Anyone find the continentals strange?

Seanachai

average hero wrote: »

For me, the continentals are a great bunch of lads. Of course every country/region is going to have its oddities.

Since returning from the continent a few months ago, I have noticed that there is more and more of a serious/work every hour attitude coming into Ireland. Things aren't as 'casual' as they might have been a few years ago. This is a good thing though in some respects. In comparison to our continental neighbours, we are still wild though!

With regards to craic, I find the Germans and Italians in particular to be good fun. While there are more 'strange' people in German and they can be a bit colder at first, I find them to be good fun once you get to know them. Italians are pretty cool too. Polish, French and Spanish are cool too. People from the Nordics and the Baltics can be hit and miss for me. Generally nice people but quite serious or dour. Must be the weather!

Zorya

Edgware wrote: »

Balkans "great sense of humour" Thats a good one

I love the Balkan sense of humour, very droll. I like the way they don't plámás either, just straight up people (who have seen some sh!te in their time).

Electric Sheep

sbsquarepants wrote: »

Completely racist....but I agree with you:D

I've worked with a lot of both over the past decade or so and of the maybe 100 eastern Europeans I know, all bar one is as tight as a ducks arse. They'd step on each others throats if there was a quid to be made.
Now I get that they've come here to make money and not to party their lives away, but Jesus Christ - I just couldn't live like that.

The one who wasn't came from a well to do family so that's probably the difference. She was also red hot so I tended to forgive a lot of her foibles.

Maybe they are in Ireland to make as much money as they can, and then go back home. Much as many Irish people who emigrate do. I've known many who want to make enough money to buy a house, or at least get the deposit, and move back to Ireland. It was their only reason for emigrating, and they concentrated all their attention to it.

ghostfacekilla

I've worked in Sweden for nearly 3yrs and never once have I been invited to do anything outside of work with them. I've lived in quite a few countries and generally by the first Friday at work, your invited out to the pub for a drink or whatever. The expats stick close to each other, of all nationalities.
A sober Swede is as much fun as an AIDS diagnosis.
They make the Germans look like world class stand up comedians.

riffmongous

partyguinness wrote: »

TBH all big cities are cold. If you have ever been to Wolverhampton I promise you will be on the first train back to London.

5th worst city in the world

Greentopia

I find I often have more in common with them than I do other Irish people. I hate cold draughty houses here and the crap building standards, the acceptance of mediocrity in so many areas of life and the "sure twill do" attitude, the drinking culture, how no-one ever turns up on time or keeps appointments (builders!), the political incompetence and acceptance of poor standards in public services like our healthcare system and public transport, the greed of landlords... but I love my friends here and the genuine warmth of the people and sense of community, and how many Irish people will do you a good turn and not expect anything back.

I once found a pair of gloves on a bus here and found a way to get them back to their owner. My fiancee (German) found it odd I would go to any effort to do such a thing and said that would never happen over there as people are too busy and wouldn't go out of their way to help. If you lose something well you were careless so you deserve what you get being the attitude. Having lived there I think he's right. Germans are a lot more punctual and organised than we are. A LOT more. Drives my guy nuts if I'm even 5 minutes late so I learned to be on time there. They're also clean freaks which I appreciate. It's lovely to be able to go for a walk there without seeing rubbish and stepping into dog **** on the streets, and I love how people keep their houses so clean and well kept inside and out. So many Irish houses and streets look grotty and filthy when you walk by in comparison. I've seen rented places here that would be condemned in Germany as unfit for human habitation...love their high standards for so many things. We could learn a lot from them. Oh and East Germans in particular have a great sense of humour and are so kind.

I definitely think we have more in common with countries like Spain and Italy, especially when it comes to the importance of family and the Mammy. I like that about the Italians.

In Sweden I noticed they had a much narrower idea of what family life is-your immediate family of partner and kids and your parents. Extended family was not so important it seemed as it is here.

But then I had more in common with them and felt more at home there at times than I do here. Sweden was a perfect country for me in many ways- clean, safe, efficient, well organised as I like it. I'm an only child, an introvert who likes my privacy, don't drink much, I like my work and comfortable lifestyle and love good design, and good planning and organisation so I fitted in well there. Only thing I didn't like was how long the winters was. Takes a lot of getting used to.

Oh and they leave you alone. No drunken fools accosting you on the street or strangers wanting to talk to you when you just want to get home or get from A to B.
Great country, lovely gentle, peaceful people. And they're not boring. You just have to make an effort to break the ice with them and they will open up. I'm buying a summer cottage there when I retire.

Always Tired

Electric Sheep wrote: »

Maybe they are in Ireland to make as much money as they can, and then go back home. Much as many Irish people who emigrate do. I've known many who want to make enough money to buy a house, or at least get the deposit, and move back to Ireland. It was their only reason for emigrating, and they concentrated all their attention to it.

In fairness I think compared to the East Europeans that move here, Irish people are much more likely to become part of the communities in the countries they emigrate to, and are much more likely to settle and buy a house in those countries. They became a huge part of the fabric of America through their work in construction, the police etc. The Irish endeared themselves with their characteristics of manners, openness, sense of humour, music, storytelling, etc. That's why they celebrate Paddy's Day the world over and you never hear fug all about Polish saints.

Greentopia

ghostfacekilla wrote: »

I've worked in Sweden for nearly 3yrs and never once have I been invited to do anything outside of work with them. I've lived in quite a few countries and generally by the first Friday at work, your invited out to the pub for a drink or whatever. The expats stick close to each other, of all nationalities.
A sober Swede is as much fun as an AIDS diagnosis.
They make the Germans look like world class stand up comedians.

Did you learn the language? that helps a lot, even if you just make an effort to speak it will be appreciated and it's easy enough to learn. And no they won't invite you if you don't make it known that you would like to go somewhere outside work. Swedes value their privacy above almost everything else and see it as good manners to not impose on others time or private space. If you want to do something just ask!

The last thing you should do is stick with an Irish expat community if you really want to integrate into life there and make new friends.

I loved Swedes and made a good few friends there. And when you make friends with a Swede you have a really good friend you can rely on 100% and a friend for life. They don't do the Irish thing of calling acquaintances friends and saying they'll contact you and then don't, and they will only call you a friend if they really know you well. Same as Germans actually. They take friendship seriously. I like that. It has depth and honour.

They're also a nation of introverts and can be quite shy so don't mistake that for being boring or uninteresting. The majority would call themselves middle class (even the few who would call themselves working class have a middle class lifestyle by Irish standards), they're a nation that love moderation in all things -lagom är bäst , they hate confrontation, and they like their comfortable safe routine and nice middle class lifestyles. It's basically a whole nation of accountants, or nowadays IT programmers

So if none of that appeals to you I'm afraid you are indeed in the wrong country.

NSAman

completedit wrote: »

Americans are so strange and foreign to me unless they are from California or Deep South or something. I just like the Californians I’ve met mindset. People from the Midwest are the worst, zero divilment, zero charm.

You forgot, zero sense of humour, zero education and tell you their whole life story and bore you to tears over farming talk (e,g. How they changed their tractor tyre in graphic detail for 4 hours).

New Yorkers are rude and very much fun.

The average Irish person leaves the average American in the shade education wise, personality wise and travel wise.

Californians are imho, just plain stupid.

Wibbs

Greentopia wrote: »

They're also a nation of introverts and can be quite shy so don't mistake that for being boring or uninteresting. The majority would call themselves middle class (even the few who would call themselves working class have a middle class lifestyle by Irish standards), they're a nation that love moderation in all things -lagom b , they hate confrontation, and they like their comfortable safe routine and nice middle class lifestyles. It's basically a whole nation of accountants, or nowadays IT programmers

So if none of that appeals to you I'm afraid you are indeed in the wrong country.

Sounds like somewhere I'd love to visit, but to live there would be a purgatory for me. Too much introversion does my head in. I'm definitely more "Latin" in that regard and feel far more comfortable around them.

meeeeh

Always Tired wrote: »

In fairness I think compared to the East Europeans that move here, Irish people are much more likely to become part of the communities in the countries they emigrate to, and are much more likely to settle and buy a house in those countries. They became a huge part of the fabric of America through their work in construction, the police etc. The Irish endeared themselves with their characteristics of manners, openness, sense of humour, music, storytelling, etc. That's why they celebrate Paddy's Day the world over and you never hear fug all about Polish saints.

Irish are more open but I think this is slightly romantic view. Irish migrants were leaving in a lot larger numbers and to countries that speak the same language. You don't hear about great integration of Irsh into let's say German society.

completedit

Irish people who moved to the new world spoke Irish, they might have had some English not majority would have been Irish speakers.

The presence and place of Irish people in America is down to the first wave of emigrants with the famine and the decades after it. By like 1920, I reckon that the Irish in America had solidified itself and any Irish after that were just in drips and drabs,

meeeeh

completedit wrote: »

Irish people who moved to the new world spoke Irish, they might have had some English not majority would have been Irish speakers.

The presence and place of Irish people in America is down to the first wave of emigrants with the famine and the decades after it. By like 1920, I reckon that the Irish in America had solidified itself and any Irish after that were just in drips and drabs,

In huge numbers. Did any European country have such a large migration outside the wars? My ancestors are of german origin on my mum's side but you could also say that they integrated so well there is nothing to distinguish them from any others except mum's maiden surname. If anything Irish in America still distinguish themselves as Irish that would imply certain inability to totally integrate and be overrepresented in certain professions.

Seanachai

meeeeh wrote: »

In huge numbers. Did any European country have such a large migration outside the wars? My ancestors are of german origin on my mum's side but you could also say that they integrated so well there is nothing to distinguish them from any others except mum's maiden surname. If anything Irish in America still distinguish themselves as Irish that would imply certain inability to totally integrate and be overrepresented in certain professions.

It seems to be stronger in places like New York, Boston, Philadelphia etc, there are people of Irish ancestry in the South and California who don't place such an emphasis on it. They come across as being a lot more American than a colony or tribe that just happens to live there and speak with the accent.

meeeeh

Seanachai wrote: »

It seems to be stronger in places like New York, Boston, Philadelphia etc, there are people of Irish ancestry in the South and California who don't place such an emphasis on it. They come across as being a lot more American than a colony or tribe that just happens to live there and speak with the accent.

I think Americans have huge desire to belong somewhere. I suspect those with Latin American or Italian roots in certain areas would also stick to their traditions.

Edgware

meeeeh wrote: »

In huge numbers. Did any European country have such a large migration outside the wars? My ancestors are of german origin on my mum's side but you could also say that they integrated so well there is nothing to distinguish them from any others except mum's maiden surname. If anything Irish in America still distinguish themselves as Irish that would imply certain inability to totally integrate and be overrepresented in certain professions.

I thought your ancestors of German origin were more inclined to go to Argentina/Brazil/Paraguay. Very popular in the late 40s I believe

zapitastas

Greentopia wrote: »

Did you learn the language? that helps a lot, even if you just make an effort to speak it will be appreciated and it's easy enough to learn. And no they won't invite you if you don't make it known that you would like to go somewhere outside work. Swedes value their privacy above almost everything else and see it as good manners to not impose on others time or private space. If you want to do something just ask!

The last thing you should do is stick with an Irish expat community if you really want to integrate into life there and make new friends.

I loved Swedes and made a good few friends there. And when you make friends with a Swede you have a really good friend you can rely on 100% and a friend for life. They don't do the Irish thing of calling acquaintances friends and saying they'll contact you and then don't, and they will only call you a friend if they really know you well. Same as Germans actually. They take friendship seriously. I like that. It has depth and honour.

They're also a nation of introverts and can be quite shy so don't mistake that for being boring or uninteresting. The majority would call themselves middle class (even the few who would call themselves working class have a middle class lifestyle by Irish standards), they're a nation that love moderation in all things -lagom är bäst , they hate confrontation, and they like their comfortable safe routine and nice middle class lifestyles. It's basically a whole nation of accountants, or nowadays IT programmers

So if none of that appeals to you I'm afraid you are indeed in the wrong country.

Are you sure about the confrontation part? Maybe not confrontation but I had always found that they can be blunt to the point of being insulting. A lot like the Dutch in that respect. On the one hand you know their opinion on something, on the other hand it can come across as abrasive

storker

I watched a YouTube video recently of a Swedish lady listing some things that are weird about the Swedes. One of them was that they don't do small talk and she claimed that a Swede intending to go out of their apartment will check the door peephole first to see if any neighbour is already waiting for the lift...so they can wait until the neighbour is gone so they don't have to talk to them.Sounds like my kind of place - apart from the cuisine (Ikea meatballs excepted) - that's where my Latin side comes out.

And speaking of Latins, I never saw beauty spots littered in Italy the way you so often see it in Ireland. This country is a disgrace in many ways.

Seanachai

storker wrote: »

I watched a YouTube video recently of a Swedish lady listing some things that are weird about the Swedes. One of them was that they don't do small talk and she claimed that a Swede intending to go out of their apartment will check the door peephole first to see if any neighbour is already waiting for the lift...so they can wait until the neighbour is gone so they don't have to talk to them.Sounds like my kind of place - apart from the cuisine (Ikea meatballs excepted) - that's where my Latin side comes out.

And speaking of Latins, I never saw beauty spots littered in Italy the way you so often see it in Ireland. This country is a disgrace in many ways.

The litter situation has gotten ridiculous where I'm from, people are putting up wildlife cameras to try and get reg plates.

meeeeh

Edgware wrote: »

I thought your ancestors of German origin were more inclined to go to Argentina/Brazil/Paraguay. Very popular in the late 40s I believe

And some landed in Ireland. You can jog off with that insinuation. One of my grandfathers was imprisoned by Nazis and spent war in forced labour in Germany and the other one was imprisoned by Italians and later on forced into Italian army. Where I come from war wasn't called emergency and quite a few of my grandparents relatives were either killed displaced, imprisoned or wounded in the war.

topper75

Greentopia wrote: »

...
They're also a nation of introverts and can be quite shy so don't mistake that for being boring or uninteresting.
...

There was nothing introverted about these Scandie sorts 1000 years back! Laughing to myself now picturing these boatloads of lads in chainmail and colourful shields landing on Iona all walking up towards the abbey not talking to each other and just staring at the ground. Monks would have kicked them back into the sea.

James Brown

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

They terk er jerbs!!!

Took ta dooooo!!

James Brown

Culchies though, am I right?

Greentopia

zapitastas wrote: »

Are you sure about the confrontation part? Maybe not confrontation but I had always found that they can be blunt to the point of being insulting. A lot like the Dutch in that respect. On the one hand you know their opinion on something, on the other hand it can come across as abrasive

Very sure about the confrontation part. I lived there for 8 years. They're conflict averse and will always try to find a consensus of opinion and sort out any problem diplomatically. They use their brains, not their fists.

Definitely blunt, same as Germans (who are even more so in my experience with less tact), same as the Dutch yes, but so what? I like that personally, at least you know where you stand with them and yes you know their opinion of you then. They see it as a virtue to speak their mind and honesty and truthfulness is expected in all areas of life. Again something I really like. It means they have low tolerance for corruption and the Nordic countries consistently score as the least corrupt in the world. Finland is number 1.
We could learn a thing or two here!

They're simply bluntly honest. Being blunt is not rudeness in my opinion, they just say what they mean without beating around the bush and being polite in the British/Irish way of apologising for every minor indiscretion or error (e.g they wouldn't say sorry if they bump into you slightly on the street like here and definitely wouldn't do the Irish thing of apologising even if you're the one doing the bumping

Greentopia

Wibbs wrote: »

Sounds like somewhere I'd love to visit, but to live there would be a purgatory for me. Too much introversion does my head in. I'm definitely more "Latin" in that regard and feel far more comfortable around them.

It's the opposite for me, I love Italy and Spain for a holiday and I have some Italian friends but the Latin character is too extrovert and loud for me to move there. And the levels of corruption...no way.

I think you would really enjoy Sweden, but make sure you go in the Summer or Spring at least when you get long bright days. Stockholm is gorgeous, rightfully called the Venice of the North.

Of course not all Swedes are introverted, but the general character is. If they know you're Irish they will love you and open up to you and be chatty. They're not dour or unfriendly, just very private and quiet generally. Not as much as the Finns mind you :pac:

When they have alcohol in them though all bets are off and they can be the life and soul of the party. It really changes them and they come out of their shell.
A bit like me... :P

Greentopia

storker wrote: »

I watched a YouTube video recently of a Swedish lady listing some things that are weird about the Swedes. One of them was that they don't do small talk and she claimed that a Swede intending to go out of their apartment will check the door peephole first to see if any neighbour is already waiting for the lift...so they can wait until the neighbour is gone so they don't have to talk to them.Sounds like my kind of place - apart from the cuisine (Ikea meatballs excepted) - that's where my Latin side comes out.

That's a bit of a cliche and joke in Sweden, they don't really look out the peephole before leaving their apartment to avoid the neighbours. Well maybe some do but most wouldn't I don't think! Never seen any friends do it.

The lack of small talk is 100% correct. They don't really see the point. But again Germans are the very same. My fiancee is German and it's taken him two years to get used to me chatting about the weather they just see it as too shallow and a waste of time usually. If they want to talk about something they will, if not they keep their mouths shut.

storker wrote: »

And speaking of Latins, I never saw beauty spots littered in Italy the way you so often see it in Ireland. This country is a disgrace in many ways.

I know, don't get me started on littering here. It's the only country I've been to where you see rubbish dumped all over the beautiful countryside. Was mortified when my fiancee was here last year and we were driving in Wicklow and some guy pull over ahead of us, got out of a car and proceeded to tip a small bag of rubbish onto the side of the road into a forested area like it was nothing! My partner was shocked because you would never ever see that in Germany.
He was also horrified to hear how much rubbish goes into landfill here.
"The Green Isle" it's a joke...:rolleyes:

Greentopia

topper75 wrote: »

There was nothing introverted about these Scandie sorts 1000 years back! Laughing to myself now picturing these boatloads of lads in chainmail and colourful shields landing on Iona all walking up towards the abbey not talking to each other and just staring at the ground. Monks would have kicked them back into the sea.

They're the strong silent type
No many really are tall big guys (ever see how many are on the World Strongest Man competition?), which is enough to intimidate the enemy if our Viking ancestors looked like modern day Scandinavians.

Seanachai

Greentopia wrote: »

They're the strong silent type
No many really are tall big guys (ever see how many are on the World Strongest Man competition?), which is enough to intimidate the enemy if our Viking ancestors looked like modern day Scandinavians.

I think ongoing studies are showing that we're more Scandinavian than previously thought, I never bought the whole, 'vikings kept to themselves' line. You can see it in the features and blondism where I'm from in the SE.

chrissb8

Alot of people are saying here about the quietness of the people in the Scandi countries. Same in Germany as well. I love it, I think Irish people talk too much. I'm a firm believer if you have nothing to contribute say nothing.

Irish people tend to equate silence to a social situation gone wrong or someone is a lack of craic. No, if anything they don't want to talk about boring topics like the weather for the umpteenth time today. They want to talk when there's something to talk about. There's nothing more boring than filling a room with inane conversation about nothing really and going in depth to it.

But I do think we're the best people in terms of warmness and welcoming others. I just think we could all realise that just because you can say something doesn't mean you should. Words become more valuable when you use them wisely.

topper75

Greentopia wrote: »

They're the strong silent type
No many really are tall big guys (ever see how many are on the World Strongest Man competition?), which is enough to intimidate the enemy if our Viking ancestors looked like modern day Scandinavians.

Too true. My first encounter with that part of the world was Copenhagen airport in 1999. I thought when I landed and saw people streaming through the corridors that some sort of basketball tournament was being hosted there that weekend. After a point it dawned on me that they were just locals arriving home from somewhere.

Seanachai wrote: »

I think ongoing studies are showing that we're more Scandinavian than previously thought, I never bought the whole, 'vikings kept to themselves' line. You can see it in the features and blondism where I'm from in the SE.

I think one DNA investigation showed that your average west of Irelander aligns more with modern Norwegian DNA than east coasters. Something to do with commonality before a split several thousand years back rather than a viking thing. The viking thing might be overplayed here. I don't think they came in huge numbers (even to Annagassan/Dubhlinn/Vadrfjordr/Hlymryckr) but their influence was massive and game-changing (militarily, politically, technologically, economically; but not so much socially as they married in and came to adopt Gaelic ways).

There are many references to fair-haired people in pre-invasion Gaelic lore. So it wasn't unknown here at all. Fionn McCool's very name was a reference to his fair hair supposedly. Many fair-haired Irish of today could also easily be descended from Saxon or Cambro-Norman or indeed Flemish.

Greentopia

Seanachai wrote: »

I think ongoing studies are showing that we're more Scandinavian than previously thought, I never bought the whole, 'vikings kept to themselves' line. You can see it in the features and blondism where I'm from in the SE.

I'm from the SE too. Anglo-Norman descent so some Viking blood there also.

Where are all these tall blonde square jawed handsome Vikings walking around here? because 99% of guys I see don't look like the average Swede to me :pac:

Yes they've found out through recent studies that we have more Viking DNA (West Norway settlers) than they previously thought but it's still quite small compared to our Celtic DNA.

Seanachai

Greentopia wrote: »

I'm from the SE too. Anglo-Norman descent so some Viking blood there also.

Where are all these tall blonde square jawed handsome Vikings walking around here? because 99% of guys I see don't look like the average Swede to me :pac:

Yes they've found out through recent studies that we have more Viking DNA (West Norway settlers) than they previously thought but it's still quite small compared to our Celtic DNA.

They aren't in abundance, but the type does crop up in pockets in the SE, most of the Scandinavian guys I've worked with don't fit the square jaw profile, they're tall but they tend to have the receding chin more so. I wouldn't see many Swedish types in Ireland either, off the Scandis I've met I think we're a lot more similar to Norwegians.

I'm fascinated to know where the darker featured Irish people really come from, leaving aside the debunked Spanish Armada theory.

Greentopia

chrissb8 wrote: »

Alot of people are saying here about the quietness of the people in the Scandi countries. Same in Germany as well. I love it, I think Irish people talk too much. I'm a firm believer if you have nothing to contribute say nothing.

Irish people tend to equate silence to a social situation gone wrong or someone is a lack of craic. No, if anything they don't want to talk about boring topics like the weather for the umpteenth time today. They want to talk when there's something to talk about. There's nothing more boring than filling a room with inane conversation about nothing really and going in depth to it.

But I do think we're the best people in terms of warmness and welcoming others. I just think we could all realise that just because you can say something doesn't mean you should. Words become more valuable when you use them wisely.

Agree with all that. I loved how comfortable Swedes are with silence. And they never talk across you when you do speak which is very respectful. There you can just sit and berather than feeling the need to chatter and fill the silence. I love the quietness on the streets and in cities there-yes same in Germany. You never hear anyone trying to draw attention to themselves by being loud as it's frowned upon to be overly 'emotional' and Swedes even fear it a bit. It makes for a very relaxed and calm experience, even in the middle of a city.

I'm a very quiet reserved person and Dublin is a sensory overload for me in comparison as you have to be constantly vigilant and aware of your belongings because of thieves/scumbags/druggies, you're more aware of who is near you with people coming up looking for money or chuggers approaching or loud teenagers screaming somewhere. I find it more stressful walking around there than anywhere in Germany or Sweden so I avoid it mostly.

But yes it's only the warm and welcoming nature of people here and the friends I have (and the beautiful countryside) that makes it worthwhile staying here. For now anyway. Ideally I'd like to spend 3/4 months of the year here and the rest in Sweden where I could get back into the excellent social system and healthcare service there. That's the goal. My partner loves Ireland and the people here but he doesn't see the negatives on holiday, and no way am I pulling him away from the better health care system he has in his country (Germany) to come here and end up on a trolley for days on end if he was to get sick.

Electric Sheep

chrissb8 wrote: »

Alot of people are saying here about the quietness of the people in the Scandi countries. Same in Germany as well. I love it, I think Irish people talk too much. I'm a firm believer if you have nothing to contribute say nothing.

Irish people tend to equate silence to a social situation gone wrong or someone is a lack of craic. No, if anything they don't want to talk about boring topics like the weather for the umpteenth time today. They want to talk when there's something to talk about. There's nothing more boring than filling a room with inane conversation about nothing really and going in depth to it.

But I do think we're the best people in terms of warmness and welcoming others. I just think we could all realise that just because you can say something doesn't mean you should. Words become more valuable when you use them wisely.

I completely agree with this - I find the constant babble and "banter" in Irish social situations draining.

fryup

RobertKK wrote: »

it is not a party in Finland if there is no sauna involved. Strangers, men and women getting naked together for the sauna is normal he tells me, and yeah you sit still in the sauna, and you make sure not to get excited, that is a big faux pas...

i've just booked a ticket to Helsinki (to hell with the faux pas)

Ipso

Seanachai wrote: »

They aren't in abundance, but the type does crop up in pockets in the SE, most of the Scandinavian guys I've worked with don't fit the square jaw profile, they're tall but they tend to have the receding chin more so. I wouldn't see many Swedish types in Ireland either, off the Scandis I've met I think we're a lot more similar to Norwegians.

I'm fascinated to know where the darker featured Irish people really come from, leaving aside the debunked Spanish Armada theory.

Like the rest of Europe Ireland is made up of three/ish genetic components; post ice age survivors, Mediterranean farmers and the Indo European/Bell Beakers/Yamnaya (the details on that one is still being hammered out).
So obviously you’d have some of the early farmer genes inockin around.
I’d say any Spanish genes could be from regular trading activity as there was a lot of back and forth around the 14th century onwards.
The romantic idea of the Armada is hilarious when you consider that at the time Spain was the biggest empire in the world and after invading Kinsale any deal with the Irish would have seen the Irish as vassals to the Spanish over lords.
https://eurogenes.blogspot.com/2013/12/ancient-human-genomes-suggest-three.html?m=0

Seanachai

Ipso wrote: »

Like the rest of Europe Ireland is made up of three/ish genetic components; post ice age survivors, Mediterranean farmers and the Indo European/Bell Beakers/Yamnaya (the details on that one is still being hammered out).
So obviously you’d have some of the early farmer genes inockin around.
I’d say any Spanish genes could be from regular trading activity as there was a lot of back and forth around the 14th century onwards.
The romantic idea of the Armada is hilarious when you consider that at the time Spain was the biggest empire in the world and after invading Kinsale any deal with the Irish would have seen the Irish as vassals to the Spanish over lords.
https://eurogenes.blogspot.com/2013/12/ancient-human-genomes-suggest-three.html?m=0

A lot of Eastern European people I've met mention the similarities between the Irish and Spanish, it's the eyebrows I think :P

topper75

Seanachai wrote: »

I'm fascinated to know where the darker featured Irish people really come from, leaving aside the debunked Spanish Armada theory.

Probably cattle farmers from the Pontic–Caspian steppe (way, way back, couple of thousand years BC). Not sure about the hunter gatherer people before them - some kind of generic western seaboard euro-people. Hard to tell who is who at this point.
Yes Armada talk is nonsense, where they survived the wrecks they were hanged.