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

Dudess · 13-04-2011 08:07PM

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 · 13-04-2011 08:08PM

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

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 13-04-2011 08:19PM

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! · 13-04-2011 08:21PM

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 · 13-04-2011 08:22PM

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

Daegerty · 13-04-2011 08:47PM

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 · 13-04-2011 08:49PM

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

Son Of A Vidic · 13-04-2011 08:54PM

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

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

holystungun9 · 13-04-2011 08:58PM

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 · 13-04-2011 09:02PM

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 · 13-04-2011 09:08PM

soooo basically

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

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

KeithAFC · 13-04-2011 09:08PM

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 · 13-04-2011 09:11PM

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 · 13-04-2011 09:13PM

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... · 13-04-2011 09:15PM

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 · 13-04-2011 09:18PM

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

KeithAFC · 13-04-2011 09:18PM

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 · 13-04-2011 09:22PM

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

kaltz · 13-04-2011 09:26PM

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 · 13-04-2011 09:26PM

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

KeithAFC · 13-04-2011 09:28PM

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 · 13-04-2011 09:30PM

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 · 13-04-2011 09:30PM

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 · 13-04-2011 09:31PM

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 · 13-04-2011 09:33PM

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 · 13-04-2011 10:49PM

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 · 13-04-2011 11:59PM

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 · 14-04-2011 12:02AM

Thor wrote: »

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

You can be neither.

Wolfe Tone · 14-04-2011 12:05AM

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 · 14-04-2011 12:05AM

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.

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

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