What Americans in Ireland find different about the Irish - what makes the people of Ireland unique

Seamore All Americans do not express themselves the same way...properly or improperly. Sorry to FU your stereotype.

Seanmor- Seanmor-I was born and raised in the USA. I never have said: "If I had went" or any of those other phrases you cited. I think my family thinks of me as a "Grammar Police" because hearing bad grammer definetly grates on me. I agree with beachcomer that bad grammar can be anywhere!

Alanna: I'm not Irish by birth or citizenship but by cultural heritage agus dar liomsa, if fearr Gaeilge bhrìste ná Béarla cliste, cé go bhfuilim sna Stáit Aontaighthe.

Seanmor, you're completely wrong. Stop being obtuse. Bad grammar happens all over the planet in every language, the Americans and the Irish are no special exception.

In addition to the huge DNA differences between between U.S.-born people and those of us who are mere Irish natives is our usage of English. For example, full-blooded Americans say: "If I had went" but we Irish say: "If I had gone"; American in all their correctness say: "I seen it", bus we use the erroneous tern, "I saw it"; Americans use phrases such as "A friend of mine's house",which in our inferior English is "The house of a friend of mine". It appears as though we Irish need to adopt the higher standard of American English.

I'm Irish born, bred and buttered - I was born on St. Patricks Day as if to underline the point :) I barely recognise my countrymen from the comments here .... I keep the heating on all night, I own a dryer, and love a hug from a new or old friend. Knowing and integrating into a narrow circle in one area doesn't give a rounded knowledge of all it is to live in Ireland. I'm very sorry more of you didn't have better experiences.

The indirect way of "communicating" is spot on mentioned in the first paragraph.. When I first visited Ireland, having been brought up buy Irish born parents, I was able to intuit many unspoken family secretes, some just secrets, some involving shame felt for the behavior of certain neighbors or family members. But being from new York I eventually directly gave my thoughts on all these intuitions and asked if they were true. They all were., the details clearly and simply explained. And of course they already knew that i knew.

I am not getting the part about Americans being touchy-feely. The only way I can see someone getting that impression is if they lived in an area with many European immigrants. I don't touch, and don't want to be touched.In the mid west. a handshake is at arms length. Americans don't touch, and don't go around telling everyone they love them. If you don't understand from the treatment, telling won't help.

I have been here a year, and it feels like so much is different. Forget about ever feeling Warm again. I wear my winter clothes in Summer. The heat does not come on at night regardless of the time of the year. Forget about hot water when you want it unless you turn the heat on. Forget about dryers for your clothing , you will be hanging the wash. Forget about a fan in the bathroom to vent out the moist, forget about outlets in the bathroom to dry your hair or listen to the radio in the shower. Count on going to the shop 2 or 3 times a week as the fridge here are 'college' size. Forget about finding even the most basic common items that you could find ANYWHERE back home. I think living here is a physical misery. ... and that is the day to day. I love my husband very much, and the moment he says he wants to go to America, I am ready to move.

Woodman: Many Africans received their education and other benefits from Irish missionaries and probably are of the opinion that the people of Ireland will warmly welcome them, as immigrants, which is very largely true. In many cases, Irish people prefer to help Africans and other Third immigrants to helping their own needy natives, tens of thousands of whom must emigrate to find suitable employment.

Ireland ... Great place to visit but sure as heck wouldn't want to actually LIVE there!

It is good to know that the Irish do not like to be touched, I am an American of Irish descent, and I never liked to be touched, I should move to Ireland. To bad my family has been in America since 1660. No familial immigration. Dang.

Will Ham: You are largely right when you say there is no difference between Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and Labour. These 3 parties help prop up Partition. Howeven, the voter now has a choice in about half the constituencies in that state, where there is a Sinn Féin candidate. That is the only party on either side of the artificial border that still supports Reunfication and full sovereignty for the whole Irish nation, also the preservation of what is left of the native culture, including teanga na nGael.

Amongst the list above the winner is, it's also a trueism is the advice from Grania17 on Irish wit, "American sarcasm is different than sarcasm in Ireland. In Ireland if someone likes and accepts you, you will get picked on a lot. Don't worry it's a good thing." -she means leg pulled, or teased in a jocular way a subject the Irish are the worlds most renowned experts on.

What do the Africans think about Ireland since they are are the newcomers now.