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Top ten things I didn’t like about Irishmen in Ireland

An exchange student lets loose with her Irish beefs


Michael Fassbender one of Ireland's hottest Hollywood exports
Michael Fassbender one of Ireland's hottest Hollywood exports
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Clare has spent the last nine months as an exchange student in Ireland.

Here are her thoughts as she finishes up her year in the Emerald Isle.

1. Lack of shoe polish. I went on three dates and on all three occasions the men, while well turned out, had failed to polish their shoes properly.

2. The lads. Most of  their conversation revolved around bar talk and football and how the they and the lads had great ‘craic’ here, there and everywhere. I might as well have been invisible.

3.
The mammy. I felt I didn’t match up right away with one bloke when he asked if I liked to cook Irish dishes and let loose a string of them that his mammy prepared for him. Mine’s a McDonald’s I told him.

4. Thinking all Americans are stupid. A very common refrain, ’Dumb Yanks’ etc.

Well we only invented the computer, Apple, automobile, went to the moon - what did you Irish do lately again? Oh yeah another depression.

5. ‘Hilarious’ take off of  my American accent --not. If I sounded like a bad Nicole Kidman in ’Far and Away’ they sounded like JR from Dallas constipated for a month

6. Won’t buy me a pint. On three dates, only one lad offered to buy me a drink and only after I had stood the first round.

7. Chivalry? It means hold the door for his mates and then let me pass through after them - if he doesn’t let it swing closed first.

8. Think all Yanks are loaded - with money. Sure, I have a mansion back home and am a good catch for the money. Actually, mine is a tiny two bedroom share in Chicago.
 
9. Can’t understand why America won’t open their arms to the Irish. Er, its called immigration law and Ireland isn’t exactly opening its doors to foreigners either.

10. Think Irish Americans are not 'true’ Irish. IE if our ancestors were kicked out by Famine, bad government or economic futility we somehow are not Irish any more.

Cant wait to get back to the good old US of A!


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41 Comments

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Yeah, and good riddance - 'Irish' Americans are a breed in their own right; the Irish are more like the British than you plastic Americans are to the Irish.
Clare, you have a point on some of them but on #10, you are 100% wrong. You are not Irish. You are American. You declared it in your last sentence. If you have all these complaints about Ireland, why do you wish to be called Irish? Americans like to have it both ways but there is a huge difference between the Irish and Irish Americans - believe me, I went to my first ever Notre Dame game this weekend...
@ below: We could compile a long list of those who went on to develop and refine, and great credit to them ...BUT ... a very short list of genius inventers! (Btw: we will find must significant inventions were British - particularly Scottish. The Seismograph, ECG, Hypodermic needle and many others were Irish inventions, my dear, deluded - get back to the classroom - Miss MacNamara!
BTW, those are Clare's observations. I am sure that if she was asked to list the top ten things she liked about Irish lads, you would not be complaining.
Ada Lovelace while working with Charles Babbage and the Analytical Engine is credited with the invention of the computer. It took another hundred years for the German to build one. It was the Yanks that made it more practical with the advent of transistors. Jobs & Woz took the microcomputers from a box of parts(mostly used by hackers and electronic wizards) to an all in one micro computer for the every day joe.
Most of these are purely relevant to the individuals involved, but being ignorant enough to think that Americans invented the computer or the 'automobile' is probably why people think you're dumb!
Tayandcake. So You know all of us ?
THE TOP 7 THINGS I DO NOT LIKE ABOUT IRISH CENTRAL. I LEAVE IT TO THE READERS TO ADD THE REMAINING 3 TO MAKE IT A TOP 10! 1. It’s editorials/opinions are crafted as “news” headlines; same for content. 2. Slobbering love affair with the Obamas. 3. Unabashed enthusiasm for ANYTHING Christine Quinn says! 4. Embarrassing love for NY Times lefty writer Maureen Dowd and ANYTHING SHE has to say! 5. Unbridled enthusiasm for anything to do with the Clintons 6. Obvious promotion of anything with a gay theme 7. Clear anti-Catholic bias
Non polished shoes is the first thing you thought of after a year........ Have you been to Walmart lately? And we're in a recession... So buy your own drinks. The reason Americans have a bad name is because people like you perpetually affirm the stereotype. I'd take an Irishman over the cheating successful american so and so I married who polishes his shoes. We invented the episiotomy ... Without which there would be no Americans ... And by the way... America improves on existing products... Not creates them. apple stole their ideas... You little snob.
I spent 40 years in Eire and this is spot on. I am out thank goodness. I see the discrimination against Americans daily, especially the strong women. Irish patriarchy will do anything to bring a strong woman to heel, under male control.
All I can say, Clare, is that there are thousands of very gentle, sensitive, American-loving Irishmen out there- many of them already married or committed, it is true.
Ha! Good article Claire, and spot on too. The only thing you forgot was the unspeakable smugness that all Irish-born people under the age of 40 seem to exhibit these days. But if you and your Irish-American friends want an Irish guy with the sophistication and worldliness that being born of Irish parents in a foreign country brings, why not try London? There there are a huge amount of us "Plastic Paddies" who know how to treat a lady and have a decent line in conversation!
Clare: you have it spot on and remember all the things you complain about in Irish 'men' is explained by the fact that they are simply doing and thinking all the old guff their terrifying Irish Mammys have shovelled into their spineless offspring! ~ One note of warning: Any chance you had of landing one of them was lost if you really did claim that the computer and Motorcar (Automobile)were invented in American. That's Britain and Germany, by the way! No Mammy would let their precious little son go out with such a thick American. - even an Oirish one!
i say god bless the USA im a irish born canadian having lived here nearly sixty years , and visit the USA often , while canada is a great country to live in ,and has terrific sceneray coast to coast ,the USA is the country with the most freedom ,. and the most generous people in the world,. i still love ireland my country of birth and hope to visit soon .
Canadian Pat Olay Okay..... You have convinced me. You are a Canadian! I am sure you have the Maple Leaf on your backpack to declare you are not American as you wander through the crowded gathering spots of Europe




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