Is this really the craic?

LegacyUser

Hi,

I was recently trasnsferred, to work in Dublin, for 18 months. I have travelled widely and always wanted to spend time in Ireland, so was very excited about the move. I have gone out twice, with my work colleagues, who so far as the only people I know.

They seem like really nice people well certainly in the office. The first time I went out was with a group of guys only. I have to say the language is a little hard to get used to (every second word was fcuk ,cnut, wanker, and some I couldn't grasp !Don't get me wrong I curse too, but not in the same way. I guess, I found it a little crass but can get over it.

What I really found crass though was the running commentary that was made about others in the bar, mostly female. It was like a bad porno with the decriptions of what they would and wouldn't do to them. Hey, I like a joke and I like to appreciate women but they was just something so vulgar and demeaning about how they were speaking. I just wanted to run right out of there. There was one heavier set woman and one of the guys said something so nasty I would't repeat. the rest of the guys just laughed along. I know when a joke/comment is meant to be funny and I know when it's meant to be cruel- these were cruel with some real malice behind them.

I thought this was a once off and maybe they were showing off to the new guy, but same again the next time. Firstly, before others presume, am a prude with no humour, that is not the case. Guess I am wondering is this what the famous craic is? I dunno I guess I was expecting more and wondering if this is the norm? BTW these are "smart" educated guys with good jobs.

mood

They sound like total sleezes. From personal experience most Irish guys are not like this and I avoid the ones who are (I female). I think you need to make friends out side of work. Are they any hobbies or sport you are interested in?

prinz

danquestion wrote: »

Guess I am wondering is this what the famous craic is? I dunno I guess I was expecting more and wondering if this is the norm?

No. You just pulled the short straw in the work colleagues department it seems. A bit of banter and questionable language is something that would be deemed lads pub talk alright but sounds as if your crew were just pushing it too far.

danquestion wrote: »

BTW these are "smart" educated guys with good jobs.

You put this in as if it should be shocking that they would act like you described. In actual fact it fits the bill perfectly tbh.

Handsome Bob

Just because they are "smart" and "educated" OP, that doesn't mean that they aren't scumbags. I agree with prinz, it sounds like you have just been unfortunate in the work colleagues aspect because this is not how everyone acts on a night out.

I'd suggest that you keep going out with these lads (for the sake of your own work atmosphere) but don't spend too much time with them. Have a few polite drinks and then make your excuses to leave.

Trashbat

danquestion wrote: »

Guess I am wondering is this what the famous craic is?

Its a myth fabricated to attract tourists

To be honest, Ireland is no different to anywhere else in the world, where some people are nice and some aren't. The only thing that gives the impression of Craic is that statistically our binge drinking rates can be quite high, which is nto what alot of visitors to Ireland are used to, thus it gets reported back as "those crazy irisl LOL" and whatnot.

I'm sure your experience will become more positive the more you socialize and meet people organically, rather than just work mates.

LegacyUser

Hey, thanks guys!

Feel so reassured that I am not alone finding it all a bit vulgar and crass! I guess I need to focus on finding decent people who don't disrespect & demean others in a cruel ways just to be one of the boys.

thanks again.

Smart and educated types can be the biggest scumbags. I worked in a place in Dublin with the biggest pack of a**holes you could ever meet, constantly commenting on my body/looks and treating me like a bimbo just because I had an admin role (was saving for my MA). You could just tell they'd all gone to fancy schools and been told they were great all their lives and they just behaved like pigs. The only nice people there were the cleaners and the IT guy.

ancapailldorcha

Hey OP,

I grew up in an isolated rural area. I first went to Dublin to go to University there. I have to say that this wasn't the case for the group of lads I went out with. That's not to say we had no interest in women at all, we just didn't act like this. I suggest you keep socialising with them like LZ5by5 said but maybe join a few clubs and try to meet people that way.
Chin up OP!!

dan_d

OP there's some really great guys in this country, but honestly, knowing people that are working for a few of our big accounting firms, the better the job and the education, the more they think they're God's gift to creation.

I'm going to generalise horribly here and say I'd take a decent country guy over a D4 accounting type any time (!!!!)

I think you're just unlucky enough to get stuck with a bunch of idiots. Course you could start saying to them you think they sound like a bunch of arrogant idiots. Might be that nobody has said that to them before, and they are just doing it coz it's the "in" thing to do in the office. Do try and join a few clubs or something outside work though, there are nice people around!

Esoteric_

Yeah guys in Dublin are NOT generally like that. Your workmates just sound like scumbags with no real sex life.

Miss Fluff

They sound like twats. I think you've just been unlucky, any decent guy while of course loving a bit of banter, wouldn't consider that carry on be craic. Just broaden your social circle by joining a tag rugby or football team or going to the next Boards beers. Sounds like working with these guys is enough tbh!!

calex71

Can't really add anything more to what was said by others, but I did pick up on something else you mentioned OP.

You said there were other words you didn't understand, Irish slang is colorful and confusing indeed. Non native english speaking friends use www.urbandictionary.com to look up slang they don't understand.

LegacyUser

Hey man, thanks for the dictionary link. You guys have been so great, feel bad posting negativity about your people. But hey just being true to myself and was feeling a bit low about the whole thing. Thanks!

mood

LyndaMcL wrote: »

Yeah guys in Dublin are NOT generally like that. Your workmates just sound like scumbags with no real sex life.

I have to agree. I think guys like this aren't 'getting any'.

Eve_Dublin

Please don´t get a bad impression of us! I´ve only ever come across one group of guys like this in Ireland and they were the Rugger Buggers (Rugby players from my town who went to private schools and same from wealthy families)...they would take their willies out and wave them at girls in bars. Idiots. Besides from that, Irish men are probably more respectful of women than most European men I´ve come across (I live in Spain). Reading your experience surprised me actually....definitely NOT the norm in Ireland.

Denimgirl

Welcome to Ireland! the mentality is very different here, and the sense of humour!I don't get all the slagging off and putting woman down!it goes a bit too far sometimes!from my experience anyway!but I suppose this happens in every country,But the Irish are at the top for slagging people!funny sometimes but can go too far also!

mikemac

danquestion wrote: »

Guess I am wondering is this what the famous craic is?

There's no craic in Dublin, go whest for the craic

OP, what you're describing isn't that usual, it's just your colleagues.
I'm going to go along with the guesses and assume these lads are from Dublin and pretty rich backgrounds. You're just working with an arrogant bunch of lads, expand your social circle though I know you're new to the city.

LeixlipRed

LZ5by5 wrote: »

Just because they are "smart" and "educated" OP, that doesn't mean that they aren't scumbags.

..

Calling people scumbags because they curse and make comments about females? Wow, talk about an over-reaction. Sounds fairly normal for a group of work mates tbh, they probably have nothing in common outside of work and conversation descends to that level. If you don't like it OP, don't hang out with them.

liah

Eh, sorry to go against the grain here guys, but as another non-Irish person who's lived here just under two years now that sounds like fairly typical behaviour around here to me. Took me awhile to get used to, too, but it's just how people are over here, whether they want to admit it or not. Sure, you notice it all over Boards too.

It's not just scumbags I've heard it from, either.. it's everyone, all age groups, all walks of life. It's just the sense of humour. I think people in the thread are getting the wrong impression of what you're on about because they're used to it, whereas we're not, and probably see what's normal here as pretty bad.

It's just the humour.. try not to take it seriously, if you do you'll never last here.

liah

liah wrote: »

Eh, sorry to go against the grain here guys, but as another non-Irish person who's lived here just under two years now that sounds like fairly typical behaviour around here to me. Took me awhile to get used to, too, but it's just how people are over here, whether they want to admit it or not. Sure, you notice it all over Boards too.

It's not just scumbags I've heard it from, either.. it's everyone, all age groups, all walks of life. It's just the sense of humour. I think people in the thread are getting the wrong impression of what you're on about because they're used to it, whereas we're not, and probably see what's normal here as pretty bad.

It's just the humour.. try not to take it seriously, if you do you'll never last here.

I don't agree. There IS a particular sense of humour in Ireland definitely, and it's normal to slag people and be a bit crude, but there is a certain 'type' of Irish man who is downright misogynistic and disgusting. In the place I used to work, I overheard the remark 'I wouldn't f**k her with someone else's c*ck' about a new temp, and that wasn't even in the pub, it was in the office. That's not good natured slagging, it's being an absolute d*ckhead.

prinz

liah wrote: »

I think people in the thread are getting the wrong impression of what you're on about because they're used to it, whereas we're not, and probably see what's normal here as pretty bad..

The OP is on about constant bad language and really OTT insulting and snide remarks/comments etc. As an Irish fella mid-20's I am not used to that at all.

Like I said sure the language may be colourful at times and you have a bit of banter about girls (by and large complements) in the pub or whatnot but that does not seem to be what the OP is describing tbh. It wouldn't be common at all, in my 'group' anyway to make derogatory remarks about someone being over weight etc

Also just a note on Enrique Large Fatigues's point above re the slagging. Yes there is a lot of slagging between Irish guys but from experience this is confined to people you know. It would be normal for a gang of lads to slag each other unmercilessly, but it wouldn't IMO be acceptable to start slagging off a stranger.