Perceptions about Ireland that people just assume but aren't true

blinding · 23-05-2020 6:39am

completedit wrote: »

Idea that we are all somehow educated and worldly because we go to Vancouver, London, New York and Sydney. Irish people do this strange thing whereby we seem to compare our national intelligence to British Yobs on tour and use that to pat ourselves on the back. Like most things in Ireland it's a low bar to set.

That begrudgerly on exists in Ireland. As if around the world rich people and successful people are idolised. This seems to come from Bono's quote when comparing Ireland to America. I got his point but misses the point

Ireland is corrupt or a kip.

What did Bono the Pox say ?

ILoveYourVibes · 23-05-2020 6:47am

That we are a part of the UK.

sandbelter · 23-05-2020 6:49am

My 2 cents worth:

Stereotype: Irish are friendly, engaging and can talk s**t for hours.

Actuality: Irish are great at using their friendly, engaging and talkative persona to keep you at a distance. Other nations use silence or ignoring you as a tool, but Irish use and steer the conversation aware from sensitive topics...like you getting to know them. In shoert they are talker, but not communicative.

Stereotype: Irish are aggressive.

Actuality: Irish will keep the peace, but this will also include never telling you what they think.

Stereo type: Irish are drunk.

Actuality: Irish binge drink and it's an important tool for how they release emotions otherwise bottled up, the Irish (especially the men) will often use alcohol and song in combination to express how they feel as the Irish are not communicative, especially with emotions of grief. Very different from the silence/heavy drinking and arguments matrix common elsewhere in Europe. We are talking the country that gave us Finnegan's wake and sang it's grief at the Euros in 2012, everyone else (with the possible exception of the Portuguese) would have pulled the stadium apart.

Stereo type: Irish have a temper.

Actuality: Not so. They are passive aggressive, they'll simply go silent, the Irish won their independence via guerrilla attacks, not full frontal assaults. So when they are mildly angry and the issue is repairable they will confront you, but the more angry they get the more quieter they'll get. The Irish share an important characteristic with the Japanese, if they tell you they're disappointed you're f**ked (check out Aer Lingus and the A321lr) and they'll only do it once, if they then send you a letter you're still f**ked but now its irreparable.

ILoveYourVibes · 23-05-2020 7:01am

sandbelter wrote: »

My 2 cents worth:

Stereotype: Irish are friendly, engaging and can talk s**t for hours.

Actuality: Irish are great at using their friendly, engaging and talkative persona to keep you at a distance. Other nations use silence or ignoring you as a tool, but Irish use and steer the conversation aware from sensitive topics...like you getting to know them. In shoert they are talker, but not communicative.

Stereotype: Irish are aggressive.

Actuality: Irish will keep the peace, but this will also include never telling you what they think.

Stereo type: Irish are drunk.

Actuality: Irish binge drink and it's an important tool for how they release emotions otherwise bottled up, the Irish (especially the men) will often use alcohol and song in combination to express how they feel as the Irish are not communicative, especially with emotions of grief. Very different from the silence/heavy drinking and arguments matrix common elsewhere in Europe. We are talking the country that gave us Finnegan's wake and sang it's grief at the Euros in 2012, everyone else (with the possible exception of the Portuguese) would have pulled the stadium apart.

Stereo type: Irish have a temper.

Actuality: Not so. They are passive aggressive, they'll simply go silent, the Irish won their independence via guerrilla attacks, not full frontal assaults. So when they are mildly angry and the issue is repairable they will confront you, but the more angry they get the more quieter they'll get. The Irish share an important characteristic with the Japanese, if they tell you they're disappointed you're f**ked (check out Aer Lingus and the A321lr) and they'll only do it once, if they then send you a letter you're still f**ked but now its irreparable.

I don't feel this applies to Irish people.

I dont use talking to not talk. And when angry ...i confront the issue. Yeah if i send a letter about my rage ..i am probly really angry. But I am in no way quiet when angry.

whisky_galore · 23-05-2020 7:59am

"You'll never beat the Irish".

ILoveYourVibes · 23-05-2020 8:07am

whisky_galore wrote: »

"You'll never beat the Irish".

I think this is one we Irish believe not others.

blinding · 23-05-2020 8:13am

ILoveYourVibes wrote: »

I think this is one we Irish believe not others.

Especially when the Irish soccer team is getting hammered by some other team ! ! !

Thelonious Monk · 23-05-2020 8:57am

That begrudgery thing wrecks my head. We are the complete opposite. We big up every minor achievement. Like those rower guys who couldn't really speak English, they won a silver medal or something? Didn't hear the end of it for ages. They're still making documentaries about Dana because she went to the Eurovision ffs. We haven't shut up about Euro 88 for over 30 years and we didn't make it out of the group. It's good that we celebrate our achievements but to say we knock people when they achieve success is the polar opposite of the truth.

whisky_galore · 23-05-2020 9:13am

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

That begrudgery thing wrecks my head. We are the complete opposite. We big up every minor achievement. Like those rower guys who couldn't really speak English, they won a silver medal or something? Didn't hear the end of it for ages. They're still making documentaries about Dana because she went to the Eurovision ffs. We haven't shut up about Euro 88 for over 30 years and we didn't make it out of the group. It's good that we celebrate our achievements but to say we knock people when they achieve success is the polar opposite of the truth.

I don't think Dana is all that popular, packaged nostalgia of a particular point in time for the older generation, did those documentaries touch on the skin and hair flying during her failed presidential bid and her deep religious conservatism?

That the rowing lads were popular I would put down to their unassuming attitudes, if you have "notions" the Irish public will hate on you. Eg Bono.

LeYouth · 23-05-2020 9:35am

Blaze420 wrote: »

This - the fact they think we drink drink drink and they still have the neck to think they’d take any of us Irish pint for pint. American bravado is a big player but put any yank in front of me and they’ll be passed out with a pants full of **** and piss before I even contemplate calling it a night....

Ah aren't you great.

debok · 23-05-2020 9:47am

Blaze420 wrote: »

I know you are but what am I

A c u n t ?

Dav010 · 23-05-2020 9:53am

That we all want a united, 32 county Ireland.

Personally I don’t know anyone who cares.

Thelonious Monk · 23-05-2020 9:55am

whisky_galore wrote: »

I don't think Dana is all that popular, packaged nostalgia of a particular point in time for the older generation, did those documentaries touch on the skin and hair flying during her failed presidential bid and her deep religious conservatism?

That the rowing lads were popular I would put down to their unassuming attitudes, if you have "notions" the Irish public will hate on you. Eg Bono.

Yeah in fairness he was a figure of ridicule everywhere though, Bono. He seems to have calmed down now though and he's grand.

LuasSimon · 23-05-2020 9:58am

The friendly Irish is definitely almost gone .

Most Irish are too busy looking at their phones or on their earphones than talk to their neighbour or be pleasant to anyone near them .

23-05-2020 9:59am

That we're good at rugby

We have never won a competitve knock-out game,even our soccer team has managed this

The J Stands for Jay · 23-05-2020 10:02am

ILoveYourVibes wrote: »

I don't know if other Irish people have experienced it abroad.

That our education system is WORSE than that in America or the UK.

That we are stupid.

I was doing a course with an English student. She would make sarcastic remarks ...by the end of the year she was asking to read my essays.

Definitely noticed that. I thought that with only doing 3 A level subjects they'd have a better knowledge in their chosen subjects. Nope, honours maths seemed to have out me miles ahead of their a Level math despite having 5 other subjects to cover as well.

TBH, I reckon it's because the Leaving Certificate is such a bad name. It sounds like a cert given to a lad who leaves school at 15 to work on the factory floor.

kowloonkev · 23-05-2020 10:14am

snoopboggybog wrote: »

Not saying there hideous but nearly every country in the world has better scenery than we do.

USA, Australia, Canada, Asia and Any country in Europe is ten times better than what we have.

Here's Italy just for an example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlRwssZYRM0

I'd agree with you to be honest, although being from Ireland we're more likely to be tired of our own landscape and people coming for the first time might find more beauty in it. But I would say if there weren't so many people with Irish roots coming back to find out about their ancestry then our tourist industry might be limited to English stags in templebar.

CrankyHaus · 23-05-2020 10:16am

McGaggs wrote: »

Definitely noticed that. I thought that with only doing 3 A level subjects they'd have a better knowledge in their chosen subjects. Nope, honours maths seemed to have out me miles ahead of their a Level math despite having 5 other subjects to cover as well.

TBH, I reckon it's because the Leaving Certificate is such a bad name. It sounds like a cert given to a lad who leaves school at 15 to work on the factory floor.

Do you really think some Brit "Larfing at stupid Paddy" even knows it's called the Leaving Cert?

Many of them have trouble grasping the fact that we're a separate country.

kowloonkev · 23-05-2020 10:24am

McGaggs wrote: »

Definitely noticed that. I thought that with only doing 3 A level subjects they'd have a better knowledge in their chosen subjects. Nope, honours maths seemed to have out me miles ahead of their a Level math despite having 5 other subjects to cover as well.

TBH, I reckon it's because the Leaving Certificate is such a bad name. It sounds like a cert given to a lad who leaves school at 15 to work on the factory floor.

I've never come across any American or English person who even knows our final exams are called the leaving Cert, so doubt it's that. I've also never come across anyone with any opinions about our education system because why would they care?

I would say that although I was a very ordinary student I am amazed at the lack of knowledge of peoplevI meet from other countries, especially Asia in my case. For example, the vast majority can't do simple maths in their head.

snoopboggybog · 23-05-2020 10:25am

kowloonkev wrote: »

I'd agree with you to be honest, although being from Ireland we're more likely to be tired of our own landscape and people coming for the first time might find more beauty in it. But I would say if there weren't so many people with Irish roots coming back to find out about their ancestry then our tourist industry might be limited to English stags in templebar.

Our landscape is probably the worst in the worst in the world .

It has a perception of green fields and cliffs

Its chronic compared to any other country.

the beer revolu · 23-05-2020 10:30am

People think we're all Catholic.
But we know otherwise.

Most of our children are baptised, make their first communion and confirmation.
Most marriages are in Catholic churches, performed by priests.
Most funerals involve priests and churches.
Almost all of our children are educated in Catholic schools.

I cant think why outsiders think we are all practising catholics!

kowloonkev · 23-05-2020 10:33am

snoopboggybog wrote: »

Our landscape is probably the worst in the worst in the world .

It has a perception of green fields and cliffs

Its chronic compared to any other country.

You're overstating it. Plenty of countries in continental Europe that would be worse. Probably lots in Africa too, depending what people find beautiful of course.

LuasSimon · 23-05-2020 10:44am

the beer revolu wrote: »

People think we're all Catholic.
But we know otherwise.

Most of our children are baptised, make their first communion and confirmation.
Most marriages are in Catholic churches, performed by priests.
Most funerals involve priests and churches.
Almost all of our children are educated in Catholic schools.

I cant think why outsiders think we are all practising catholics!

Your right but there’s a lot of traditions in this country and been catholic for a share of people is one of them and you’d be surprised how many people are happy enough with it but afraid to say it such is the anti catholic current out there in the media and social media . Never did me any harm sitting down for 40 minutes every week saying a few prayers amongst my neighbours and having a quick chat after .

snoopboggybog · 23-05-2020 10:49am

kowloonkev wrote: »

You're overstating it. Plenty of countries in continental Europe that would be worse. Probably lots in Africa too, depending what people find beautiful of course.

Name 10 countries where you think its worse than Ireland for scenery.

Ireland is a kip

the beer revolu · 23-05-2020 10:49am

LuasSimon wrote: »

Your right but there’s a lot of traditions in this country and been catholic for a share of people is one of them and you’d be surprised how many people are happy enough with it but afraid to say it such is the anti catholic current out there in the media and social media . Never did me any harm sitting down for 40 minutes every week saying a few prayers amongst my neighbours and having a quick chat after .

You, obviously identify as a Catholic - that's fine.
I'm talking about the huge number of people who claim not to be Catholic while partaking in all the sacraments during their life and rearing their children to do the same.

No wonder outsiders get confused.

Also, not wanting religion to influence our government, education systemsand society, generally isn't "anti Catholic" in itself.

Feisar · 23-05-2020 10:51am

YFlyer wrote: »

I heard yee Irish can drink a whole six pack.

Yeah when getting ready before heading out.

As they pull out six 330ml cans!

Rodin · 23-05-2020 10:55am

Dav010 wrote: »

That we all want a united, 32 county Ireland.

Personally I don’t know anyone who cares.

You'll have to spend more time outside the Orange Hall

Thelonious Monk · 23-05-2020 11:02am

snoopboggybog wrote: »

Our landscape is probably the worst in the worst in the world .

It has a perception of green fields and cliffs

Its chronic compared to any other country.

Parts are beautiful but a lot is just bungalows and mansions strewn around and farms. Would be nice with more native forestry. Also most of our towns and villages are absolute traffic clogged dives.

The J Stands for Jay · 23-05-2020 11:03am

kowloonkev wrote: »

I've never come across any American or English person who even knows our final exams are called the leaving Cert, so doubt it's that. I've also never come across anyone with any opinions about our education system because why would they care?

If you're in third level education with them, they'll ask about it. Starting from an opinion thatay we're thick, they find the name of the exam hilarious.

whisky_galore · 23-05-2020 11:05am

the beer revolu wrote: »

You, obviously identify as a Catholic - that's fine.
I'm talking about the huge number of people who claim not to be Catholic while partaking in all the sacraments during their life and rearing their children to do the same.

No wonder outsiders get confused.

"Ah shur we don't want to be upsetting the grandparents" , or "little Tommy would feel left out if he didn't make his Communion" and wanting a church wedding because a bangin church will look awesome in the wedding pics.

Perceptions about Ireland that people just assume but aren't true

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