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Why are Nordies so dour?

2

Comments

  • #32
    Carry
    Registered Users Posts: 1,024 ✭✭✭Carry


    I used to live in Belfast for about 16 months (pre and around the GFA) and had the time of my life. The people were friendly and welcoming and have a very black sense of humour which I like in general, and they know how to party, boy do they know....

    Of course there are some places in Belfast where knuckledragging is prevailant, especially in the strictly protestant areas, likewise in some places in the countryside. But the nationalist/catholic side always proved to be very lively. I had great nights out in West Belfast, also in Crossmaglen where you really can meet some characters.

    Though I had the advantage to be not Irish hence was considered as harmless and non-partisan.

    I visited Belfast even years after I moved down south and whenever I popped into my former local the barmen greeted me by name as if I've just gone for a couple of weeks.

    Belfast as a city has improved big time, though it's still not a beauty but neither is Dublin.


  • #33
    Lewis_Benson
    Registered Users Posts: 1,872 ✭✭✭Lewis_Benson


    JohnnyFlash wrote: »
    Belfast is an interesting city to spend a day or two in, but it certainly isn’t a lovely city. It has that grotty and gritty vibe that you also find in places like Holyhead, Hull, and Blackpool.

    Not much different from any other Irish city to be fair.


  • #34
    Gwynplaine
    Registered Users Posts: 2,910 ✭✭✭Gwynplaine


    It's abite communiddy


  • #35
    The Satanist
    Closed Accounts Posts: 693 ✭✭✭The Satanist


    I always found the Titanic thing baffling. It's a giant moment to failure. They should be ashamed of the shoddy workmanship.


  • #36
    kneemos
    Registered Users Posts: 20,407 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    The Satanist wrote: »
    I always found the Titanic thing baffling. It's a giant moment to failure. They should be ashamed of the shoddy workmanship.

    A **** driver.


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  • #37
    JohnnyFlash
    Registered Users Posts: 7,055 ✭✭✭JohnnyFlash


    BDI wrote: »
    I have found from my time in the building trade that northern Irish people are the most likely people to tell you they seen a gay person the night before in a pub they were in. Dublin is shocking bad for it apparently.

    Of course I have seen or heard of people from all over the country being homophobic but in work at 10 in the morning, eating a breakfast roll and worrying about Dublin’s soul.

    Speaking of Nordies and unhealthy fast food, my sister was up in Belfast about 25 years ago at a conference in Queens. Even though she’s an academic she’s as ditzy as you’ll find, so she ended up pulling up the car outside a chipper in a strong loyalist area. Headed inside and ordered a bag of chips and a burger. The lad in behind the counter said to her, ‘have ye no chips of your own down south of the border, Missy?’


  • #38
    Woke Hogan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,630 ✭✭✭Woke Hogan


    Carry wrote: »
    I used to live in Belfast for about 16 months (pre and around the GFA) and had the time of my life. The people were friendly and welcoming and have a very black sense of humour which I like in general, and they know how to party, boy do they know....

    Of course there are some places in Belfast where knuckledragging is prevailant, especially in the strictly protestant areas, likewise in some places in the countryside. But the nationalist/catholic side always proved to be very lively. I had great nights out in West Belfast, also in Crossmaglen where you really can meet some characters.

    Though I had the advantage to be not Irish hence was considered as harmless and non-partisan.

    I visited Belfast even years after I moved down south and whenever I popped into my former local the barmen greeted me by name as if I've just gone for a couple of weeks.

    Belfast as a city has improved big time, though it's still not a beauty but neither is Dublin.

    At least Belfast has an excuse for looking like a bomb site.


  • #39
    Mad_maxx
    Registered Users Posts: 13,505 ✭✭✭✭Mad_maxx


    JohnnyFlash wrote: »
    I’ve had the misfortune of being up North for the past 2 days. Now we all know about the terrible roads, the flags, the grey and dilapidated towns, the run down chippers and off-licences everywhere; the lousy sense of humour, the shocking standard of basic spelling and grammar skills amongst the people, the depressing murals, and so on and so forth.

    What baffles me the most though is how dour the people are up here. It’s not exactly rudeness or unfriendliness either, but this aura they give off. Like the weight of the world is on their ample shoulders (obesity is a real problem up here as well). Life appears to be lacking in any levity or zest for them. Where a smile looks like it’s causing them some discomfort.

    Has anyone noticed this as well? I mean we can all go speculating as to the reasons for it, but that’s the sort of uninteresting thread best suited to boring oddball obsessives in the current affairs forum. I’m looking for us to share experiences of meeting, conversing, and dealing with dour Nordies.


    Google John knox


  • #40
    Mad_maxx
    Registered Users Posts: 13,505 ✭✭✭✭Mad_maxx


    Hamsterchops wrote: »
    Its a Scottish trait isn't it?

    Yes it is, you find it in much of new Zealand as well, ever see an interview with Steve hansen?

    That's it


  • #41
    Dr Turk Turkelton
    Registered Users Posts: 2,887 ✭✭✭Dr Turk Turkelton


    Carry wrote: »
    I used to live in Belfast for about 16 months (pre and around the GFA) and had the time of my life. The people were friendly and welcoming and have a very black sense of humour which I like in general, and they know how to party, boy do they know....

    Of course there are some places in Belfast where knuckledragging is prevailant, especially in the strictly protestant areas, likewise in some places in the countryside. But the nationalist/catholic side always proved to be very lively. I had great nights out in West Belfast, also in Crossmaglen where you really can meet some characters.

    Though I had the advantage to be not Irish hence was considered as harmless and non-partisan.

    I visited Belfast even years after I moved down south and whenever I popped into my former local the barmen greeted me by name as if I've just gone for a couple of weeks.

    Belfast as a city has improved big time, though it's still not a beauty but neither is Dublin.

    So big lad,are you a catholic non-partisan or a protestant non-partisan?


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  • #42
    Dr. Bre
    Registered Users Posts: 7,535 ✭✭✭Dr. Bre


    North of Ireland , north Korea , north Dublin and the north in game of thrones - all grim ! Coincidence?


  • #43
    Carry
    Registered Users Posts: 1,024 ✭✭✭Carry


    Dr Turk Turkelton wrote: »
    So big lad,are you a catholic non-partisan or a protestant non-partisan?

    Whom are you addressing with "big lad" regarding my previous post? :confused:


  • #44
    Carry
    Registered Users Posts: 1,024 ✭✭✭Carry


    Woke Hogan wrote: »
    At least Belfast has an excuse for looking like a bomb site.

    Belfast doesn't look like a bomb site. Maybe you are kind of stuck in the seventies?


  • #45
    Upforthematch
    Registered Users Posts: 1,328 ✭✭✭Upforthematch


    EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

    I’m sure there’s some lovely “spots” up there, probably hard to find, but one place that should be, particularly, avoided is “Portadown”. A town full of ignorance and malice..

    I googled Portadown. Couldn't figure out from Google maps if it is county Armagh or county Down. Then I noticed Google maps doesn't have any county boundaries for the north but does for the rest of Ireland.

    Wonder why?


  • #46
    fussyonion
    Registered Users Posts: 7,818 ✭✭✭fussyonion


    I lived in Newry for a few years and hated it. It was grey and depressing and there was always a maudlin atmosphere.

    Found the people very stand offish and I was told to 'F*ck off ya free state b*tch' as I drove by the Buttercrane.

    I felt like I won the Lotto when I was able to move back to Dublin.


  • #47
    blinding
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 7,466 ✭✭✭blinding


    The Satanist wrote: »
    I always found the Titanic thing baffling. It's a giant moment to failure. They should be ashamed of the shoddy workmanship.
    It was a tough iceberg and very fooking big :eek:


  • #48
    Dr Turk Turkelton
    Registered Users Posts: 2,887 ✭✭✭Dr Turk Turkelton


    Carry wrote: »
    Whom are you addressing with "big lad" regarding my previous post? :confused:

    Hmm something smells fishy about your story of living in the North if you've never heard the phrase "big lad".


  • #49
    Pinch Flat
    Registered Users Posts: 7,761 ✭✭✭Pinch Flat


    Always found northerners to be friendly and welcoming. Spent loads of time up there. There’s some right miserable cnuts ok, but no more than down south


  • #50
    Carry
    Registered Users Posts: 1,024 ✭✭✭Carry


    Dr Turk Turkelton wrote: »
    Hmm something smells fishy about your story of living in the North if you've never heard the phrase "big lad".

    Well, I'm a woman and not big. So no, nobody ever called me big lad.

    You can live in the North without getting in contact with certain laddish terms and phrases, ye know. Nothing fishy about that.


  • #51
    Vita nova
    Registered Users Posts: 730 ✭✭✭Vita nova


    Like everywhere you'll get a mixture of people in the north, some dour, some not. Anyway the world needs some dour, serious, straight talking individuals that do what they say they'll do and don't bull**** you.

    .


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  • #52
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Dr Turk Turkelton wrote: »
    Hmm something smells fishy about your story of living in the North if you've never heard the phrase "big lad".

    75 years living along the border. Up north at least once a week and often holidaying there, plus children and grandchildren living there and I've never heard anybody use the phrase.


  • #53
    Dr Turk Turkelton
    Registered Users Posts: 2,887 ✭✭✭Dr Turk Turkelton


    Noa Mealy Ump wrote: »
    75 years living along the border. Up north at least once a week and often holidaying there, plus children and grandchildren living there and I've never heard anybody use the phrase.

    Really? You haven't spent much time in Belfast so.


  • #54
    dxhound2005
    Registered Users Posts: 20,453 ✭✭✭✭dxhound2005


    Some people might be attracted to the idea of going to Portadown for the first time, based on what they read here. If so, take the road through Tandragee, which is the home of the famous Nordie Taytyo.

    Good Asda branch in Portadown, where they are always happy to take my money. The Rushmere Centre up the road in Craigavon is worth a visit as well, for those who might usually only venture as far as Newry.


  • #55
    gmisk
    Registered Users Posts: 31,816 ✭✭✭✭gmisk


    The Satanist wrote: »
    I always found the Titanic thing baffling. It's a giant moment to failure. They should be ashamed of the shoddy workmanship.
    Shure wasn't it grand when it left!


  • #56
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Dr Turk Turkelton wrote: »
    Really? You haven't spent much time in Belfast so.

    You've made my point. No I have visited for maybe four days a year. Neither do I spend much time in Dublin or Limerick and may not have heard some of their colloquialisms. You doubt a poster lived in the North and had not heard the term. You did not specify it was used in Belfast - and even then only part of Belfast. There's a whole other North outside parts of Belfast.


  • #57
    Dr Turk Turkelton
    Registered Users Posts: 2,887 ✭✭✭Dr Turk Turkelton


    Noa Mealy Ump wrote: »
    You've made my point. No I have visited for maybe four days a year. Neither do I spend much time in Dublin or Limerick and may not have heard some of their colloquialisms. You doubt a poster lived in the North and had not heard the term. You did not specify it was used in Belfast - and even then only part of Belfast. There's a whole other North outside parts of Belfast.

    Thanks for the geography lesson there Noa Mealy Ump but I do happen know about the other parts of the north considering I grew up in a town with parts on both sides of the border.


  • #58
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Dr Turk Turkelton wrote: »
    Thanks for the geography lesson there Srameen but I do happen know about the other parts of the north considering I grew up in a town with parts on both sides of the border.

    So you know then that someone can live in many parts of Northern Ireland without ever hearing "big man"? Grand so. Once we're clear. Your doubts about Carry are unfounded. Why is it so hard to admit that?


  • #59
    Junkyard Tom
    Registered Users Posts: 10,117 ✭✭✭✭Junkyard Tom


    Crazy but that's how it goes, millions of people living as foes. Maybe it's not too late
    to learn how to love and forget how to hate.


  • #60
    dxhound2005
    Registered Users Posts: 20,453 ✭✭✭✭dxhound2005


    Big Man / Wee Man is associated with Glasgow slang. Big Lad is Nordie, probably mostly Belfast. I have heard Stephen Nolan saying it on the radio.


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  • #61
    maccored
    Registered Users Posts: 10,660 ✭✭✭✭maccored


    I've heard the term big lad used (usually in a friendly way) in many areas of the north


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