It’s a well known fact around the world, that us Irish are well known for our various ‘traditions’. I mean, every country has their own crazy traditions, but it seems no matter where we go, we simply can’t escape them! Emigrants fill their suitcases with Barry’s Tea, Cadbury’s Chocolate and Tayto Crips rather than clothes they might actually need. The detachment from the Emerald Isle forces them to eat food they probably never ate when under Mammy’s Roof (I mean who buys all those branded products are you crazy?).
The Irish have three main topics of conversation. They’re used during the lull in a conversation or towards your Daddy’s third cousin twice removed who’s name you still can’t remember. They are:1. Politics2. Religion3. The weather. (Although nowadays I think the ‘religion’ topic is best referred to as our dedication to the pub!) I mean, who doesn’t enjoy a conversation about Gerry Adams Twitter account.
*Especially when you read the tweets in his voice
Honestly, why do Irish people have an obsession with the weather? And no, it’s not just the sun we obsess over. Hail, rain or sunshine, we find a way to stitch it into every aspect of life. December passes without a drop of snow and the entire country hides away in the darkness for two months. May arrives just in time for ‘Leaving Cert Weather’. I can guarantee you, that no other country in the world refers to the incredible heat at the end of May as weather associated with a set of exams. We live in a country closer to Iceland than the equator and people are still disappointed when the temperature doesn’t reach the mid thirties during the summer months.
Now, remember lads, in April let’s not get too carried away with the summer ambitions. I’ve often spotted a few pasty looking shirtless lads trying not to shiver when the Spring wind blows. Also let’s not forget about the short shorts which have been pulled out of the back of the wardrobe and barely cover one asscheek never mind two! The Irish summer is on it’s way so brace yourselves one and all! Before long we’ll witness the classic ‘Irish farmer’s tan’ and the baby oil routine so many girls think is a sensible idea for a ‘quick and simple tan’. We’re Irish. We burn, suffer the pain, and shamefully return to our natural shade of snow white. (apart from the lucky few who go a nice shade of next-to-brown)
Even though we’re a small nation, we’re capable of throwing incredible celebrations! We all know this, and it seems the wider world do too. Watching a video on St.Paddy’s Day last year, I was shocked by the large percentage of foreigners who don’t understand the reasons behind this national day. According to some, it’s the traditional day the leprechauns come out to dance…. Mmmm ok. Other’s said it’s a day every Irish person in the country gets drunk! Well, they’re not too far wrong with that concept, but honestly how can you celebrate something if you don’t even know why you’re celebrating it! Spending St.Patrick’s Day in the US, my cousin was convinced by a few people that he was their 6th cousin five times removed… Don’t get me wrong! I myself am truly passionate by our small country and how we’ve managed to spread our traditions around the world. But maybe on our travels, we can teach people about St.Patrick, the legend himself!
It seems that Irish people and their unusual traditional ‘Gaelic’ names was quite a trending topic across social media in 2015. Two videos were released, and in them a group of Americans (link), an Australian girl and a British girl (link) attempted to pronounce Irish names; both girls names and boys. Watching them makes you realise that in fact outside of Ireland, Irish names are quite unique. It’s often hard to remember this when you have a name like ‘Niamh’, so common in Ireland at this stage that everyone on the island has at least one friend by the same name. As I always say, “Niamh is the next Mary in this country!” I mean, who doesn’t have an aunt, or a granny or a mam called Mary? As for boys names, there’s no doubt we’ve all met a Ciarán, Seán and Eoghan! It’s quite an interesting experience in foreign countries when my name gets mispronounced as ‘Leeve’… I mean where did the ‘L’ come from? The Irish and their weird language!
The truth about it is this; we’re Irish and we have crazy traditions. Even getting fried in the summer seems to be a rite of passage in this country! If you think travelling abroad is the answer to escaping the island, that is where you are quite wrong my friend. There will always be someone who is only delighted to meet an Irish person; it’s their one and only chance to perform their rendition of ‘Danny Boy’ and ‘Molly Malone’. You might even surprise yourself and join in!
The Irish have three main topics of conversation. They’re used during the lull in a conversation or towards your Daddy’s third cousin twice removed who’s name you still can’t remember. They are:1. Politics2. Religion3. The weather. (Although nowadays I think the ‘religion’ topic is best referred to as our dedication to the pub!) I mean, who doesn’t enjoy a conversation about Gerry Adams Twitter account.
*Especially when you read the tweets in his voice
Honestly, why do Irish people have an obsession with the weather? And no, it’s not just the sun we obsess over. Hail, rain or sunshine, we find a way to stitch it into every aspect of life. December passes without a drop of snow and the entire country hides away in the darkness for two months. May arrives just in time for ‘Leaving Cert Weather’. I can guarantee you, that no other country in the world refers to the incredible heat at the end of May as weather associated with a set of exams. We live in a country closer to Iceland than the equator and people are still disappointed when the temperature doesn’t reach the mid thirties during the summer months.
Now, remember lads, in April let’s not get too carried away with the summer ambitions. I’ve often spotted a few pasty looking shirtless lads trying not to shiver when the Spring wind blows. Also let’s not forget about the short shorts which have been pulled out of the back of the wardrobe and barely cover one asscheek never mind two! The Irish summer is on it’s way so brace yourselves one and all! Before long we’ll witness the classic ‘Irish farmer’s tan’ and the baby oil routine so many girls think is a sensible idea for a ‘quick and simple tan’. We’re Irish. We burn, suffer the pain, and shamefully return to our natural shade of snow white. (apart from the lucky few who go a nice shade of next-to-brown)
Even though we’re a small nation, we’re capable of throwing incredible celebrations! We all know this, and it seems the wider world do too. Watching a video on St.Paddy’s Day last year, I was shocked by the large percentage of foreigners who don’t understand the reasons behind this national day. According to some, it’s the traditional day the leprechauns come out to dance…. Mmmm ok. Other’s said it’s a day every Irish person in the country gets drunk! Well, they’re not too far wrong with that concept, but honestly how can you celebrate something if you don’t even know why you’re celebrating it! Spending St.Patrick’s Day in the US, my cousin was convinced by a few people that he was their 6th cousin five times removed… Don’t get me wrong! I myself am truly passionate by our small country and how we’ve managed to spread our traditions around the world. But maybe on our travels, we can teach people about St.Patrick, the legend himself!
It seems that Irish people and their unusual traditional ‘Gaelic’ names was quite a trending topic across social media in 2015. Two videos were released, and in them a group of Americans (link), an Australian girl and a British girl (link) attempted to pronounce Irish names; both girls names and boys. Watching them makes you realise that in fact outside of Ireland, Irish names are quite unique. It’s often hard to remember this when you have a name like ‘Niamh’, so common in Ireland at this stage that everyone on the island has at least one friend by the same name. As I always say, “Niamh is the next Mary in this country!” I mean, who doesn’t have an aunt, or a granny or a mam called Mary? As for boys names, there’s no doubt we’ve all met a Ciarán, Seán and Eoghan! It’s quite an interesting experience in foreign countries when my name gets mispronounced as ‘Leeve’… I mean where did the ‘L’ come from? The Irish and their weird language!
The truth about it is this; we’re Irish and we have crazy traditions. Even getting fried in the summer seems to be a rite of passage in this country! If you think travelling abroad is the answer to escaping the island, that is where you are quite wrong my friend. There will always be someone who is only delighted to meet an Irish person; it’s their one and only chance to perform their rendition of ‘Danny Boy’ and ‘Molly Malone’. You might even surprise yourself and join in!
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