've worked on quite a few building sites in ireland, england,germany holland and australia and and as soon as someone calls me paddy i call them whatever term is applicable to them, be it wog, pommie, n*gger, abbo, coconut, paki, hun, wife beater,...whatever. If they dont mind that then i dont mind paddy.

Whiskey Devil · 14-07-2009 06:32PM

PinkTulips wrote: »

This was an English woman, who classes herself Irish due to having Irish family :rolleyes: who said 'What is it with the feckin' irish?' and then refered to her relatives as the 'paddy aunties'

And this offended you, or not?

Super-Rush · 14-07-2009 06:32PM

No. That is all

Abi · 14-07-2009 06:33PM

Nope. Stupid thing to get offended about.

ScumLord · 14-07-2009 06:35PM

Foreigners couldn't be any more offensive to the Irish than we are to ourself's. When ever anyone starts insulting the Irish when I'm abroad I agree with everything they say and start adding to the list. Throws them all a scupper so it does.

Wurly · 14-07-2009 06:36PM

I would find it a wee bit offensive.

I was called a 'paddy' a lot of the time in Oz. It seemed to suggest that Irish people were backward and inherently stupid. That was the context it was always said in.

PinkTulips · 14-07-2009 06:38PM

The tone of her post offended some other posters, yes (see how i'm not swaying the vote by giving my opinion on it

)

I just wondered what the general consensus was...

itouchmyself · 14-07-2009 06:39PM

Daroxtar wrote: »

I've worked on quite a few building sites in ireland, england,germany holland and australia and and as soon as someone calls me paddy i call them whatever term is applicable to them, be it wog, pommie, n*gger, abbo, coconut, paki, hun, wife beater,...whatever. If they dont mind that then i dont mind paddy.

I done the exact same a few times with the "N" word when in London... the look off shock on there faces was great!!!
I know it should'nt really offend me but when an English person says it, it just really does!!!

ScumLord · 14-07-2009 06:40PM

Trí wrote: »

I would find it a wee bit offensive.

I was called a 'paddy' a lot of the time in Oz. It seemed to suggest that Irish people were backward and inherently stupid. That was the context it was always said in.

But we are backward and inherently stupid.

Latchy · 14-07-2009 06:42PM

ScumLord wrote: »

Foreigners couldn't be any more offensive to the Irish than we are to ourself's. When ever anyone starts insulting the Irish when I'm abroad I agree with everything they say and start adding to the list. Throws them all a scupper so it does.

Agreed , there really is not much difference between an irish person calling another irish person stupid and a forigener doing same .Stupidity runs in all races .

Whiskey Devil · 14-07-2009 06:42PM

PinkTulips wrote: »

The tone of her post offended some other posters, yes (see how i'm not swaying the vote by giving my opinion on it )

I just wondered what the general consensus was...

Was this on Boards? I'd actually like to read it now.

_blank_ · 14-07-2009 06:44PM

It does if it's some cockney wide boy who thinks he's superior to me, and calling me a "faacking paddy caaant"

Then, yes, it's offensive.

Also, someone who is too lazy to find out my name, and just brands me as "Paddy" because of my accent, that is offensive.

Wurly · 14-07-2009 06:45PM

ScumLord wrote: »

But we are backward and inherently stupid.

Speak for yourself.:p

I dunno - personally that concept annoys me.

Hagar · 14-07-2009 06:51PM

Yes, it's intended to be offensive and it succeeds.

Otis Driftwood · 14-07-2009 07:05PM

I think like every word with a derogatory meaning,it depends on who is saying it and your relationship with this person.

Wertz · 14-07-2009 07:09PM

I'd have no problem with it, especially when used in a self deprecating manner by Irish themselves...mate of mine with republican leanings takes great offence though, even when it's the Irish themselves using it.
What's in a name? I'll happily call the english and other nationalities all manner of things so it's fair game IMO...if you've lived in the North though and ben called it by british soldiers, then it's a bit of a different manner because it is being used solely as an insult.

Dudess · 14-07-2009 07:11PM

Totally depends on context, but yes, there are certain contexts in which it is intended to offend. Yeah I'd freak over some yobbish British soldier **** using the term.

I remember doing a training course attended by people from various companies which was being given by an English guy who worked for British Airways. Some silly bint (Irish) said to him "So, what do BA staff think of Willie Walsh being their boss... *simpering look* Are they a bit pissed of that, you know, the paddies are ordering them around, hee hee

"... in her best "let's act subservient to the British - shur we're only Irish; I'm kinda embarrassed to be Irish" way.

The guy looked a bit surprised and just said "Eh... no."

I found that putting-down of her own nationality just pathetic.

Latchy · 14-07-2009 07:16PM

Dudess wrote: »

I found that putting-down of her own nationality just pathetic.

As you say , why worry about any other race slagging us off if we are doing a good job of it ourselfs ?

Maddison · 14-07-2009 07:18PM

No....I could think of a lot worse things to be called in fairness

G_R · 14-07-2009 07:20PM

Whiskey Devil wrote: »

No. I doubt a Joe Duffy listener could even find that offensive.

wanna bet?

Wertz · 14-07-2009 07:22PM

Dudess wrote: »

I found that putting-down of her own nationality just pathetic.

There's something in our national psyche that does that, maybe it's the whole 800 years and such...we (generalising here) seem to consider ourselves the underdogs or something...I think it's only the bit of confidence injected during the boom years that has started to put that attitude to bed somewhat...

Quick poll.... is the word 'Paddy' offensive to the Irish?

Is the term Paddy offensive 197 votes

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