Why can't Irish people say Thank You??

LuckyMe63 · 04-02-2011 01:38PM #1

I think that during the boom in Ireland, we felt entitled and now that times are not so good we have lost our manners and gratitude for what we have or receive. I have just returned to Ireland after 7 years away and particularly notice this.

Over Christmas I put thought & expense into mailing 7 gifts to family & friends. Only 3 of these have been acknowledged and each of these 3 are Americans friends.

So do I get onto An Post and report the other 4 packages as ‘lost’ in the mail? Or put it down to bad manners?

With winter blues and recessionary times, we need to take a few minutes and make an effort to brighten someone’s day.
Were you invited somewhere over Christmas, did you give the host/hostess a call afterwards to thank them? Not just a “thanks, see ya” on the day. Your host would have put energy, effort & expense into preparing food, drink, decorations…. even if it was your mother!
When sending a Christmas card, did you add – “will call you over the festive season” but haven’t yet.
Did you RSVP “yes” to a function and then not show up or not bother sending a RSVP at all?
Did someone help you out during the snow/icy weather?
Did you get a particularly thoughtful or unexpected gift?

Is it really so hard to pick up the phone, send an email or text message to say “Thank You”? No one is too busy to take 5 minutes out & say Thanks.

biko · 04-02-2011 01:39PM

Thanks*

*saw it coming didn't you?

Jesus Wept · 04-02-2011 01:40PM

4 people = Irish people.
Your survey of 7 does not impress me.

baltimore sun · 04-02-2011 01:42PM

maybe you gave them crap presents and they've nothing to thank you for, what did you give them...was it books? God I hate when people give books, tight-fúckers.

Orando Broom · 04-02-2011 01:42PM

I say thanks. Go and **** yourself OP.

omen80 · 04-02-2011 01:42PM

LuckyMe63 wrote: »

I think that during the boom in Ireland, we felt entitled and now that times are not so good we have lost our manners and gratitude for what we have or receive. I have just returned to Ireland after 7 years away and particularly notice this.

Over Christmas I put thought & expense into mailing 7 gifts to family & friends. Only 3 of these have been acknowledged and each of these 3 are Americans friends.

So do I get onto An Post and report the other 4 packages as ‘lost’ in the mail? Or put it down to bad manners?

With winter blues and recessionary times, we need to take a few minutes and make an effort to brighten someone’s day.
Were you invited somewhere over Christmas, did you give the host/hostess a call afterwards to thank them? Not just a “thanks, see ya” on the day. Your host would have put energy, effort & expense into preparing food, drink, decorations…. even if it was your mother!
When sending a Christmas card, did you add – “will call you over the festive season” but haven’t yet.
Did you RSVP “yes” to a function and then not show up or not bother sending a RSVP at all?
Did someone help you out during the snow/icy weather?
Did you get a particularly thoughtful or unexpected gift?

Is it really so hard to pick up the phone, send an email or text message to say “Thank You”? No one is too busy to take 5 minutes out & say Thanks.

Maybe they don't like you?? They could be just trying to give you a hint to not bother doing it again next year??

ClutchIt · 04-02-2011 01:42PM

LuckyMe63 wrote: »

With winter blues and recessionary times, we need to take a few minutes and make an effort to brighten someone’s day.
Were you invited somewhere over Christmas, did you give the host/hostess a call afterwards to thank them? Not just a “thanks, see ya” on the day. Your host would have put energy, effort & expense into preparing food, drink, decorations…. even if it was your mother!
When sending a Christmas card, did you add – “will call you over the festive season” but haven’t yet.
Did you RSVP “yes” to a function and then not show up or not bother sending a RSVP at all?
Did someone help you out during the snow/icy weather?
Did you get a particularly thoughtful or unexpected gift?

What are you, Ned Flanders?

ejmaztec · 04-02-2011 01:43PM

LuckyMe63 wrote: »

I think that during the boom in Ireland, we felt entitled and now that times are not so good we have lost our manners and gratitude for what we have or receive. I have just returned to Ireland after 7 years away and particularly notice this.

Over Christmas I put thought & expense into mailing 7 gifts to family & friends. Only 3 of these have been acknowledged and each of these 3 are Americans friends.

So do I get onto An Post and report the other 4 packages as ‘lost’ in the mail? Or put it down to bad manners?

With winter blues and recessionary times, we need to take a few minutes and make an effort to brighten someone’s day.
Were you invited somewhere over Christmas, did you give the host/hostess a call afterwards to thank them? Not just a “thanks, see ya” on the day. Your host would have put energy, effort & expense into preparing food, drink, decorations…. even if it was your mother!
When sending a Christmas card, did you add – “will call you over the festive season” but haven’t yet.
Did you RSVP “yes” to a function and then not show up or not bother sending a RSVP at all?
Did someone help you out during the snow/icy weather?
Did you get a particularly thoughtful or unexpected gift?

Is it really so hard to pick up the phone, send an email or text message to say “Thank You”? No one is too busy to take 5 minutes out & say Thanks.

You can rest assured that the ones thanking you didn't mean it, and probably binned the gifts or re-packaged them and gave them to people they didn't like.:P

04-02-2011 01:43PM

There, I thanked you. Not shut up.

Kimono-Girl · 04-02-2011 01:44PM

LuckyMe63 wrote: »

I think that during the boom in Ireland, we felt entitled and now that times are not so good we have lost our manners and gratitude for what we have or receive. I have just returned to Ireland after 7 years away and particularly notice this.

Over Christmas I put thought & expense into mailing 7 gifts to family & friends. Only 3 of these have been acknowledged and each of these 3 are Americans friends.

So do I get onto An Post and report the other 4 packages as ‘lost’ in the mail? Or put it down to bad manners?

With winter blues and recessionary times, we need to take a few minutes and make an effort to brighten someone’s day.
Were you invited somewhere over Christmas, did you give the host/hostess a call afterwards to thank them? Not just a “thanks, see ya” on the day. Your host would have put energy, effort & expense into preparing food, drink, decorations…. even if it was your mother!
When sending a Christmas card, did you add – “will call you over the festive season” but haven’t yet.
Did you RSVP “yes” to a function and then not show up or not bother sending a RSVP at all?
Did someone help you out during the snow/icy weather?
Did you get a particularly thoughtful or unexpected gift?

Is it really so hard to pick up the phone, send an email or text message to say “Thank You”? No one is too busy to take 5 minutes out & say Thanks.

*picks up phone to thank op but gets distracted by laptop*

whoops....:pac:

ClutchIt · 04-02-2011 01:46PM

Further more, isn't there some saying that if you do something it shouldn't matter if you get thanked or not...

AnonoBoy · 04-02-2011 01:48PM

I always say thanks. Cause I was brought up not dragged up.

Rockn · 04-02-2011 01:49PM

I hate real-life thanks whores.

Yakult · 04-02-2011 01:49PM

Your welcome op!

ejmaztec · 04-02-2011 01:51PM

It's supposed to be the thought that counts.

prinz · 04-02-2011 01:51PM

Have found the same tbh, give cards and presents to the nieces and nephews and the only ones I hear back from are kids who are being raised abroad. The Irish nephews I might hear back from the parents but never the kids themselves.

gigino · 04-02-2011 01:51PM

in the post office, those receiving welfare payments in cash never say thank you

El Horseboxo · 04-02-2011 01:52PM

If i had a mate call me up the next day thanking me for inviting him to a few drinks on Stephen's Day i'd be like what the fúck. Are you dying or something?

stovelid · 04-02-2011 01:54PM

gigino wrote: »

in the post office, those receiving welfare payments in cash never say thank you

What about the ones who get postal orders?

04-02-2011 01:57PM

I always say thanks. It was drummed into me since childhood always to send thank you cards for presents, so I do.

mickydoomsux · 04-02-2011 01:58PM

I work in public transport in a customer facing role and i find the vast majority of Irish people to be incredibly rude whereas tourists are nearly always pleasant to deal with even if they have very poor English. You'd be lucky to hear a "thank you" or "you're welcome" more than once or twice a day from Irish people. The word "please" seems to have ceased to exist for them as well. I try my best to keep a polite demeanour but it is hard in the face of the utter ignorance that comes back at you.

I have friends who work in retail and they say they find the exact same thing. We reckon it's a holdover from the boom-time entitlement that everyone felt.

El Horseboxo · 04-02-2011 02:03PM

One thing i've noticed is that the holding a door thing seems to have gone outta fashion. I've been literally 2 feet behind people who just take their hands off leaving it to slam. Or you'd hold it open and they'll just walk by like your a doorman. Only something i've noticed recently enough too.

gonedrinking · 04-02-2011 02:08PM

I thought this thread was going to be about how Irish people can't pronounce th and therefore have to say tanks. Tanks a mill.

MistyCheese · 04-02-2011 02:17PM

You may not be able to see this but I currently have my left fist lightly clenched with the thumb sticking out and pointing upwards.

dark crystal · 04-02-2011 02:18PM

This is one of my biggest bug-bears! I always make sure to say please and thank you and have brought my children up to do the same.

I also see it with drivers, who don't even acknowledge you if you let them out at a junction, or give them right of way on a narrow road. I'd always raise a hand to say thank you, if it ws done for me, but rarely get the same back in return.

double GG · 04-02-2011 02:22PM

It's not just Irish people.

Men in certain countries aren't so courteous to their female counterparts, Try opening a door for a woman in Bulgaria. The Smile and Thanks you get for doing it are amazing. Men never do this for women there.

I always say thanks. It's extremely rude not to, ever since I was young I was told to say thanks 'cos not everyone in the world is nice to you, so when someone is, Thank them mercifully.

On a different note, Your Welcome.

policarp · 04-02-2011 02:22PM

You come back to Ireland after 7 years, christen yourself LuckyMe63, and then on your first post you look for thanks.
I think you're due another 7 year holiday...
Ireland has changed for the worse I'm sad to say...

si_guru · 04-02-2011 02:23PM

El Horseboxo wrote: »

One thing i've noticed is that the holding a door thing seems to have gone outta fashion. I've been literally 2 feet behind people who just take their hands off leaving it to slam. Or you'd hold it open and they'll just walk by like your a doorman. Only something i've noticed recently enough too.

I am with you there. Now I say "don't mention it"... when these people blank my door holding. And it is never kids... adults are the worst.

bmarley · 04-02-2011 02:27PM

Gift sending is all about reciprocation but in these times many people do not want to receive gifts as they cannot afford to reciprocate. Personally, I prefer not to send or receive gifts as many presents received are not needed.

dsmythy · 04-02-2011 02:30PM

Hi, I'm yet another Irish person who says thank you. Ask some Dublin Bus drivers and they'll probably tell you they get fed up hearing various forms of thanks when people are getting off the bus.

hondasam · 04-02-2011 02:34PM

Thoughtful considerate people say thanks, It's just the ones who don't care that don't.

Why can't Irish people say Thank You??

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