Each country has its own culture, traditions… but also its own taboos. If you decide to go to Ireland, there are very few topics of conversation to avoid. Irish people are friendly, open-minded and easy to get along with. Best of all, they love travelers and are never afraid to meet a tourist and strike up a conversation. Nevertheless, the Irish, like most other countries, have their own little quirks, their own visions of things… And watch out if you dare broach certain sensitive subjects! To avoid any potential blunders, here’s a short list of conversation topics to avoid when speaking to an Irish person.
The Irish flag
Now that’s a big dumpling. This is one of the most sensitive subjects in Ireland. Irish history has been deeply marked by the British-Irish conflict. Centuries of struggle and hard fighting, where the Irish have known misery, cold, hunger and war. Today, the Republic of Ireland is in no way part of the United Kingdom… It has its own independence, its own flag, its own fully-fledged democratic system…
But Northern Ireland is a different story. It is geopolitically considered a British province belonging to the United Kingdom. A sort of dominion, where the Northern Irish and the British are at loggerheads over the issue.
This situation is still a source of tension today, both in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland. It’s a delicate subject, one that creates controversy and can unleash passions. To be avoided at all costs: the Irish have their own opinions on the matter, and don’t like it when foreigners get involved and bring their own vision to bear on the situation.
We might as well avoid controversy and imprecision. It’s clearly not worth it.
Irish potatoes – sea_wave
Watch out, the Irish may get upset! All the more so when you’re criticizing the potato, an essential food that forms the basis of many Irish dishes!
Yes, Irish gastronomy is undergoing a renaissance. Yes, it attracts chefs from all over the world… But nothing can take away his love of potatoes. Don’t even try, it’s a losing battle.
But why are the Irish so attached to this food?
Well, quite simply because the potato was one of the few foods that could save the Irish from starvation! Ireland has known episodes of great poverty, when famine was devastating. Only potatoes and cabbage enabled the population to survive and get by. These were inexpensive foods that literally saved their lives. (with the exception of the period of the Great Famine, when potatoes were infected by mildew).
That’s why it’s out of the question to criticize this precious food. In Ireland, the potato is sacred! Dare to criticize her, and you might get one in the head.
Take time to relax in an Irish Pub – RyAwesome – cc
Here’s another tendentious topic! Certainly, the Irish have a good descent. Of course, beer and whiskey are part of Ireland’s national savoir-faire. Okay, they like to have a good time at the pub, on an almost daily basis.
But that doesn’t make the Irish notorious alcoholics! An additional argument: Ireland is not even among the top 10 most “alcoholic” countries.
In addition, many anti-alcohol laws penalize drinking and driving very severely in Ireland. You might as well say that it’s prohibitive!
So, yes, the Irish love to go to the Pub and sip a pint… But it’s all a question of quantity… and quality!
The Cliffs of Moher risk being battered by storm Lorenzo
Warning, this is a sensitive subject: most Irish people are amused by it, but others are sometimes tired and fed up of hearing the same joke over and over again. (A bit like the Breton saying “it only rains on idiots”).
The kindest will tell you that in Ireland the weather is fine several times a day… The 4 seasons of the year in a single day.
A poetic way of coming to terms with the situation (at the same time, there’s not much we can do about it).
While others will kindly send you on your way. Yes, it rains a lot in Ireland, but so what? That’s what makes Ireland what it is: beautiful and green!
So yes, Ireland is a small island… But that doesn’t mean that the Irishman in front of you knows all his fellow citizens. Especially if you’re looking for a typically Irish name!
In Ireland, there are lots of different families with the same name who don’t know each other!
So don’t say you’re looking for a “Murphy” or an “O’Connell”. It’s like asking an Englishman if he knows a John Smith!
More news
