Why can't Irish people say Thank You??

Jesus Wept

Bassboxxx wrote: »

I think the OP was asking a question not saying he had statistical proof.

We could just use our own experience and see if we agree or not, or better still look at who was quickest and most eager to reply to his question. I think you'll see it was the smart sarcastic answers which makes me think OP asked a valid question.


Myself I agree. Having done a bit of travel I'm coming to realise we are some of the most ignorant people I've come across. It's like people are either so up their own arse they don't need to say thanks or feel so **** about themselves that saying thanks shows their weakness.

tbh...

LuckyMe63 wrote: »

I think that during the boom in Ireland, we felt entitled and now that times are not so good we have lost our manners and gratitude for what we have or receive. I

Brenireland

Thanks Mate cheers.

omen80

hondasam wrote: »

It would make a difference to me. maybe you don't see the need to be polite and say thank you but I do.

I say thank you and I believe the world would be a much better place if everyone was polite. All I'm saying is that it's not going to ruin my day when someone else doesn't say it. You're being too sensitive.

hondasam

omen80 wrote: »

I say thank you and I believe the world would be a much better place if everyone was polite. All I'm saying is that it's not going to ruin my day when someone else doesn't say it. You're being too sensitive.

ok I will toughen up

I just hate bad manners (sorry)

Raoul

Mongarra wrote: »

On the subject of opening or holding doors (not part of the OP), I am with El Horseboxo and si guru, and very few acknowledge the gesture. To doubleGG, you say "Men never do this for women here". Well here's three of us anyway.

Does doffing the hat or touching the peak of a cap to a woman look strange. A habit I picked up from my father which I still do and it is amazing the number of women who say "I haven't seen anyone do that for years" or words to that effect or maybe smile indulgently to the poor misguided imbecile who still raises the hat. Chivalry seems to be forgotten by many men and ignored, or even frowned on, by many women.

My partner admonished me on one occasion when I helped a woman carry a toddler in a buggy up a flight of stairs in the London Underground. "They don't do that kind of thing over here." At least the woman thanked me.

I would always hold the door open for a woman or let a woman go before me through the door. The reactions are startling. Some woman are pleasantly surprised, some just simply say thanks and then the ignorant ones just look at you and walk through. HATE THOSE ones.

Jaxxy

Raoul wrote: »

I would always hold the door open for a woman or let a woman go before me through the door. The reactions are startling. Some woman are pleasantly surprised, some just simply say thanks and then the ignorant ones just look at you and walk through. HATE THOSE ones.

That would be me, I'm always surprised when someone goes out of their way to do this. And even though it's not that uncommon it makes me smile every time.

I do think good manners makes a big difference to me. If I thank someone I expect them to acknowledge it, or if I do something for someone I expect to be acknowledged. Maybe I'm overly sensitive about it because I worked in retail (and trust me, a please and thank you can go a long way) but lack of manners bothers me.

dolphin city

LuckyMe63 wrote: »

I think that during the boom in Ireland, we felt entitled and now that times are not so good we have lost our manners and gratitude for what we have or receive. I have just returned to Ireland after 7 years away and particularly notice this.

Over Christmas I put thought & expense into mailing 7 gifts to family & friends. Only 3 of these have been acknowledged and each of these 3 are Americans friends.

So do I get onto An Post and report the other 4 packages as ‘lost’ in the mail? Or put it down to bad manners?


With winter blues and recessionary times, we need to take a few minutes and make an effort to brighten someone’s day.
Were you invited somewhere over Christmas, did you give the host/hostess a call afterwards to thank them? Not just a “thanks, see ya” on the day. Your host would have put energy, effort & expense into preparing food, drink, decorations…. even if it was your mother!
When sending a Christmas card, did you add – “will call you over the festive season” but haven’t yet.
Did you RSVP “yes” to a function and then not show up or not bother sending a RSVP at all?
Did someone help you out during the snow/icy weather?
Did you get a particularly thoughtful or unexpected gift?




Is it really so hard to pick up the phone, send an email or text message to say “Thank You”? No one is too busy to take 5 minutes out & say Thanks.

sounds like you picked friends with no manners.

Adam

troll - 1
boardsies - 0

RachaelVO

Well OP, I couldn't disagree with ya more! I'm living abroad (the Netherlands) and I love when I go home. People hold open the doors, they say please, thanks, see ya, howya...

If ya hold the door open for people here a whole loada people traipse in the door and don't even acknowledge ya. Ya might be a touch sensitive about it, when you're faced with daily rudeness like I have to put up with, you grow to really appreciate how smashing us Irish really are. No one is perfect and of course you can meet some ars3wipes in Ireland, but as a nation we are 10 times nicer than our european counterparts!

Tubsandtiles

OP maybe you should leave Ireland, we're all horrible people over here and we don't want your kind ways embedded into us

eilo1

gigino wrote: »

in the post office, those receiving welfare payments in cash never say thank you

Bull**** I always said "Hi how are you, can I collect please" and "thank you" when i was unlucky enough to have to collect.

In fact the people in my post office where the rude ones, I am in there all the time and there is no recognition or hi how are and never a have a nice day! :mad:

YouTookMyName

Good man yourself and fair play to ya seem more common than thanks!

df1985

I always say thanks but "in these recessionary times" Im not going to go out and buy overpriced thank you cards now am I.......

jay-me

Funny this thread was started as my friend and I were just talking about this yesterday. He is back from Sweden for a few months and he was saying how he finds it crazy to say thanks to a bus driver when getting off a bus over there. But it warms his heart to see it here again. I also have found this in other countries where it is unheard of to thank a driver for stopping a bus.

I do hold doors for people of both sexes especially in town and I have only ever noticed large black women not saying thanks!! I'm not racist that is just a general observation and something I put down to cultural difference.

Also I would always thank someone in traffic that affords me some leeway even if I am just a passenger.

gaeilgegrinds1

Did you give them expecting a thank you? I always say it in person so perhaps they have not seen you.

pawrick

I was brought up to alway say please and thank you and I still do

- I notice that when I get off the bus and if I'm the in a line of people getting off after I say thanks to the driver the people behind say it too but it takes one person to do it first.

Sheepy99

its not that irish people dont say thank you its just the dubs that are too up their holes to say thanks

RachaelVO

Sheepy99 wrote: »

its not that irish people dont say thank you its just the dubs that are too up their holes to say thanks

Uhhhhhhh MIAOW!!!

Do you wanna wooden spoon to help with that sh1t stirring?

Latchy

Mongarra wrote: »

My partner admonished me on one occasion when I helped a woman carry a toddler in a buggy up a flight of stairs in the London Underground. "They don't do that kind of thing over here." At least the woman thanked me.

Not on the underground in London they dont ,it's designed for getting people from a to z like a fast production line and maybe not inner city London in general either .

But further up north in cities like Manchester,Birmingham and Liverpool , this helping of buggys onto a bus is common daily sight as is thanking the bus driver when getting off .

RachaelVO wrote: »

If ya hold the door open for people here a whole loada people traipse in the door and don't even acknowledge ya. Ya might be a touch sensitive about it, when you're faced with daily rudeness like I have to put up with, you grow to really appreciate how smashing us Irish really are. No one is perfect and of course you can meet some ars3wipes in Ireland, but as a nation we are 10 times nicer than our european counterparts!

Agreed , I lived in Hollond for a bit were asking for directions can be met with a shrug of a shoulder and some dutch are just pretty downright miserable . That Schipol airport is a fooking nightmare of a place to gerrin and ourra to . :mad:

seanybiker

Whats wrong with saying thanks there and then? Is your thanks better because you rang the person?

Samba

Why can't Irish people just have one drink.

Why can't Irish people eat something else other than spuds.

Why can't Irish people be happy with renting.

Why can't Irish people manage their finances.

Why can't Irish people .... blah blah blah.

See how easy it is to make sweeping generalisations?

Now here's one for you OP.

Why can't humans stop themselves from making sweeping generalisations based on little or no substance?

Corruptedmorals

The retail thing goes both ways, I said thank you to all of my thousands and thousands of customers even when sick,hungover to ****, extremely tired, or shocked having just had abuse thrown at me. The amount of ignorant customers though is overwhelming, and this I think contributes to staff acting like robots. It can be easy to let things like that grind you down, especially if you're there for years and not going anywhere anytime soon. It's still rude though, but I understand why they're like that. Anyway, as for customers, you'll get so many who do not respond at all and stay mute, plenty on their phones who treat you like an interruption, still more with earphones in, loads of people who treat you like the enemy, deliberately out to overcharge them, people who will throw cards and money down or grab the receipt before its done printing, or just snap about something in general. Really, there is quite a high proportion of these ignorant ****ers who treat you like you run the store and make up store policy, they can really ruin your mood, since as retail staff are not actually emotionless robots, shouting at them tends to leave them in shock, not having the ability to defend themselves effectively.

Ahh this isn't ranting and raving. Anyway, staff would be a lot nicer if customers were! I always say thank you.

milehip1

Corruptedmorals wrote: »

grab the receipt before its done printing,

I do that sometimes,well after its done printing and the change is being counted,tought it was being helpfull, turns out I'm being a bollox:(

steddyeddy

LuckyMe63 wrote: »

I think that during the boom in Ireland, we felt entitled and now that times are not so good we have lost our manners and gratitude for what we have or receive. I have just returned to Ireland after 7 years away and particularly notice this.

Over Christmas I put thought & expense into mailing 7 gifts to family & friends. Only 3 of these have been acknowledged and each of these 3 are Americans friends.

So do I get onto An Post and report the other 4 packages as ‘lost’ in the mail? Or put it down to bad manners?


With winter blues and recessionary times, we need to take a few minutes and make an effort to brighten someone’s day.
Were you invited somewhere over Christmas, did you give the host/hostess a call afterwards to thank them? Not just a “thanks, see ya” on the day. Your host would have put energy, effort & expense into preparing food, drink, decorations…. even if it was your mother!
When sending a Christmas card, did you add – “will call you over the festive season” but haven’t yet.
Did you RSVP “yes” to a function and then not show up or not bother sending a RSVP at all?
Did someone help you out during the snow/icy weather?
Did you get a particularly thoughtful or unexpected gift?




Is it really so hard to pick up the phone, send an email or text message to say “Thank You”? No one is too busy to take 5 minutes out & say Thanks.

Depends were you live I always say trhank you and get thanked in return!

super_furry

Crazy, I think Irish people say thanks more than anyone else I know.

Nowhere else in the world have I seen 20 people getting off a bus all saying thanks to the driver.

SHOVELLER

By and large Irish people have manners. But there are some with none whatsoever.

In the US all kids are taught manners from day one.

Now who you blame on this? Schools and/or parents. I have been unsuccessful numerous times trying to obtain the syllabus for primary schools from the Department of Education to see exactly what the kids are being taught.

Dudess

Meh, in my experience, people are still mostly pleasant and gracious. I hate this need to go on about how society has become terrible, and the way it has to be ascribed to certain nationalities.

CrazyRabbit

I'd thank you for not generalising about Irish people.

Up-n-atom!

Jaysus, I don't know where all these rude people are coming from...genuinely, I've only ever come across a few of them. When I get off the bus, esp the Bus Eireann one (but I've seen it on Dublin Bus too) there's a string of 'thanks' or 'cheers' from every single person getting off, as well as maybe a 'bye' or whatever. I've worked for years in shops and at reception and I don't ever recall a rude person ruining my day (I was more worried about shop-lifters and getting robbed, which had a habit of happening!) and the vast majority of people said 'thank you'.

As other posters have said, I've heard foreigners remark on how we thank bus drivers - it's not the norm in other places. If anything I think we have a tendency to be over polite sometimes. If a person runs into you in the street, you both say 'sorry', even when it wasn't your fault. When a person serves you in a restaurant, you say thank you every time they come to the table (the over-thanking can be a little awkward). I hold doors open for people all the time and a nod or whatever acknowledgement is enough really.

omen80

Up-n-atom! wrote: »

Jaysus, I don't know where all these rude people are coming from...genuinely, I've only ever come across a few of them. When I get off the bus, esp the Bus Eireann one (but I've seen it on Dublin Bus too) there's a string of 'thanks' or 'cheers' from every single person getting off, as well as maybe a 'bye' or whatever. I've worked for years in shops and at reception and I don't ever recall a rude person ruining my day (I was more worried about shop-lifters and getting robbed, which had a habit of happening!) and the vast majority of people said 'thank you'.

As other posters have said, I've heard foreigners remark on how we thank bus drivers - it's not the norm in other places. If anything I think we have a tendency to be over polite sometimes. If a person runs into you in the street, you both say 'sorry', even when it wasn't your fault. When a person serves you in a restaurant, you say thank you every time they come to the table (the over-thanking can be a little awkward). I hold doors open for people all the time and a nod or whatever acknowledgement is enough really.

Well said, I second this...

Corruptedmorals

milehip1 wrote: »

I do that sometimes,well after its done printing and the change is being counted,tought it was being helpfull, turns out I'm being a bollox:(

Ha ah it depends on the customer's attitude otherwise, but most times it comes across as 'You're too slow for me!'. You can have people that are sooo polite it makes it awkward...thank you on their arrival, thank you on each item scanned, thank you on being told the total, thank you on handing over, swiping, and handing back the clubcard...same with money, then a few times when they're packing up and leaving! I think the rude to nice customer ratio varies on the type of establishment, unfortunately I worked in a cheapo department store. Although well-off middle aged women were the absolute worst, always wanted to know if they were that bad in Brown Thomas too...

Sometimes I wonder do bus drivers get sick of everyone walking by saying "thanks". I mean sitting there replying "thanks" "cheers" "see ya" to everyone must get old

Up-n-atom!

Up-n-atom! wrote: »

I've worked for years in shops and at reception and I don't ever recall a rude person ruining my day (I was more worried about shop-lifters and getting robbed, which had a habit of happening!) and the vast majority of people said 'thank you'.

Did the robbers say thank you :D

Metallergy

i can't even leave the 'additional extras' comment section alone when ordering food online, just be comes another vehicle for thanks

Claregirl

I was brought up to say please and thank you, I've also beaten it into my kids. This shi*e of sending cards to say thank you is just pretentious. Now I have occasionally sent one or two but that was in extreme cases where someone went above and beyond to help me out or did something nice for me. I wouldn't send one for a Christmas gift or birthday gift etc.

A lot of it is a vicious circle though I can see how shop assistants would get tired of dealing with ignorant customers but to be honest I'd probably be an ignorant customer if I felt the assistant was being rude to me you know like holding a full blown conversation with a colleague while serving me that bugs me big time. And customers on a mobile phone while paying for their stuff annoys me too. Get over yourself you're not that important:mad:

LuckyMe63

policarp wrote: »

You come back to Ireland after 7 years, christen yourself LuckyMe63, and then on your first post you look for thanks.
I think you're due another 7 year holiday...
Ireland has changed for the worse I'm sad to say...

Ireland has changed for the worst

LuckyMe63

df1985 wrote: »

I always say thanks but "in these recessionary times" Im not going to go out and buy overpriced thank you cards now am I.......

Agreed on overpriced cards but a text, email or phone call works just as well

LuckyMe63

omen80 wrote: »

Jeez get a life! They are only kids ffs.....

In my case these were adults - all aged 35+ not kids.

LuckyMe63

Sheepy99 wrote: »

its not that irish people dont say thank you its just the dubs that are too up their holes to say thanks

The gifts were not sent to Dubs.

LuckyMe63

bmarley wrote: »

Gift sending is all about reciprocation but in these times many people do not want to receive gifts as they cannot afford to reciprocate. Personally, I prefer not to send or receive gifts as many presents received are not needed.

And this is fine too - but when you do get a gift or someone does something nice gesture then an acknowledgment is appreciated

LuckyMe63

dolphin city wrote: »

sounds like you picked friends with no manners.

In laws mainly - or should that be outlaws?

policarp

LuckyMe63 wrote: »

Ireland has changed for the worst

Thank you.

AnneElizabeth

OP and others, I think you're taking thanks far too seriously. People forget to say thanks, or are busy or are distracted/thinking of something else. If you only do things in order to get a thanks, you'll be very bitter. The whole point of opening a door for someone or sending them a gift is that it's something nice to do for someone without getting anything in return.

People forgetting to say thanks is not a personal insult to you. I hate when people feel they're obliged to be thanked because they did something for someone else. It's the same with waiters feeling that they're supposed to be given a tip. You're not.

jippers87

I work in a very busy shop and see this every day. Most are friendly and say please and thanks etc but there are so many people out there who have totally lost their manners.

I often get "gimme this" and "gimme that". I'm friendly to them. Is it really essential to bark at me? Does it kill to say please?

I understand that people have a lot on their minds but this attitude is changing our people into a bunch of grumpy old gits.

I think a lot have been too hard on the OP. I'm sure she didn't send gifts just to be thanked and I agree with her/him that a little bit of appreciation would be, well, appreciated!

What ever happened to "thanks so much for that, it was really thoughtful".

And to those of you who provided sarky comments; I guess you're exactly the type of people myself and the OP are talking about!

Dangerous Man

I always make a point of saying please and thank you. I think in the main Irish people are fairly polite. There are also rats, unfortunately.

IHeartChemistry

Reading the title of this thread kinda pissed me off tbh because for one it's very generalised (I can't spell this week >.<) thing to say about the Irish as a nation. Go abroad and you'll begin to realise we actually are a bunch of nice people with manners. I'm the type of girl that says sorry to a bloody chair when I walk into it!!

Fair enough you've had one bad experience, doesn't mean you have to attack 5 million Irish people because of 5 ignorant people.

Karma will come and bite you in the ass for saying this.

sh1tstirrer

Bubs99 wrote: »

I am a pure Irish girl and i say thank you all the time. I was brought up to believe that manners are very important and all my life, ive always thanked people for gifts and sent them cards etc.

I have noticed in the past few years that many people who serve me in shops or at stations, bus drivers etc...they can be sooo grumpy and ignorant!

I hate that! And one thing i loath is whenever i hold the door for people in shops in Dublin city or other places, they never say thank you.
Ive often had the doors slammed back in to my face also.

Sometimes, depending on my mood, ill say to them..."you could atleast say thank you"! It makes my blood boil!!!

Oh and another thing...I hate when people dont cover their mouths while they cough/sneeze or burp, especially on public transport.

No wonder we get so many infections!

Did you ever see a wash basin on a bus? Putting your hand over your mouth and then holding onto rails spreads germs even more;) Think of it this way by coming in contact with other peoples germs you can build up your immunity

squeakyduck

I always say thank you, when I get a present, a compliment, getting change in the shop, getting off the bus or someone opening a door for me.

If I didn't say thank you when I was small, I would have gotten a smack or would have been yelled at.

Politeness is common sense...it's just that alot of us in Ireland don't have it at the moment.

baldymac

wrong thread sorry

blueser

squeakyduck wrote: »

I always say thank you, when I get a present, a compliment, getting change in the shop, getting off the bus or someone opening a door for me.

If I didn't say thank you when I was small, I would have gotten a smack or would have been yelled at.

Politeness is common sense...it's just that alot of us in Ireland don't have it at the moment.

I echo your post word for word. it seems that politeness and manners do seem to be becoming as thing of the past.