why do Irish people drink so much?

lufties · 06-12-2014 03:11PM

MarkAnthony wrote: »

See above

30-34

daRobot · 06-12-2014 03:16PM

Lack of social skills, repression, and due to the crazy number of single sex schools here (compared with the rest of the Western world) lots of men and women require inordinate amounts of booze, to alleviate the anxiety of interacting with one another, which is a real shame.

Rubberchikken · 06-12-2014 03:18PM

i don't think we do

Dionysius2 · 06-12-2014 03:24PM

Eagles : "some drink to remember.....some drink to forget".

MarkAnthony · 06-12-2014 03:26PM

lufties wrote: »

30-34

Yep Generation X/Y border just like myself.

You'll find yourself having less and less tolerance for boring people I'm afraid. I mean that in the sense that everyone is boring and interesting just to different people.

When you're 20-30 everyone is interesting all the time because you all have a common interest. Getting smashed.

Again sweeping generalisations, not true in all cases.

lufties · 06-12-2014 03:31PM

MarkAnthony wrote: »

Yep Generation X/Y border just like myself.

You'll find yourself having less and less tolerance for boring people I'm afraid. I mean that in the sense that everyone is boring and interesting just to different people.

When you're 20-30 everyone is interesting all the time because you all have a common interest. Getting smashed.

Again sweeping generalisations, not true in all cases.

Well perhaps you are right, I like eating nice food, yoga and quality in general. The group last night were in finance/accounting so it can be hard to relate to these types on an empathetic level.

Amirani · 06-12-2014 03:32PM

Thirsty.

TheBeardedLady · 06-12-2014 03:42PM

Venus In Furs wrote: »

Because it's enjoyable.

Yep. It's relaxing and enjoyable. I like the feeling of a few drinks running through my veins.

lufties · 06-12-2014 03:46PM

TheBeardedLady wrote: »

Yep. It's relaxing and enjoyable. I like the feeling of a few drinks running through my veins.

Most of us do! I was discussing this with my therapist yesterday. We were talking about why feel like getting pissed and the emotions that bring it on..worry, stress, guilt, sadness, anxiety, fear.

Fighting Irish · 06-12-2014 03:47PM

Because Ireland is fairly **** outside of the summer months

mad muffin · 06-12-2014 03:54PM

When I first moved to Ireland, I was surprised such a small town of less than 4,000 people would have over 10 pubs. Each one just a short walk from the other :eek:

Oasis1974 · 06-12-2014 03:56PM

My view is Alcoholics drink to much most people just drink.

TheBeardedLady · 06-12-2014 04:05PM

lufties wrote: »

Most of us do! I was discussing this with my therapist yesterday. We were talking about why feel like getting pissed and the emotions that bring it on..worry, stress, guilt, sadness, anxiety, fear.

I get that way (only since hitting my 30s) if I overdo it so I don't overdo it anymore. I don't think everyone gets like that though. I didn't feel like that at all right up to my 30s and I genuinely enjoyed being merry/pissed, although I never got to the point where I couldn't walk or would fall asleep on the street or do stuff I really regretted or any of that shenanigans. It was just great fun and I was able to maintain good friendships when I was sober too.

My 30s are a different kettle of fish though.

suicide_circus · 06-12-2014 04:13PM

First time my gf brought me back to her native land (former soviet block) to meet her family I was pretty shocked at the inordinate amount of sauce I was expected to horse into me....AT BREAKFAST.

Now i would be a relatively well seasoned sessionist but the homemade schnapps type stuff drank with every meal would put hair on your eyes.

We in ireland LOVE to shame ourselves, we adore the hair shirt. We love withering condemnation of our own shortcomings. Other countries don't have this hang up.

MarkAnthony · 06-12-2014 04:17PM

TheBeardedLady wrote: »

I get that way (only since hitting my 30s) if I overdo it so I don't overdo it anymore. I don't think everyone gets like that though. I didn't feel like that at all right up to my 30s and I genuinely enjoyed being merry/pissed, although I never got to the point where I couldn't walk or would fall asleep on the street or do stuff I really regretted or any of that shenanigans. It was just great fun and I was able to maintain good friendships when I was sober too.

My 30s are a different kettle of fish though.

Don't for one second get me wrong, people I know well we go out have a few, maybe have a few too many but what I do less of less of is go out with people I don't know in large groups for the sole purpose of drinking.

I'm lucky in that I have a diverse range of interests to I find plenty of people to go out with, parties, pint after a meeting or what ever (something BTW I LOVE Ireland for!) so I do find that I meet interesting folks keep in contact with one or two but they'd always have a similar interest. The drink adds to the experience rather than being the purpose, if that makes any sense.

suicide_circus · 06-12-2014 04:28PM

^^^^^I think this is important. Dont drink with people you dont like or have nothing in common with. The drink will enhance your dissatisfaction with your company, just as it can enhance the joviality when you're with friends or interesting people.

This is why I won't be attending my work Christmas party!

TheBeardedLady · 06-12-2014 04:43PM

MarkAnthony wrote: »

Don't for one second get me wrong, people I know well we go out have a few, maybe have a few too many but what I do less of less of is go out with people I don't know in large groups for the sole purpose of drinking..

Yeah, this doesn't work so well the older I get.

yipeeeee · 06-12-2014 04:44PM

Because its fun!!

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 06-12-2014 04:51PM

One of my friends is American and lived here for a few years, he recently moved back home to Connecticut. Apparently, apropos a few mid-week facebook statuses of "I'm in the mood for a couple of drinks this evening, anyone care to join me?" his friends organised an intervention for him, the same friends who in his words "live on tequila and cocaine Friday to Sunday". His take on the situation, and it's one I've heard from other Americans too, is that Irish people don't necessarily drink that much more, there's just no social taboo at all about admitting that you are/have been very drunk, or are drinking to get drunk. And while that's all nice and dandy and honest, there's a difference between there being no taboo about talking about it and it being the only bloody thing anyone talks about. I'm a shy person and I've caught myself countless times going to the old well of drinking stories to have something to talk about with people I've just met, it's a strange thing indeed when that story about the time you called a bean garda a cúnt or your friend gave herself a black-eye and has no idea how are icebreakers. In other cultures I'm pretty sure those stories are reserved for medical professionals.

Ave Sodalis · 06-12-2014 04:57PM

lufties wrote: »

Its a confidence thing too..people who get blind drunk are usually not truly confident people. Which would you rather be around?

Erm, in my own experience as a non drinker, I don't know about that. I mean, what defines a truly confident person? I don't drink and I still go out. However, I wouldn't consider myself an overly confident person. In fact, I occassionally suffer from low self esteem. Another non drinker I know has severe hidden insecurities and ended up abusing his girlfriend... but is he a "truly confident" person because he doesn't drink? Another person I know would have no problem running around a public place naked, singing the national anthem when sober but goes out and gets ****faced... does he have no confidence?

bee06 · 06-12-2014 05:08PM

OP, why do you find the need to make sweeping generalisations about people? Irish people drink too much, finance / accounting people are difficult to relate to, Irish people are less sophisticated than English people, people who get blind drunk lack confidence?!

TheBeardedLady · 06-12-2014 05:12PM

Clarissa Brief Android wrote: »

One of my friends is American and lived here for a few years, he recently moved back home to Connecticut. Apparently, apropos a few mid-week facebook statuses of "I'm in the mood for a couple of drinks this evening, anyone care to join me?" his friends organised an intervention for him, the same friends who in his words "live on tequila and cocaine Friday to Sunday". His take on the situation, and it's one I've heard from other Americans too, is that Irish people don't necessarily drink that much more, there's just no social taboo at all about admitting that you are/have been very drunk, or are drinking to get drunk. And while that's all nice and dandy and honest, there's a difference between there being no taboo about talking about it and it being the only bloody thing anyone talks about. I'm a shy person and I've caught myself countless times going to the old well of drinking stories to have something to talk about with people I've just met, it's a strange thing indeed when that story about the time you called a bean garda a cúnt or your friend gave herself a black-eye and has no idea how are icebreakers. In other cultures I'm pretty sure those stories are reserved for medical professionals.

That'd be the case here in Spain as well. Being seen to be drunk is massively frowned upon, particularly if you're female, but if I step outside my front door now, I'll be met with people sitting outside sipping on large gin and tonics in the middle of the afternoon. If you've been to Spain you know they don't have a strict measurement on how much spirit they put into your glass. Basically it's up to you to tell them to stop.

They'd have a few of those in one sitting but you still won't see them fall about the place or shouting or whatever and I've never once heard someone here regal a story of their mad night out, even if they have been out all night, much later than we tend to stay out. The "getting pissed" part wouldn't be the focus of their stories of nights out and they wouldn't take about how much they're going to drink that night, although it can be assumed that it'll be a lot over a longer period of time.

Mesrine65 · 06-12-2014 05:15PM

People who make sweeping generalisations about other people are probably *insert appropriate expletive of choice*?! :pac:

ciaranlong · 06-12-2014 05:20PM

suicide_circus wrote: »

^^^^^I think this is important. Dont drink with people you dont like or have nothing in common with. The drink will enhance your dissatisfaction with your company, just as it can enhance the joviality when you're with friends or interesting people.

This is why I won't be attending my work Christmas party!

I second this and would also say that I have had to avoid drinking with some people who get aggressive while they are drunk. Nothing makes for a worse evening than someone giving you a hard time after they've become inebriated. Life's too short!

Venus In Furs · 06-12-2014 05:21PM

daRobot wrote: »

Lack of social skills, repression, and due to the crazy number of single sex schools here (compared with the rest of the Western world) lots of men and women require inordinate amounts of booze, to alleviate the anxiety of interacting with one another

And simply because they enjoy it. Bit of condescension on this thread! Are Irish people doing this psychoanalysis of Irish drinking doing it in relation to their own drinking?

suicide_circus wrote: »

First time my gf brought me back to her native land (former soviet block) to meet her family I was pretty shocked at the inordinate amount of sauce I was expected to horse into me....AT BREAKFAST.

Now i would be a relatively well seasoned sessionist but the homemade schnapps type stuff drank with every meal would put hair on your eyes.

We in ireland LOVE to shame ourselves, we adore the hair shirt. We love withering condemnation of our own shortcomings. Other countries don't have this hang up.

Ain't that the truth.

The One Doctor · 06-12-2014 05:33PM

MarkAnthony wrote: »

It's a general repression IMHO, primarily sexual repression. People essentially want to go out and feel good. Drink helps with that at the time but it also allows people to open up and be friendly but also shag about with an excuse.

There is still this massive catholic stick up people's arse in this country. You can see it in people's attitudes to all manner of things. In France/Italy even Germany you can go out, have a few drinks, chat to a few girls and if you like each other you might have sex. You wake up in the morning both go on your merry ways (without a hang over that would stun a bull) and no one bats an eyelid.

Here you need the cover of OMG I was so drunk otherwise you're a sober slag, which apparently is worse than being a drunken one. Why we can't just realise we're all the same and just looking for a good time I've no idea but there we go.

Sounds like another pompous Indo article in the making.

tomwaterford · 06-12-2014 06:00PM

The One Doctor wrote: »

Sounds like another pompous Indo article in the making.

Being honest the kinda thinking is in the highlighted part of your post is almost extinct as far as I can tell....I know of no normal person who cares/thinks less of anyone male/female who geos out drinking/hooking up with strangeers regularly in this day and age..

So long as there being safe...there is no negative effects...

pragmatic1 · 06-12-2014 06:02PM

To escape the mundane reality of normal life. Alcohol is one of the worst drugs though. Not worth it.

The Showstopper · 06-12-2014 06:40PM

lufties wrote: »

In ireland its all about a small narrative, drink, gaa etc..I am not mr sophistication by any means but I'm trying to become more learned about things.

Same as myself so, except the things I'm trying to become more learned about ARE drink and gaa. Using drink to ignore how crap my life is for a few hours seems an appealing reason for me.

Venus In Furs · 06-12-2014 06:43PM

lufties wrote: »

I like eating nice food, yoga and quality in general. The group last night were in finance/accounting so it can be hard to relate to these types on an empathetic level.

Ah here.

why do Irish people drink so much?

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