Do Irish people cheek kiss?

languagenerd

I think Irish people are just too awkward for that :P. Even hugging was a step too far for a lot of us until recently, and you very rarely see older people hugging each other as a greeting.

I always greet close family with a kiss on the cheek (possibly because my grandfather is French) but never friends and definitely not strangers! I found it so odd in France, it takes some getting used to (and they don't hug with the kiss on the cheek, which was just awkward at first). With friends, I usually just say hi, tbh! With strangers, a handshake will do (I'm female, btw) or even just a nod and "hello".

Sometimes I wish we did hug more, but not kissing cheeks...

Abi

Ficheall wrote: »

I wouldn't call that an understated greeting.
What's wrong with a simple 'hi' or a smile or perfunctory nod?

With my own family? I find that rather cold.

Pandora2

When my brother popped the question to his French girlfriend, my Mother and Father had to make several trips to her home in France to get to know the in-laws, organise the wedding and so forth and stayed with them at their farm. Now me Ma & Da were doing the united front thing and were barely on speaking terms, made for interesting times!!:rolleyes:

We were talking one day and she mentioned that she was off to France for the weekend but that she really didn't want to go!! I was surprised to say the least because she had a great time any time she was over! So I asked why? She said and I quote "No amount of good food, fabulous wine, beautiful scenery or great weather can make up for having to kiss your Father 4 times before me feckin coffee in the morning!!"

BunShopVoyeur

Some of my girlfriends mates would do it alright. Was a bit weird at first because I wasn't used to it.

On that note, what's the correct thing to do? An actual kiss on the cheek or just peck beside their cheek?

Vicxas

All the italians do it, when they do it to me i feel uncomfortable

No, its just not part of our culture. And I hate when people do it to be bougie.

I live in the Middle East and people here do the kiss cheek thing but here's the thing; because it's a segregated society in terms of gender relations; the Women kiss cheek the Women and the Men Kiss cheek the Men only, unless they are related. One kiss on the right cheek and three on the left cheek is how they do it here! It took me a while to get used to it and I have to do it with my in-laws all the time. it's quite common for my male friends here to link my arm like we're a bleenin couple when we walk down the street. I don't mind it here but it's not something I'd do back home.

Even a handshake in Ireland is quite formal compared to other cultures. Everyday in work I shake hands with everyone in the office first thing in the morning.

We're just not very touchy feely in Ireland. That's not to say we're cold though. A smile and a handshake is more than enough for me.

Uriel.

I do it a lot now, but that's cause my GF is Greek and it's the standard greeting over there between male and female.

Does get tiresome when over in Greece at a family event or something, the first ten minutes of arriving it's kissing the life outta cheeks.

Still, you get used to it very quickly and I see no problem with it at all.

Raiser

This cheek kiss thing is common enough - I find it very socially awkward.

- The expectations vary and its different rules for differnet people, some people reckon they know ya long enough to want to kiss both cheeks (?) - Never know who I'm meant to be kissing, how much or when.

I prefer to shake hands in all situations

Loomis

I kiss my mammy on the cheek

sidders

Domo230 wrote: »

Unless you are an attractive female you can all stay the feck away from my cheeks.

very true

Linoge

purplepanda wrote: »

Since when?

Watch Dragons Den. Every deal with a woman ends with a handshake and a kiss.

I worked for an English company before and hated the whole greet and kiss thing. You can see they hesitate as they dont know whether to peck you on the cheek or what. I just used to hold out my arm straight for a handshake so there was no doubt about moving closer.

A peck on the cheek is a bit too affectionate for a work colleague or someone you dont know IMO. A handshake is perfectly acceptable.

Babybuff

BunShopVoyeur wrote: »

Some of my girlfriends mates would do it alright. Was a bit weird at first because I wasn't used to it.

On that note, what's the correct thing to do? An actual kiss on the cheek or just peck beside their cheek?

it's more like a cheek hug for me. I really like it. I'm not an especially touchy feely person (I used be pretty bad when it came to having people in my personal space) but I find the cheek hug comfortable.

entropi

smash wrote: »

Is it ok to drop the hand if it's just a cheek kiss?

If in doubt, drop the panda paw.

I Heart Internet

Never in a business context as the poster above suggests re: the UK. I worked there for a few years and never saw it tbh.

I've become far more relaxed about the kiss-greet these days. Will do it for some of my wife's family (not my own though....habits) and for female friends - especially abroad. Course the number is always a question. 3 in holland always seems a bit too many but what harm!

OldGoat

I kiss everyone, friends, family, strangers, kids. I like making straightlaced people feel arkward.

plein de force

I'd only do it with foreign friends like from france etc where it's the norm but never with other irish people apart from my granny who does it with all her grandkids

membersonly

Dublin Housewives dahling MWAH MWAH...

The Snipe

I'd kiss one cheek of a close friend, or of a female dignitary. But that would be it.


Edit:

And girls I like

Nothingbetter2d

Domo230 wrote: »

We don't kiss cheeks.

I will now instruct you on the correct social protocol for greeting a person in Ireland.

Paddy the Irishman: "Are you well"
Johnny foreigner: "Yea Grand"
If in Dublin you can instead simply say and respond with "Story" instead.

Damo the dub: "Story"
Deco the Dub: "Story"


Remember that regardless of how you are feeling you are either "Grand", or "well".

Johnny foreigner:" Sorry to hear about your house burning down, are you well?"
Paddy the Irishman: "Yea grand"


Johnny foreigner: "Story? Heard you won the lotto"
Damo the Dub: "Yea grand"


On face value it may not appear as intimate as kissing cheeks but it belies a whole world of subtlety. When in doubt simply repeat variations of Well/Grand and Story (If in Dublin) and you will see a whole world of new social opportunities arise.

carlow greeting protocol

carlow male paddy - well horse!!
carlow male johnny - well lad hows it going?

carlow female mary - well lad
carlow male paddy - not bad n how are you luv?

carlow female mary - well girl any gossip?
carlow female lizzy - grand mary yeah did ya hear about paddy?

Leslie91

Whatever about cheek kissin a cailin I'd never get used to cheek kissing a bloke. (me being a bloke and all)

herisson

Nothingbetter2d wrote: »

carlow greeting protocol

carlow male paddy - well horse!!
carlow male johnny - well lad hows it going?

carlow female mary - well lad
carlow male paddy - not bad n how are you luv?

carlow female mary - well girl any gossip?
carlow female lizzy - grand mary yeah did ya hear about paddy?

Where in carlow are you from?? I have never heard anyone use girl to greet a woman nor have i heard any men call women luv

Its more like

"Well, whats the craic lad?"
"Nothing much and yourself"

and if you are from the country

"story horse"

pretty much the same for both sexes in my experience

Dyr

Nothingbetter2d wrote: »

carlow greeting protocol

carlow male paddy - well horse!!
carlow male johnny - well lad hows it going?

carlow female mary - well lad
carlow male paddy - not bad n how are you luv?

carlow female mary - well girl any gossip?
carlow female lizzy - grand mary yeah did ya hear about paddy?

With all due respect, nobody in their right mind gives a f**k about how things are done in carlow.

purplepanda

Linoge wrote: »

Watch Dragons Den. Every deal with a woman ends with a handshake and a kiss.

I worked for an English company before and hated the whole greet and kiss thing. You can see they hesitate as they dont know whether to peck you on the cheek or what. I just used to hold out my arm straight for a handshake so there was no doubt about moving closer.

A peck on the cheek is a bit too affectionate for a work colleague or someone you dont know IMO. A handshake is perfectly acceptable.

Luvlies in the media & related industries would be the expection to the rule, apart from that it's still not common practice.