An Irishman's guide to dating an American girl

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Take it easy on the drink there, lad

Photo by John Birdsall/PA

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The language of love can very, very easily get lost in translation. What may be perfectly acceptable when dating in Ireland can warrant a well-aimed slap in the face in the U.S.

Remember: it was America that invented “dating.” It’s not an Irish concept – but one that has been imported from across the Atlantic.

And even though it’s an American import, the rules for dating in the U.S. differ vastly in many ways than the rules for dating in Ireland.

As such, this brief guide is intended for the Irish male who finds himself at a loss at what to do when dating an American girl.

(We at Irishcentral.com take no responsibility for possible assaults, drinks over the head, etc. that can happen in the application of this guide. Use at your own risk!)

1. Try not to get too drunk

This especially applies when you are on a first date. Although Irish girls are often fairly unimpressed at the sight of their date slurring his words and talking to inanimate objects, in many cases, it is the Irish girl who is even more drunk than her partner for the evening, so this problem can be avoided, and the Irish male doesn’t have to be as careful in not getting too hammered. In general, however, American girls drink far, far less than Irish girls. And they can get pretty disgusted at the sight of their date making a total fool of himself.

This rule is probably the most critical in this guide – but is one that the Irish male typically grapples with the most. Remember: Americans often go on dates that are non-alcohol related – which can involve things such as “cups of coffee” and not going to the pub. The standard response from the Irish male to this activity in this situation might be: But where will my confidence come from?

It must come from within. When the date does take place in a pub or bar, the Irish male should take care to remember that the graph showing the relationship between pints and charm looks like this: it goes upwards initially, levels off after about three or four, and then at about six pints it takes a dramatic nosedive. In other words, it usually takes about six drinks before charm turns into sleaze.

2. Pay for everything

The U.S. may be the birthplace of the modern feminist movement, but when it comes to picking up the tab for drinks and dinner, American females are thoroughly old-fashioned. American girls will inevitably expect you to at least offer to pay for dinner, and if you do offer, most will gladly accept. The same goes for drinks. If you are on a first date, and you don’t offer to foot the bill, don’t expect a second. It doesn’t matter that she is better educated than you, earns more than you and is likely to outlive you. She'll still expect you to pay. That’s just how it is.

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