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Top ten myths about the Irish

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Not all Irish women are tempestuous redheads

• Photo gallery / Myths about the Irish / Click here

There are many myths told about the Irish: that they’re fighters, they’re stupid, they’re belligerent, or that they never forget. Nonsense. The truth about the Irish is much harder to pin, and much more elusive than they’re given credit for. Even the great Sigmund Freud himself thought it pointless. “This is one race of people for whom psychoanalysis is of no use whatsoever,” he wrote.
So how can you tell the reality from all the myths? Well you can start here, with IrishCentral's top ten myths about the Irish.

1. The Irish are always friendly
Many Irish people will happily give you the shirt off their back, but others would much prefer sue you for it (especially if there’s a disputed family will in the mix somewhere). Usually the Irish are genuinely friendly, but like anywhere a lot depends on who you are, where you are and what you are.

Quibbling aside, the land of a hundred, thousand welcomes deserves its reputation because the truth is that most Irish people can be so kind and considerate it will take your breath away. But like anywhere, a few nettles sprout among all the roses, so tread carefully betimes.

2. The Irish are religious
Even avowed Irish atheists will call upon all the angles and saints when there’s a crisis or they’re in danger. But that doesn’t mean they’re deeply religious, it’s just a reflex hardwired into them from birth. You trip, you sprain your ankle, you’ll call the Lord’s name (and many others).

The truth is most Irish people are much closer in spirit to Father Ted than to Rome, and they always have been. James Joyce, as always, put it best: “O Ireland, my first, my only love/Where Christ and Caesar are hand in glove.” If you can reconcile those two opposing forces and learn to live with them without giving it another thought, you’re well on your way to being Irish yourself.

3. The Irish can sing
Two words: Ronan Keating. Make those three words: Chris De Burgh. Let’s face it, even housewives favorite Daniel O’Donnell is no threat to Luciano Pavarotti - and he’s dead. Not every Irish man can sing a rousing rebel song on request, despite what you see every time in the movies.

Irish people can however reduce you to heaving sobs with their songs about lost love, lost land and faded hopes. Be warned: otherwise perfect social evenings can be brought to a standstill by the power of just one Irish ballad competently sung. Your guests may weep copiously or begin to think about snow falling faintly, and faintly falling, and if it does happen just go with it, it’s the Irish way.

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