Why don't Irish people befriend foreigners?

There's your answer ardatr take the whistle and start going to trad sessions, sit in listen to the tunes, practise them at home then join in at the pub sessions, that's one way to meet people anyway.

The key is to find out the Zodiac sign of people, and only try to make friends with those who are compatible. If you google you will see lots of information about signs which are unlikely to make good friends. This is the same in all countries.

There's also a lot of casual xenophobia amongst some Irish people. They assume "foreigners" are different and are suspicious of them.

I'm sure most people know at least one person who insists on referring to someone as Polish regardless of whether they're from Lithuania, Czech Republic or Moldova.

I have heard anecdotally that we are superficially friendly but hard to get to know.

A lot of good reasons have been given here and it's likely a combination of these depending on the individual.

I did say some, not all and acknowledged that all the reasons given here are valid.

As was said by others in the thread, it's much more difficult to find friends as an adult, and this is not unique to Ireland. My best friends are from my primary school years. I am here 20+ years, but most friends that I met in Ireland are from my first few years doing a degree in UCC. With work and family commitments one would naturally have less time to mingle and make friends and that is normal.

I don't like anyone. That's my reason.

I'm 46 years old. I've already made all the friends that I'm going to make.

One is English, if that counts.

Yes, there are obviously cultural differences. Perhaps it would have been better to say that a minority feel superior to non-Irish nationals. I've no doubt you'll find similar the world over.

The long term friends I’ve made were either growing up and from my immediate area or from college…. so Irish, with the exception of one English guy from my job we were good pals but he’s back in London about 5 years..

i don’t befriend foreigners because I don’t meet any with the exception of some of my girlfriends friends.

in a job I was in, the employee demographic was diverse and everyone got along…. French, Brazilian, English, Polish, Czech, Spanish, Italians.. a good relationship between line staff but…

if a social night out was being organised…where we were all on our own dime….about a ten percent turnout…. From the above…loads of Irish didn’t bother too…mind you.

But in the days that the Xmas party was paid for by the job and the Awards night out too, everyone Is there…

effort needs to be forthcoming from both sides… wasn't always.

It’s not a Dublin thing. That poster is trying to insinuate something sinister, that does not exist. He couches it under terms like ‘a minority’ or ‘I didn’t say all Irish’, but his motives are very transparent.

I lived abroad for 10 years myself. It’s hard to make friends as an adult everywhere. This is not unique to Ireland and is entirely unconnected to a superiority complex.

OP, you’re unlikely to make close friends at work unless you unexpectedly land in a very social environment. Your best bet is sports or hobbies groups. However, be aware that many people will be there to train or do the activity and aren’t necessarily looking for friends.

It’s not always easy, but that’s one of the downsides of migrating as an adult. In my view, the only true way of integrating deeply into another culture as an adult, is if you marry a local.

It used be a thing in the past where, by and large mature men, used call in on each others houses to tell yarns and play cards, a sort of non pub, pre mens shed thing. Of course if you did this nowadays you'd be asked what brought you.

Back on topic, have heaps of non irish friends through leisure activity, I do find a lot of them stick around for only a short time and move on, usually back home. I don't see that as an excuse for not making friends with them in the first place. A small number have set down roots with a house but then there's kids and the socialising tends to cease just the same as the Irish.

There's no motive or sinister insinuations at all on my part. It's just something I've noticed over the years. I'm not a man either.

if you put make up on a pig, it's still a pig

Spend some time living abroad; it's the same everywhere. If you think that people who slight you or don't want to be your friend, have a superiority complex, you're setting yourself up for a horrid experience.

I'm Irish and posted about what I've observed about some people's attitudes towards "foreigners". I did say it in a later post that it was likely to be observed the world over.

I'm not sure why you've taken such an issue, do you genuinely believe that all Irish people welcome immigrants, and that none have negative preconceptions of them?

OP, I don't think it is that unusual. When you go away it is easier to make friends with other people who are foreign to that place than locals because the foreigners are also looking to make friends whereas the locals might be already in a social circle. I lived abroad for years and the friends I made there were neither Irish nor "natives". They were other "foreigners" to that place

You will find Irish people but it will just take a bit more time.