Irish Etiquette

gobnaitolunacy

optimistic_ wrote: »

That's b***cks. At least in Dublin. Everyone I know tips, and tips generously.

You must be some kind of a returned Yank. Be a good Yank and go home, you won't get my field.

pebbles21

You must always thank the bus driver as you leave the bus

You must beeb the car in front of you at the traffic lights the very second the light turns green

Lustrum

It is perfectly acceptable to begin a conversation with the phrase, "Did you hear who died?"

Omackeral

If someone, especially in Dublin, asks ''Whats the Story?'', do not feel compelled to regale them with fables of any description. A simple 'Whats the story' or 'story' in return will suffice.

This also applies when someone asks ''How are you?'', often abbreviated to 'howiya?'. Again perfectly acceptable to answer back with a 'howiya' of your own.

Pat Mustard

There is protocol about the acceptable balance of drunkenness at Irish weddings, with sobriety and near sobriety being almost as frowned upon as as complete intoxication.

The only acceptable state at midnight is being 'nicely drunk', except for those who are pregnant or on medication.

Rasheed

I can honestly say that those statements are still accurate around Roscommon. Don't know if speaks well or not for Roscommon......

Luxie

pebbles21 wrote: »

You must always thank the bus driver as you leave the bus

You must beeb the car in front of you at the traffic lights the very second the light turns green

You do get funny looks thanking the bus driver when living abroad.

Dockington

Rented Mule wrote: »

You should always spend everything that you make, as fast as you make it.

You should always buy a bigger property than you can afford.

You should always make sure that you buy a newer (insert item here) before your neighbors. If you neighbor purchases said item before you, then buy a higher priced model of the item.

You should always buy into 'if everyone else has one, then I need one too' mentality.

When all of your money is gone, your credit cards are maxed out and your mortgage is overdue. Make sure that you blame the people who loaned you the money/issued the credit cards to you. Surely they should have known better !!

bla bla bla misery. I'm so great everyone else is a fool bla bla bla

cyrusdvirus

Dockington wrote: »

bla bla bla misery. I'm so great everyone else is a fool bla bla bla

the thread is Irish Etiquette lads... not Irish Begrudgery!!

Sorcha16

Automatically ticking 'Catholic' in the census despite not believing in God and only going to mass when you arrive home for Christmas to keep your mother happy

Fuinseog

Rented Mule wrote: »

You should always spend everything that you make, as fast as you make it.

You should always buy a bigger property than you can afford.

You should always make sure that you buy a newer (insert item here) before your neighbors. If you neighbor purchases said item before you, then buy a higher priced model of the item.

You should always buy into 'if everyone else has one, then I need one too' mentality.

When all of your money is gone, your credit cards are maxed out and your mortgage is overdue. Make sure that you blame the people who loaned you the money/issued the credit cards to you. Surely they should have known better !!

only in ireland did I hear the term 'starter home'.

gobnaitolunacy

'Taytos' is a generic name which can apply to any brand of crisps.

Playful insults are acceptable between close friends.

Dockington

gatecrash wrote: »

the thread is Irish Etiquette lads... not Irish Begrudgery!!

cool, it is acceptable if not encouraged to insult everything irish and go on about how much you hate the country and how the irish are crap, sheep, begrudgers, alcoholics etc.....unless you are foreign, then ya can fcuk off back to your own country if ya dont like it.

Chun Li

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

'Taytos' is a generic name which can apply to any brand of crisps.

Eh no it's not.

gobnaitolunacy

Chun Li wrote: »

Eh no it's not.

Tayto may refer to:

• Tayto (Republic of Ireland), a major Irish crisps and popcorn manufacturer
• Tayto (Northern Ireland), a Northern Ireland manufacturer of crisps and corn snacks
• An Irish synonym for crisps (potato chips).

languagenerd

Got a good laugh out of that, especially this one:

For business meetings, men should wear suits or sportcoats and ties; women should wear suits or dresses and blazers (women wear pants less often than in America).

I know what they mean, but in Dublin "pants" means "underwear"
They sound like they haven't been updated in about 30 years!

To add a few new ones:

* "Grand" means "okay" or "fine", not "fancy". Everything may be described as "grand", though "Ah, sure, it'll be grand" may mean that definitely it won't be grand.

* If someone starts a conversation with "How are you?", they do not, under any circumstances, want to know how you are. The correct response is "How are you?" or "Grand, yourself?".

* You must discuss the weather at the beginning of every conversation.

* "Now" means anything from "in a few minutes" to "tomorrow". (e.g. "I'll do that now")

* No-one in Ireland wears bumbags (American: fanny packs) or hoodies saying IRELAND: SINCE 1916. To do so will make you look like a tourist and everyone will secretly hate you.

* The Irish do not care that your great-grandmother's second cousin twice removed was also Irish, so do not tell them about it.

* The Irish will constantly make fun of their own country, their friends and themselves. It is inadvisable for foreigners to join in.

Chun Li

Thanks for the reliable Wiki quote

RedXIV

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

Playful insults are acceptable between close friends.

The closer the friend, the more detailed,disgusting and viscious the insult

Omackeral

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

'Taytos' is a generic name which can apply to any brand of crisps.

Playful insults are acceptable between close friends.

Maybe in Bally-go-backwards it's acceptable to call any crisps Taytos but not up here in MegaCity1.0

podgemonster

If you are male and become friendly with Irish males they will display acts of friendship between themselves by openly insulting each other and demonstrating physical violence such a dead arms or headlocks. If they call you a "homosexual" or push you into oncoming traffic or similar abuse, take this as a confirmation of your admittance into their group.

If this isn't the case and they are refined, courteous and compliment you and your attire then you are in fact in the company of homosexuals.

Chocoholic84

The Irish are uncomfortable with loud, aggressive, and arrogant behavior. Isn't everyone?


The small plate next to a dinner plate is for peelings removed from boiled potatoes. SO SO TRUE!

It is considered more proper for a woman to order a glass of beer or stout rather than a pint. Well it's not often you'd see a woman with a pint in her hand ANYWHERE...not just Ireland Saying that, I've had my fair share of pints!

And definitely complaining about the weather should be in there somewhere...

And the same old conversation between 2 old dears when someone dies....it's perfection...brought to you by Sminky shorts!

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

[Removed Image]

► 0:58► 0:58

www.youtube.com/watch?v=biArkwUaURA

smash

If someone is a complete asshole, you are to refer to him as "a bit of a character".

seamus

The Mustard wrote: »

The only acceptable state at midnight is being 'nicely drunk', except for those who are pregnant or on medication.

At any big social occassion, it is considered impolite to remark upon the level of intoxication of another guest. Anyone who has overdone it must be regarded as simply "Gone to bed".

The rule about levels of intoxication is that it is only socially unacceptable to be the drunkest person in the room.

Rented Mule

Dockington wrote: »

bla bla bla misery. I'm so great everyone else is a fool bla bla bla

As long as we're on the same page.

davet82

the irish love to understate everything...

a black eye and a broken nose between friends - 'a falling out'

people who are high-functioning alcoholics - 'being fond of the drink'

30 years of terrorist violence - 'the troubles'

Honey-ec

Chocoholic84 wrote: »

The Irish are uncomfortable with loud, aggressive, and arrogant behavior. Isn't everyone?

Unless it's on Harcourt St. at 4am.

Honey-ec

davet82 wrote: »

the irish love to understate everything...

a black eye and a broken nose between friends - 'a falling out'

people who are high-functioning alcoholics - 'being fond of the drink'

30 years of terrorist violence - 'the troubles'

World War II - "the emergency"

I find high-functioning alcoholics aren't even considered alcoholics. Sure if you can hold down a job, you couldn't possibly be an alco! It's the Angela's Ashes just-short-of-ending-up-in-the-gutter types who are described as "fond of the drink".

SiegHeilNosey

languagenerd wrote: »

* No-one in Ireland wears bumbags (American: fanny packs) or hoodies saying IRELAND: SINCE 1916. To do so will make you look like a tourist and everyone will secretly hate you.

* The Irish do not care that your great-grandmother's second cousin twice removed was also Irish, so do not tell them about it.

Wait a minute.... speak for yourself here!!!! how ignorant and uppidy are you lol...

Ive loads of time for American tourists, they are great craic..

They have an interest in their history and culture! shock horror :eek:

Its a pity more irish people didnt do the same, instead of putting down the yanks for doing it. One real hate of mine.

Pat Mustard

davet82 wrote: »

the irish love to understate everything...

a black eye and a broken nose between friends - 'a falling out'

people who are high-functioning alcoholics - 'being fond of the drink'

30 years of terrorist violence - 'the troubles'

Brilliant, must agree.


'Took to the bed' - complete mental breakdown

'a bit of a chancer' - untrustworthy person

'a lip on him' - someone with a desperate urge to imbibe alcohol

Luxie

The Mustard wrote: »

Brilliant, must agree.


'Took to the bed' - complete mental breakdown

'a bit of a chancer' - untrustworthy person

'a lip on him' - someone with a desperate urge to imbibe alcohol

He was 'disappointed' by a girl - dumped

ArtyC

davet82 wrote: »

some advice on Irish etiquette (my word of the day) that i seen on a website...

http://www.ediplomat.com/np/cultural_etiquette/ce_ie.htm

i found it amusing the idea of some foregin guy reading this before a trip...



so are all the statements accurate? any that you would like to add to the advice of foregin travellers before coming here for business/pleaure?

my fave part of the potato is the skin!!

Eiriu

super_furry wrote: »

Sounds like that was written in 1978 and never updated.

if it was written in 1978 they were definately right about the long-term planning thing.

It bugs me even today that decisions are not being made that will benefit Irish people 20 years down the line.

Also the old boys club in Ireland needs to be phased out in the future.

This will make our economy more efficient.

seven_eleven

When a garda car drives past the entire street must stare it the entire time it goes down the street, mouth agape of course.

In really rural area's, you can replace the garda car with a tractor :pac:

Ecarg

The. Acceptable answer to. "How are you?" Is. "I'm grand.". Nobody really wants to hear all your woes!

shopaholic01

The Mustard wrote: »

'Took to the bed' - complete mental breakdown

Sure isn't he/she 'harmless'.

smash

"He's nice when you get to know him" = he has broken my very being and he'll do it to you too!

languagenerd

SiegHeilNosey wrote: »

Wait a minute.... speak for yourself here!!!! how ignorant and uppidy are you lol...

Ive loads of time for American tourists, they are great craic..

They have an interest in their history and culture! shock horror :eek:

Its a pity more irish people didnt do the same, instead of putting down the yanks for doing it. One real hate of mine.

Calm down, I was joking!
I like tourists. I help them out when I have time and I've occasionally complained to places for the way they treat tourists. I also like being a tourist - I travel around a fair bit and speak a few languages.

I was just poking fun at the stereotypical ones (not just Americans, either) that tend to block my way to college/work every morning :P Please take most of what I say with a good dose of sarcasm and a healthy pinch of salt.

Chun Li

shopaholic01 wrote: »

Sure isn't he/she 'harmless'.

Oh harmless he is, sure he lives on his nerves

B0jangles

languagenerd wrote: »

* "Now" means anything from "in a few minutes" to "tomorrow". (e.g. "I'll do that now")

You left out the very useful "now in a minute" as in "yes Mammy I'll do that now in a minute", which as far as I know means "I may or may not do that thing at any point in the future".

desertcircus

If someone responds to your surprising news by telling you to "f**k off", do not make the mistake of treating this as a hostile outburst. The person is simply expressing the appropriate level of shock or surprise in response to your news. Example:

Jim: Yeah, I was chatting her up, everything was going real well, then my ex appears out of nowhere and flings her pint all over me!
Mick: F**k off!
Jim: I know, ruined my new shirt and all!

In addition, the rise of feminism and the gay rights movement has meant that where in the past, half-pints were considered to be the preserve of women and homosexuals by the more reactionary elements of society, social progress has now brought Ireland to the point where half-pints are simply socially unacceptable in polite society for people of all ages, and are now only consumed by English stag parties who don't realise that ordering beer by the half-pint in Ireland is now nothing more than a ruse to catch underage drinkers who haven't been drinking long enough to be able to drink a full pint.

Lastly: for the love of God, don't ask anyone Irish to consider whether the emphasis on beer and social drinking is ultimately harmful. Irish people don't like considering this thorny issue and prefer to have another pint rather than dwell upon it.

AngeGal

'One', as in one alcoholic drink, will never end with one.

When you get into a taxi, the first question is "Are ya busy' followed by a comment, usually negative, on the weather.

'I'm grand' could mean anything from I have never been this depressed or happy.

Real Life

The Mustard wrote: »

Brilliant, must agree.


'Took to the bed' - complete mental breakdown

'a bit of a chancer' - untrustworthy person

'a lip on him' - someone with a desperate urge to imbibe alcohol

also commonly referred to as suffering with his nerves

cyrusdvirus

i'm loving this thread....

Suggest it as a legend of the boards?

mikemac1

Your buddy having a coke in the pub?
You must ask about his health, he's most likely on anti-biotics. Sure why else would he be on the minerals

Poor nerves, took to the bed, already mentioned above

He took a heart attack.
He took a fall

To a Brit "feeling poorly" is practically on your deathbed with family and the priest there.
In Ireland feeling poorly means you'll be grand, not so serious


Flat Diet 7up is a magic. Next time you visit someone in the hospital be sure to bring some.
Miracule cure I tell ya

B0jangles

mikemac1 wrote: »

Your buddy having a coke in the pub?
You must ask about his health, he's most likely on anti-biotics. Sure why else would he be on the minerals

Poor nerves, took to the bed, already mentioned above

He took a heart attack.
He took a fall

To a Brit "feeling poorly" is practically on your deathbed with family and the priest there.
In Ireland feeling poorly means you'll be grand, not so serious


Flat Diet 7up is a magic. Next time you visit someone in the hospital be sure to bring some.
Miracule cure I tell ya

Hehe - my Da was in a motorbike accident and completely mangled his leg, to the extent that they weren't sure if they could save it.
Anyway the ambulanceman who picked him up realised that he was in need of serious help so he gave him a yorkie, a copy of the latest Ireland's Own and some lucozade.

Leg's grand now, I think it was the Ireland's Own that did the trick. It's very soothing.

davet82

another one for the understatement list -

An irishman facing a lengthy prison sentence - 'has got himself into a spot of bother'

kylith

It was recommended to me, as a young(er) lady, to drink pints because "A fella loves to see a youngwan drinking a pint, it means she's not high maintenance".

AngeGal wrote: »

'I'm grand' could mean anything from I have never been this depressed or happy.

The ambiguity can be a bit of a pain in the arse though:
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm grand."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I'm grand, thanks".
"You're sure you're ok?"
"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DID I NOT JUST SAY THAT I'M GRAND???!!"

Capt'n Midnight

seamus wrote: »

The rule about levels of intoxication is that it is only socially unacceptable to be the drunkest person in the room.

And then only if it's by a very conseridable margin.

suicide_circus

If someone offers you a 'mineral' do not expect to receive any kind of geological deposit.

Honey-ec

It's perfectly acceptable to attract waiting staff's attention or ask someone to move out of your way by apologising to them.

"Yeah no" is an appropriate answer to many questions.