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irish people
What are some common
stereotypes about Irish people that
are largely untrue?
Domhnall O'Huigin, Irish native.
Unfortunately, as regards the most common stereotypes, I
must challenge the premise of the question; that any of these
are 'largely untrue'.
1. Common stereotype: The Irish are all drunks!
The reality: no, we're not! no, we're not! er . . . at least not
compared to those dipsos, the Austrians and Estonians! [1].
Crazy for the hooch those guys.
"But Ireland has the highest proportion of non-drinkers
per capita!"
Find me a single recent study to support this oft-quoted
contention. Please, I'm begging you: I want to shove it down
peoples’ throats too. But if it was once true, it isn't any longer.
Possibly fueling the longevity of this urban legend is the fact
that the Catholic alcohol abstinence movement, The Pioneers
(not to be confused with various youth organisations in former
Communist countries, well, not much at any rate), was
formed in Ireland [2].
Furthermore, anecdotal evidence conducted through the
lens of the bottom of my pint glass tells me that even when
other, larger countries (e.g. France) drank more than us (in
2000 for example), their pattern of drinking was completely
different. To continue with France as an example, French
adults would typically drink alcohol every day, but this is a
glass of wine with lunch, another with dinner and so on. Irish
people may not, as a rule, drink every day, but we 'save up'
and go mental at the weekend or special occasions. This accounts
for the 'paradox' of how some countries can approach
our level of consumption without our reputation for excess
— they drink as a civilised, adult pleasure, to be enjoyed in
moderation; we drink like it was going out of fashion.
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