# Why do the English Still tell Irish Jokes.



## MandaC (4 Mar 2010)

Was speaking to someone in work and they were telling me about this.

Councillor in the UK told a union rep an irish joke - person took offence and took an action.  Then the daily telegraph journalist put details on his blog and invites people to write in with their best irish joke.

[broken link removed]

Do people find Irish Jokes offensive?  Would you be offended if someone told Irish jokes.  

I actually find the stream of jokes that came in as a response to the blog quite telling.  And in fairness, people in the UK cant really afford to slag anyone, can they.


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## PyritePete (4 Mar 2010)

there was a case where an Irish person working in London get called Semtex and sued successfully


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## Caveat (4 Mar 2010)

The worst thing about jokes that rely on sterotypes is that they are simply lazy and not funny.  Change a few minor details and they can apply to Irish, Black, Polish - whatever.

The funny thing is that people who make a habit of telling jokes like this are just making their own insecurities plain to the world.


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## Mpsox (4 Mar 2010)

Personally speaking, as someone who lived in England for 10 years, I got a fair few Irish jokes thrown my way, mostly by people who I knew quite well. However I rarely detected any malice in those jokes. This was at the height of the troubles and I remember one guy I worked with in his 50s warning people to be careful with me cause I might bomb them, my response was usually something like telling him to make sure he checked under his cars for a bomb before he went home, or telling him that he was alright, he wasn't worth a bomb. I only ever remember one person making a derogatory remark with some malice and that guy who worked with me was the one who jumped straight up, took the head off the fellow who made the remark and then dropped a large and heavy box on his foot before booting him out the door. 

In a nutshell, it was banter and anyone who ever told me an Irish joke usually expected (and got) an English one back.


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## RMCF (4 Mar 2010)

IF its a funny one, I'll laugh to be honest.

Not easily offended by them. I can take most of them for what they are, a joke. Not the sort of person to go out of my way to be offended.


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## Purple (4 Mar 2010)

I agree with Mpsox on this one. It's all about the intent of the person telling it.


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## carpedeum (4 Mar 2010)

I worked for a British company in the late 70's and 80's, right through the troubles. Irish jokes were constant, but, there was never malice. We had a self-confidence to laugh them off. It was the beginning of a change in Irish emmigrant who was more educated, self-confident and ambitious than his parents in the 40's and 50's. Irish people now pervade all sectors of the British ruling class, from the boardrooms to the media! They need us!

I do agree that there are people who mean harm. But, racists, bigots and the pig ignorant target all other races and are a minority in every country, including our own.


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## MandaC (4 Mar 2010)

It is all about the intent allright.  

And I suppose that really depends on the individual.

And also agree, they are not funny, they are usually stupid.


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## Capt. Beaky (4 Mar 2010)

After fighting two world wars, freedom of speech etc. The Telegraph is a rag, written by buffoons for ageing Britannia Rules the Waves fantasy artists. The editor, Will (Little Willie) Young cut his teeth with the Daily Mail! That should say a lot for the veracity of his stories. His elder brother is Gordon Brown's chief PR man. And that should say a lot for his skills at telling the truth. My God, two asses in the one family


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## zztop (5 Mar 2010)

I thought that joke re the glass was funny...typical irish wit.


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## tiger (5 Mar 2010)

Try going to the laughter lounge or international comedy club in Dublin of a night and see if one of the Irish comedians doesn't bring up 800 years of oppression!


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## MrMan (5 Mar 2010)

I cringe when I hear about people suing over Irish jokes etc, people do go out of their way to get offended over less than original jokes. I like a laugh and I think its important to able to take a slagging especially when it is so general and not personal.


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## demoivre (5 Mar 2010)

An ventriloquist was telling English man jokes in a club in London  one night. It was all farily light hearted stuff until one guy in the audience, who was the worst for wear, shouted up at the ventriloquist " Hey we're not that stupid you know - pick on somebody else "! Keen not to upset anyone the ventriloquist pointed out that they were only jokes and it was all just a bit of fun. The audience member replied " I'm not talking to you I'm talking to that little guy on your knee. "


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## DB74 (5 Mar 2010)

I can't say I'm offended at any of those jokes. Most of them are only mocking a stereotype anyway.

I like this one though - 

_Paddy Englishman, Paddy Indian, Paddy Irishman, and Paddy Frenchman are having meal in a multicultural restaurant._
_Paddy Irishman orders some coddle. Paddy Engliahman laughs at the “savage mick”.
Paddy Frenchman orders some French food. Paddy Englishman laughs at the “frog *******.”
Paddy Indian has an Inidan, Paddy Englishman calls it “Paki muck.”_
_Paddy English drinks old ale, and eats his charred roast beef ( real fuggin’ food innit) and then tells Irish jokes, Frog jokes, Paki jokes, before attempting to glass the Paki, ending his night by puking into the table and sleeping in his own vomit._


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## Purple (5 Mar 2010)

tiger said:


> Try going to the laughter lounge or international comedy club in Dublin of a night and see if one of the Irish comedians doesn't bring up 800 years of oppression!



Very good point!


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## annR (5 Mar 2010)

I agree that I wouldn't be personally offended by non malicious type jokes like this - I heard them for the first time in Australia actually. Australians are just great for this kind of joke - they make em about everyone from Pakis to Italians to Irish - they can't take it about themselves but that's a different topic.

Sort of off topic here because I'm not referring really to English- Irish jokes but any jokes about a group of people.  While I may not get offended I don't laugh either because I take discrimination seriously as something to be stamped out in society. Ok Irish people have nothing much to worry about but jokes about other people who are actually indeed discriminated against are not good IMO. 
Even though these jokes seems really trivial, they do reinforce stereotypes and 'us and them'. What do children pick up from these jokes? Well they go straight to school the next day and tell them in the playground ..perfect fodder for bullying and new generation of kids learning lessons about how people who are different in some way should be singled out.  Then it becomes totally mainstream and engrained in society.  It might seem very extreme way of looking at it I happen to think it's true and don't want to be a part of it myself.


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## Latrade (5 Mar 2010)

annR said:


> I agree that I wouldn't be personally offended by non malicious type jokes like this - I heard them for the first time in Australia actually. Australians are just great for this kind of joke - they make em about everyone from *Pakis *to Italians to Irish - they can't take it about themselves but that's a different topic.


 
Maybe not the exact thread for me to get overly sensitive on, but could you not have found a better way of terming that one?

On to the jokes, the jokes are old and as others have indicated, the butt of the joke has evolved over the years to various ethinic groups. In some circles it still remains the Irish, but I see the same jokes recycled these days except it is the "blonde" who is the protagonist of the tale.


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## csirl (5 Mar 2010)

Mpsox said:


> Personally speaking, as someone who lived in England for 10 years, I got a fair few Irish jokes thrown my way, mostly by people who I knew quite well. However I rarely detected any malice in those jokes. This was at the height of the troubles and I remember one guy I worked with in his 50s warning people to be careful with me cause I might bomb them, my response was usually something like telling him to make sure he checked under his cars for a bomb before he went home, or telling him that he was alright, he wasn't worth a bomb. I only ever remember one person making a derogatory remark with some malice and that guy who worked with me was the one who jumped straight up, took the head off the fellow who made the remark and then dropped a large and heavy box on his foot before booting him out the door.
> 
> In a nutshell, it was banter and anyone who ever told me an Irish joke usually expected (and got) an English one back.


 
One comeback that will stop all jokes about bombings is to respond along the following lines and be deadpan serious as you do it - works every time. Saw it used to great effect by a friend who while illegally parking a Dublin registered car in the UK was approached by a police officer who made a joke that it wouldnt be good to illegally park an Irish registered car due to bomb scares etc. [I am not expressing any politican views, so do take anything from the below - just a great way of stopping a joker in his tracks].

...dont get the joke.....dont see the connection between bombs and Ireland?.....sure we're a neutral country who's never fought in any wars...

Joker usually responds with a reference to the troubles.

....what have the troubles got to do with Ireland?....isnt Northern Ireland part of the UK?......one bunch of British citizens bombing another bunch of British citizens...whats that got to do with me, I'm from Dublin [insert other locations as appropriate]...we're not into this bombing our fellow citizens stuff... shame you Brits cant get along with one another.....


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## MrMan (5 Mar 2010)

Latrade said:


> Maybe not the exact thread for me to get overly sensitive on, but could you not have found a better way of terming that one?
> 
> On to the jokes, the jokes are old and as others have indicated, the butt of the joke has evolved over the years to various ethinic groups. In some circles it still remains the Irish, but I see the same jokes recycled these days except it is the "blonde" who is the protagonist of the tale.



Pakis is a term thats construed by some as offencive, but in fairness I don't see any difference between that and calling a Scottish person a Scot.


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## Purple (5 Mar 2010)

csirl said:


> One comeback that will stop all jokes about bombings is to respond along the following lines and be deadpan serious as you do it - works every time. Saw it used to great effect by a friend who while illegally parking a Dublin registered car in the UK was approached by a police officer who made a joke that it wouldnt be good to illegally park an Irish registered car due to bomb scares etc. [I am not expressing any politican views, so do take anything from the below - just a great way of stopping a joker in his tracks].
> 
> ...dont get the joke.....dont see the connection between bombs and Ireland?.....sure we're a neutral country who's never fought in any wars...
> 
> ...



I had that conversation with an English man recently. I said I was glad that their civil war was over but if it ever restarted we'd help them sort it out again. 

It worked a treat.


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## Latrade (5 Mar 2010)

MrMan said:


> Pakis is a term thats construed by some as offencive, but in fairness I don't see any difference between that and calling a Scottish person a Scot.


 
It's a term construed by the majority as being offensive. It's the same as referring to a Scottish person as a "jock" or Irish as a "paddy", not the example you gave. It is a shortening of the country name, but its sole use was as a derogatory and demeaning term.

Why didn't poster also use "itai" or "paddy"?


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## VOR (5 Mar 2010)

Latrade said:


> Why didn't poster also use "itai" or "paddy"?


 
Mick was already in the joke and Paddy was laying tarmac.


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## Bill Struth (5 Mar 2010)

csirl said:


> One comeback that will stop all jokes about bombings is to respond along the following lines and be deadpan serious as you do it - works every time. Saw it used to great effect by a friend who while illegally parking a Dublin registered car in the UK was approached by a police officer who made a joke that it wouldnt be good to illegally park an Irish registered car due to bomb scares etc. [I am not expressing any politican views, so do take anything from the below - just a great way of stopping a joker in his tracks].
> 
> ...dont get the joke.....dont see the connection between bombs and Ireland?.....sure we're a neutral country who's never fought in any wars...
> 
> ...


A man old enough to be my father once told me to f off back to my 'own country' for having the cheek to beep my northern reg'd car after he nearly ran me off the road... 

Relation of yours?


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## MrMan (5 Mar 2010)

Latrade said:


> It's a term construed by the majority as being offensive. It's the same as referring to a Scottish person as a "jock" or Irish as a "paddy", not the example you gave. It is a shortening of the country name, but its sole use was as a derogatory and demeaning term.
> 
> Why didn't poster also use "itai" or "paddy"?



But it is the shortening of a word, not a nickname, how can people be truly offended by that?


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## BetsyClark (5 Mar 2010)

The sortened version of Pakistani was used as a battle cry by racist neo-nazi organisations in England, and as such, in the UK in particular, it has negatvie connotations and is not used to describe people from Pakistan except by the ignorant or deliberately offensive.


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## MandaC (5 Mar 2010)

An Indian friend of mine takes grave offence to the P word.  I don't think it is just as simple as a shortened version of people from Pakistan.  An Indian is not from Pakistan anyway, so why call them that.

Also, the same way as the Romanian people object to all the Roma being labelled Romanians and giving them a bad name.


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## Caveat (5 Mar 2010)

I agree - but it isn't always clear or clear cut.

For instance, however it sounds, _paki shop, _when used to refer to a typical suburban Asian run shop that sells almost everything, is in fairly common use among the reasonably sensible white population the UK as far as I can see. The same people would never dream of using the term in any other way though.

_Jap_ when referring to cars, _Jap cars_, seems to be acceptable too - but used otherwise it would be offensive.

_Polack_ is a common term of abuse in the US for people of Polish descent - however it is a perfectly innocent word in Polish (albeit with a different spelling) simply meaning a 'Polish person'. That Poles may not offended by it doesn't matter though really - as has been said, it all comes down to intent and _polack_ has arisen in English as a term of abuse.

_Nigger_ and _queer_ can have similarly complicated usage in practice but cleverly, both groups referenced have managed to partially usurp the respective terms. Again, doesn't mean they are not offensive terms though.

Rather bizarrely then, a black man for example could conceivably cause offence to a white person by using the term nigger. What a semantically complicated world we live in.


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## Purple (6 Mar 2010)

Caveat said:


> _Nigger_ and _queer_ can have similarly complicated usage in practice but cleverly, both groups referenced have managed to partially usurp the respective terms. Again, doesn't mean they are not offensive terms though.
> 
> Rather bizarrely then, a black man for example could conceivably cause offence to a white person by using the term nigger. What a semantically complicated world we live in.


 Strangest of all is that Nigger started as a term of abuse toward Indian people.


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## MrMan (6 Mar 2010)

MandaC said:


> An Indian friend of mine takes grave offence to the P word.  I don't think it is just as simple as a shortened version of people from Pakistan.  An Indian is not from Pakistan anyway, so why call them that.
> 
> Also, the same way as the Romanian people object to all the Roma being labelled Romanians and giving them a bad name.



That's not the same thing because i was referring to calling a person from Pakistan a 'Paki' not someone from another country.


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## MrMan (6 Mar 2010)

BetsyClark said:


> The sortened version of Pakistani was used as a battle cry by racist neo-nazi organisations in England, and as such, in the UK in particular, it has negatvie connotations and is not used to describe people from Pakistan except by the ignorant or deliberately offensive.



I'm sure Neo-Nazi's used plenty of terms including blacks and Paki's but they were describing groups that they hated. I think it is a little thin skinned to be offended by the word and i wonder do the bleeding hearts get more offended by it than anyone from Pakistan.


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## MrMan (6 Mar 2010)

Yorky said:


> For a generation large swathes of Irish men went to England and they were perceived, rightly or wrongly, as Paddy the Navvy or Mick the Bomber. When someone has a strong Irish accent they may come across as naive, uninformed and unintelligent rather the shrewd people that they often are. This combined with rampant alcohol abuse  has helped create a stereotype of an Irish person in Britain.
> 
> Nowadays, Irish political and current affairs serve to perpetuate that stereotype. One viewing of the RTE Nine O'Clock news is viewed as parody by many in England. From the amateurish production of the programme to the personal appearance of the politicians ( minister for health & former minister for defence) not to mention the endemic political corruption, handling of sexual abuse by priests, grotesquely inflated public sector pay & social welfare rates. I often cringe when I think of English people tuning in.
> 
> ...



Why be embarrassed though? If one group of people completely underestimate another then that is indicative of a poor mindset or maybe a sense of insecurity. I'm sure many British would like to consider us a dimwitted country folk, but I for one don't need Britains validation to prove that I am an intelligent capable person.
For every politician over here that makes you cringe, there is one in Britain, ditto for corruption etc.
We often perceive the Americans as loud and stupid, yet they are probably the most advanced country in the World and the No.1 (ish) super power.


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## MandaC (6 Mar 2010)

Yorky said:


> For a generation large swathes of Irish men went to England and they were perceived, rightly or wrongly, as Paddy the Navvy or Mick the Bomber. When someone has a strong Irish accent they may come across as naive, uninformed and unintelligent rather the shrewd people that they often are. This combined with rampant alcohol abuse  has helped create a stereotype of an Irish person in Britain.
> 
> Nowadays, Irish political and current affairs serve to perpetuate that stereotype. One viewing of the RTE Nine O'Clock news is viewed as parody by many in England. From the amateurish production of the programme to the personal appearance of the politicians ( minister for health & former minister for defence) not to mention the endemic political corruption, hadling of sexual abuse by priests, grotesquely inflated public sector pay & social welfare rates. I often cringe when I think of English people tuning in.
> 
> ...



Agree with most of the above.

Went on a training course to the UK, maybe about 10 years ago.  Firstly, I was asked if I felt safe in Dublin (from the bombs?), to which I explained there was probably more risk (if any) of them being bombed.

Secondly, we went for a drink and they were surprised I did not drink Guinness.  

It was a Countryish part of England.  They were not being smart or rude in any way, just that was their preception of Ireland.


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## MrMan (6 Mar 2010)

MandaC said:


> Agree with most of the above.
> 
> Went on a training course to the UK, maybe about 10 years ago.  Firstly, I was asked if I felt safe in Dublin (from the bombs?), to which I explained there was probably more risk (if any) of them being bombed.
> 
> ...




I was asked recently at a training meeting in the UK if there was still a wall between North & South, and he was not joking. I just said it came down years ago. If another nations perception of us is ridiculously off kilter then so what, it only becomes a problem if British people with brains and in positions of power to bring employment here have the same perception.


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## Capt. Beaky (6 Mar 2010)

MandaC said:


> An Indian friend of mine takes grave offence to the P word. I don't think it is just as simple as a shortened version of people from Pakistan. An Indian is not from Pakistan anyway, so why call them that.
> 
> Also, the same way as the Romanian people object to all the Roma being labelled Romanians and giving them a bad name.


Most of the "Indian" restaurants that I know - both here and across the water - are Pakastani staffed or run. Lots of Indians would tell Pakistani/Bangladeshi jokes. Just as Dubs would tell Culshee jokes, Culshees tell Dub jokes. It's the way of the world.


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## Bill Struth (6 Mar 2010)

Yorky said:


> For a generation large swathes of Irish men went to England and they were perceived, rightly or wrongly, as Paddy the Navvy or Mick the Bomber. When someone has a strong Irish accent they may come across as naive, uninformed and unintelligent rather the shrewd people that they often are. This combined with rampant alcohol abuse has helped create a stereotype of an Irish person in Britain.
> 
> Nowadays, Irish political and current affairs serve to perpetuate that stereotype. One viewing of the RTE Nine O'Clock news is viewed as parody by many in England. From the amateurish production of the programme to the personal appearance of the politicians ( minister for health & former minister for defence) not to mention the endemic political corruption, handling of sexual abuse by priests, grotesquely inflated public sector pay & social welfare rates. *I often cringe when I think of English people tuning in*.
> 
> ...


  What a strange thing to say.


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## Mpsox (8 Mar 2010)

MrMan said:


> I was asked recently at a training meeting in the UK if there was still a wall between North & South, and he was not joking. I just said it came down years ago. If another nations perception of us is ridiculously off kilter then so what, it only becomes a problem if British people with brains and in positions of power to bring employment here have the same perception.


 
There is an incredible ignorence about Ireland over there, being a Cork man, when I lived over there I did get fed up about being asked if the bombings were bad where I lived.

Currently my manager is English and based over there, it took us about 2 years to convince him that we were "different". In particuler, every time he used the phrase "the mainland", we'd ask him why he was talking about France. One day, he was over here, had a few hours to spare and went to Kilmainham and he admits that until then, he never really understood what we were on about

Having said that, most English I've met like Ireland and the Irish, which, given what some of our countrymen have done over there in our name, is a minor miracle. It's amazing how many English actually have Irish roots.  I remember talking to some English friends after Barbara Windsor traced her roots in "Who do you think you are? "back to a famine graveyard in Cork and they were quite stunned


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## Latrade (8 Mar 2010)

MrMan said:


> I'm sure Neo-Nazi's used plenty of terms including blacks and Paki's but they were describing groups that they hated. I think it is a little thin skinned to be offended by the word and i wonder do the bleeding hearts get more offended by it than anyone from Pakistan.


 
I think it a little ignorant to not see that some words only exist as a means of being derogatory. Whether or not they entered the general lexicon is irrelevant. That was in different times with different generations. Fortunately we moved on. 

It's not to say I'd jump up and down at every word, it's just "paki" is and always was a derogatory word used generally for anyone from that region.


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## annR (8 Mar 2010)

Latrade said:


> It's a term construed by the majority as being offensive. It's the same as referring to a Scottish person as a "jock" or Irish as a "paddy", not the example you gave. It is a shortening of the country name, but its sole use was as a derogatory and demeaning term.
> 
> Why didn't poster also use "itai" or "paddy"?


 
Latrade I was talking about the jokes that are commonly made that's why I used the term, that's what they're referred to in the jokes.  The Austalians call Italians wogs by the way. I'm not sure if they use the term paddy or just call us Irish.


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## MrMan (8 Mar 2010)

Latrade said:


> I think it a little ignorant to not see that some words only exist as a means of being derogatory. Whether or not they entered the general lexicon is irrelevant. That was in different times with different generations. Fortunately we moved on.
> 
> It's not to say I'd jump up and down at every word, it's just "paki" is and always was a derogatory word used generally for anyone from that region.



I know people can use the word in a derogatory way, but it is all down to tone and context.


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## johnd (8 Mar 2010)

MrMan said:


> Pakis is a term thats construed by some as offencive, but in fairness I don't see any difference between that and calling a Scottish person a Scot.



So you don't mind being called a Paddie?


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## Caveat (8 Mar 2010)

Mpsox said:


> Having said that, most English I've met like Ireland and the Irish


 
I lived in England for a few years and that was my impression too.  Not sure about the other way round though.


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## MrMan (8 Mar 2010)

johnd said:


> So you don't mind being called a Paddie?



Correct.


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## Betsy Og (8 Mar 2010)

One minor experience of this, and in fairness it was probably none of my business, was when working in London one summer and getting lunch in a pub a guy was slagging an Irish girl (lightheartedly) about how the Irish cant talk properly, so I went "yeaah dhas roihh mate innih" in my best sauf London, so that fair shut him up.

I was only illustrating the point that the converse is also just as true - but on reflection I should probably have just let it slide. Great banter that summer, thoroughly enjoyed the inevitable slagging, gave as good as I got etc. etc., gave me a good impression of the english (and hopefully vice versa).


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## ringledman (8 Mar 2010)

The Irish flag is currently flying off the top of Manchester Town Hall to celebrate the Irish festival in the city. Change perhaps!

I hope us english have changed our views. there will always be an element of small minded people here. Near impossible to change them...

I think the younger generation in England view the Irish much better than the older generation. Most youngsters or the more enlightend ones first meet Irish people in Uni and have a great laugh with them.

Likewise, I spent 2 years living in Dublin and never once had any problems being English. My initial apprehensions were blown away with the great people I met over there.


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## Caveat (11 Mar 2010)

I guess in many ways the Irish for some reason, are the last culture/people to be still regarded as fair game for jokes etc by some English people.

I remember Dara O'Brian being on Jonathan Ross last year and as he walked on, Ross went into a "Ah bejaysus Dara, top o' the morning to ye" leprechaun type routine. Dara appeared mildly exasperated and proposed that if he were e.g. Indian, Ross wouldn't have dreamed of doing a 'goodness gracious me' accented routine.

Having lived in England myself for a few years I was on the receiving end of a few Irish jokes/comments and most were without malice. To me it felt a little like it must feel for someone who has an unusual name, say Romeo, and them having to encounter "So have you met your Juliet yet?" comments regularly - there is always the potential of it being said, it's usually all innocent but tiresome and a bit irritating and you even end up feeling a bit sorry for the person making the comments in the end.


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## DavyJones (11 Mar 2010)

I lived in the UK for a few years, not during the troubles. I would have been called Paddy a lot and one guy used to call me Dum Diddly i. It did amuse me greatly as there was no harm in it. I am very Celtic looking and no matter where I was in the world people would guess that I was Irish or a Scot.

I remember being in a Irish Club in London once and was asking the barman was it busy on Paddy's day, it got quite insulted and flew off on one, on how Patrick is a saint and Paddy shouldn't be used to describe him. I was surprised with the reaction and told him he had been gone from Ireland for far too long.


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## WarrenBuffet (11 Mar 2010)

Yorky said:


> For a generation large swathes of Irish men went to England and they were perceived, rightly or wrongly, as Paddy the Navvy or Mick the Bomber. When someone has a strong Irish accent they may come across as naive, uninformed and unintelligent rather the shrewd people that they often are. This combined with rampant alcohol abuse  has helped create a stereotype of an Irish person in Britain.
> 
> Nowadays, Irish political and current affairs serve to perpetuate that stereotype. One viewing of the RTE Nine O'Clock news is viewed as parody by many in England. From the amateurish production of the programme to the personal appearance of the politicians ( minister for health & former minister for defence) not to mention the endemic political corruption, handling of sexual abuse by priests, grotesquely inflated public sector pay & social welfare rates. I often cringe when I think of English people tuning in.
> 
> ...



Bloody hell, what part of England did / do you live in? When i lived over there I found them to contain the exact same proportion of slackers, wasters, chancers, idiots............. There is also a similar percentage compared to here of gents, jokers, genuine people............ 

I really think you are reading way too much into what the English think of us..... 

So what if our news is a bit provincial - what do you want us to do? Only 4 million people live on the island.....thank god not that much happens as nearly all news is bad! And rightly or wrongly, people are generally more interested whats going on around them rather than the latest bomb in Iraq.

Chill out, have a few pints and get wasted - sure its the craic, begorrah


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## MandaC (13 Mar 2010)

I know I started this thread, but if the English were watching Crystal Swing on last nights Late Late, I don't blame them for slagging.


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## ajapale (13 Mar 2010)

I never really worried about English people making the odd Irish joke in my presence but on two occasions I got really annoyed.

Once was an anti Irish remark from another ethnic minority landlord in London to the effect that "you Irish are only good for building and drinking any you will always be paying rent". It was a bitter twisted remark that was designed to hurt.

The second was a similar anti Irish remark from a "WASP" Australian mocking my accent.

Its funny but it doesnt bother me much from English people but when it comes from any one else it does!


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## MrMan (13 Mar 2010)

MandaC said:


> I know I started this thread, but if the English were watching Crystal Swing on last nights Late Late, I don't blame them for slagging.



Britains Got Talent & X Factor should ensure that they can't really slag us.


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## z107 (13 Mar 2010)

> "you Irish are only good for building and drinking any you will always be paying rent"


What's wrong with drinking, building and paying rent?
A bit of a generalisation, but probably a better stereotype than many other ethic minority stereotypes, eg, Indians working 24/7 in their shops and never spending their money.


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## Caveat (13 Mar 2010)

ajapale said:


> The second was a similar anti Irish remark from a "WASP" Australian mocking my accent.



An Australian making cultural jibes?

I'm sorry, but c'mon, that must be almost the definition of irony.


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