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Are we (Irish) Really as Great as we Claim we Are?

KaloinIre

Now I am a proud Irish nationalist but there seems to be a huge number of people who believe that Ireland is literally the best thing since sliced bread and accept no criticism of anything to do with Ireland. When I lived in Australia I used to cringe as my fellow countrymen shouted to ozzies about how great Irish drinkers were whilst singing 'UP THE RA' songs and wearing their country GAA jerseys out EVERYWHERE (just so people know your Irish). Why on earth do Irish feel the need to boast about how much they can drink? and besides even the British are statistically heavier drinkers than us and the feckin 2litres of vodka a night Russians are definitely much better drinkers than us so whats the big deal?! Its a crying shame that the most troublesome bars across Sydney and Perth are Irish bars and not something to be proud of.

I lost also count of the amount of times when I heard the phrase 'the fightin irish' and how the Irish are some of the best fighters the world has ever seen! I mean how many Irish boxing champions have there been?? Even smaller countries have produced more boxing champions than we have! Sure Kevin McBride just gotten beaten by some Polish nobody! It was so embarassing hearing idiots going on to anyone that would listen about how the Irish are so tough and how they'll take any man.

Then there was all the talk about Irish being the best educated in the world and how we are attracting all the big foreign companies because of our educated workforce. Well that was turned out to be false as well, of the developed countries were below average in education and the foreign companies are evidently only here for the corporation tax. As it turns out the foreign companies have actually COMPLAINED that the quality of Irish workers coming to them is below par!!

How about we go on about our economy......oh lord the economy... remember the smugness during the Celtic Tiger???? I actually lost count of the amount of times I had to listen to people banging on about the genius Irish and how we pulled ourselves out of the dirt and became one of the richest countries in the wooooooooorld (ahh but no mention of the billions upon billions that the EU gave us)
I wonder where those same people are today.

We Irish seem to have a hugely inflated and it has to be said deluded, opinion of our standing in the world. We have had great writers and I'd argue thats about it. Now we are known in the world for being children who can't even run an economy.

So my question to you Boardsies is, do we over exagerrate our nations standing in the world and achievements?

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Dudess

Meh, we collectively are no better or worse than any other nation's people - sure, we've our positive traits (no need for OTT backslapping though) and sure we've our negative traits (no need for self flagellation or obsessing over what other nations think of us). I don't think it's a case of either proud or not proud to be Irish. I personally am neither. Nationalities have their own specific traits - I think it's disingenuous to say people are exactly the same everywhere - but those traits shouldn't be latched onto too much - and often they are. We're all individuals too.

Scuid Mhór

i am probably the greatest person who ever lived but i don't know about you guys...

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Thor wrote: »

I never said you were defined by your nationality, I don't for one second judge a person based on where there from.

I'm merely pointed out the fact that if a person is proud to be Irish then he is free to do so, If not then thats how they feel.

We have had a huge impact on the either world for such a small country. Most of the world still think we are nothing but heavy drinkers, Not saying we don't act like that sometimes, But to think thats all we are is idiotic.

If that isn't judging a person by there nationality then i don't know what is.

That bit in bold is actually a bit of a misnomer. Outside of America, our reputation is not as alcoholic as you might think.

As regards your previous post, you did, imediately after writing that you're either proud of your nationality or not, add "everything else is irrelevant".

Aoifey!

We got our good points and we got our bad points like every other place. No one (or not many) really think we're better than any other country, but Irish Pride and all that.

Personally, I like Ireland, but then again I've never lived anywhere else.

But sure, at the end of the day, it'll be graaand.

fat__tony

Apart from guinness and well educated young people, we have nothing else to offer the world.

Daegerty

We are better than we claim to be, a lot better. If you go by the self-hating thats in AH anyway. Every day nearly someone comes along to say some conformist modern police state is better than Ireland just because they have fast broadband.

Irish Guitarist

I don't understand how anyone could base their pride of their country on being a 'good' drinker or fighter.

Son Of A Vidic

Are we (Irish) Really as Great as we Claim we Are?

We? We don't claim anything. Some might, but all? Certainly not.

holystungun9

RichieC wrote: »

I do though happen to think our little island is a fantastic little land full of beauty and more importantly, globally in a very safe place. I also think it has lots of character.

No way I'd handle Aussie, living three quarters of a mile from the surface of the sun sounds painful.

Now I understand AH has it's fair share of lies, silly talk and "facts". But where are you getting the three quarters of a mile from the sun. If I knew that when I was there, I would have been more worried about the flight! I thought a flock of seagulls would be by downfall, not crashing into the sun. Is this a wikapedia fact?

Thomas828

I wouldn't have come back to Ireland if it was as lousy as some people say it is.

As others here say, Ireland has it good points and its bad. But at least we don't labour under the delusion that we're better than everyone else.

sheesh

soooo basically

I'm not proud to be irish but neither am i ashamed.

oh why can't we all just get along!!!

KeithAFC

Interesting OP.

I have to say, No. The Irish aren't great. If you look at the past 100 years and even more, what have the Irish done in the grand scheme of things. Compared to say the UK or America? Not much.

I don't see why people would say the Irish are 'great'. Depends what you mean by great too, if you mean by drinking and telling awful jokes, perhaps but in terms of doing great things in the world? Nah.

Got a republic and made a bigger mess of it than a England taking penalties in a world cup.

Wolfe Tone

KeithAFC wrote: »

Interesting OP.

I have to say, No. The Irish aren't great. If you look at the past 100 years and even more, what have the Irish done in the grand scheme of things. Compared to say the UK or America? Not much.

I don't see why people would say the Irish are 'great'. Depends what you mean by great too, if you mean by drinking and telling awful jokes, perhaps but in terms of doing great things in the world? Nah.

Got a republic and made a bigger mess of it than a England taking penalties in a world cup.

Your lot made a fair mess of running their little statelet, if you are growing weed in that greenhouse you are smashing apart with rocks can I have some?

fryup

Yes the Irish are full of BS

we have this over exaggerated notion of our own popularity

"everyone loves the irish":rolleyes: ya right, well maybe on st patricks day but after that nobody gives two hoots

God...

KeithAFC wrote: »

I have to say, No. The Irish aren't great. If you look at the past 100 years and even more, what have the Irish done in the grand scheme of things. Compared to say the UK or America? Not much.
.

No we haven't killed as many innocent people as the countries mentioned...

To answer the OP, I'm proud to be Irish and would be from no where else but yes I see where you're coming from having personally lived abroad the last few years I do cringe at most things Irish and what other Irish people do and say in the name of "Irishness"

It's like family though, you cringe others don't notice!!

I think every country is the same though, people are people (that's the part I don't think Irish people get!! They think they are unique)

Xivilai

Nah we're not great, we're just a bunch of interesting lads

KeithAFC

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

Your lot made a fair mess of running their little statelet, if you are growing weed in that greenhouse you are smashing apart with rocks can I have some?

I don't see how anyone can argue with my post.

A corrupt government, an economy which went from boom to bust in a very short period of time. In the sh*t in terms of debt and yet still some people want millions pumped into the Irish language when its an irrelevant language and not used that much.

Dudess

I think you should think before posting insults on an Irish message-board directed at the Irish people.

kaltz

I know its from the Sindo but this letter was published in 2008. She seems to think we're not that great.

http://ferdia2010.wordpress.com/2008/09/21/the-world-does-not-love-the-irish/

pragmatic1

Love this country but when I hear comments like "everyone loves the Irish" I cringe.

KeithAFC

Dudess wrote: »

I think you should think before posting insults on an Irish message-board directed at the Irish people.

I was being nice. It is a debate after all. Im just putting the negative across.

ElaElaElano

The question is "are we as great as we think we are", yet if I was ever asking a question about how we perceive ourselves it'd be "are we really as bad as we think we are". Every single day on TV, in print media, on the radio, we run ourselves down and down, aided and abetted by phone-in shows like Joe Duffy and Adrian Kennedy where a lot of people do a whole lot of tuttin' about nothing.

How often do you see a thread on AH with a positive story? Negativity is popular, it sells papers, it generates business, it generates conversation. Yet we seem to do a hell of a lot more self-loathing here and in the UK than the rest of the world. Actually, in context, the obstacles we're facing are a drop in the ocean to other parts of the world and their problems.

sheesh

look the kind of people that think that 'we irish are great' are few and far between I don't know anybody who ever thought that.

but there are similar types of people in other countries in the USA, the UK and I would imagine in every other european country.

And japan and australia and every other half decent country.

RichieC

God... wrote: »

No we haven't killed as many innocent people as the countries mentioned...

To answer the OP, I'm proud to be Irish and would be from no where else but yes I see where you're coming from having personally lived abroad the last few years I do cringe at most things Irish and what other Irish people do and say in the name of "Irishness"

It's like family though, you cringe others don't notice!!

I think every country is the same though, people are people (that's the part I don't think Irish people get!! They think they are unique)

Thank you God.
:pac:

RichieC

KeithAFC wrote: »

I was being nice. It is a debate after all. Im just putting the negative across.

That's all you ever do, your sole reason for being here seems to be to antagonise the few remaining Republican dinosaurs we have left in this country.

Thor

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

That bit in bold is actually a bit of a misnomer. Outside of America, our reputation is not as alcoholic as you might think.

As regards your previous post, you did, imediately after writing that you're either proud of your nationality or not, add "everything else is irrelevant".

Why is america excluded from your point and considering the OP states his mates are the one stating they can drink anyone under the table, I also think are image as heavy drinkers(Although false in most case's) is not just american related. Although none of this can be proved. Its really just minor debate.

Also i never said we are a bunch of drinkers, I just stated thats what some people think, That cannot be disputed.

Also you can either be proud or not be proud, What else is there?

There are times you can be proud to be Irish and times you aren't for decisions that were made by other Irish people, Tus the point of the OP.

Catsmokinpot

We're pretty high up on the leader-board in fairness, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_alcohol_consumption not that it's a good thing... but also foreigners expect that Irish people are potato picking drunken fools with horses and carts....

Not being Irish; I'm not defending myself, but there are plenty of good things about this country. there are plenty of bad things about this country too. same with any other country, is any other country truly a great country? what constitutes a great country?

You mentioned us not being able to run a country, we're not running the country, if the government listened to the people and wasn't out for itself, then we might not be in the mess we're in now.

Things i love about Ireland? the craic, the places, the people and above all else, it's home to me now.

Things i hate? the scumbags (which seem to inhabit most other countries also) the government, the price of everything, the hold the church still has on the country, the ridiculous closing times of off-licenses (not that i buy beer all the time, or at all recently its just nice to know you can) and the law that you can't buy more than one packet of paracetamol per transaction (just a plain inconvenience, like that could stop people from buying more)

Dudess

Thor wrote: »

Also you can either be proud or not be proud, What else is there?

You can be neither.

Wolfe Tone

RichieC wrote: »

That's all you ever do, your sole reason for being here seems to be to antagonise the few remaining Republican dinosaurs we have left in this country.

Can I be a T-rex? They are pretty cool.

Poor Craythur

fryup wrote: »

Yes the Irish are full of BS

we have this over exaggerated notion of our own popularity

"everyone loves the irish" ya right, well maybe on st patricks day but after that nobody gives two hoots

pragmatic1 wrote: »

Love this country but when I hear comments like "everyone loves the Irish" I cringe.

Agreed.

kaltz wrote: »

I know its from the Sindo but this letter was published in 2008. She seems to think we're not that great.

http://ferdia2010.wordpress.com/2008/09/21/the-world-does-not-love-the-irish/

I remember reading that at the time. :eek: What. A. Bitch.