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From: "a.spencer3" <>
Subject: Re: Scottish & Irish Drinking Customs
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2007 08:20:49 GMT
References: <vstzh.257$T25.512@eagle.america.net><1171365781.275095.324470@h3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com><45d25be1_3@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tiscali.com>


"Martin" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> <> wrote in message
> news:...
> > I would argue that Ireland's modern cultural self-image image of
> > itself is that of a classic alcoholic.
> >
> > The drunkards narcessism: "You'll never beat the Irish"..."Sure they
> > all Love us Paddies!" and the whole victim complex "poor me, we have
> > suffered as a people" as if the Irish are the only country in the
> > world to ave had a hard time is all classic dipso behaviour. This
> > whole professional charity culture the Irish have is also classic
> > alkie carry on. They can't sort themselves out, but they make sure the
> > rest of the world knows the Paddies are saving them all. "Sure aren't
> > we great!"
> >
> > Like drunks in a pub looking for sympathy, Irish are also the biggest
> > whingers and moaners when something goes wrong - we have no
> > perspective of ourselves really beyond our self-centered drunkard
> > national self-image. Even our view of our own history is classic
> > alcoholic mindset. The Irish did everything right and it's everybody
> > else who let us down... We Irish were ALWAYS blameless victims. This
> > is just how Irish history is percieved by Irish people and is the same
> > way an alcoholic would view his own life. "They did the dirty on
> > me..."
> >
> > Speaking as an Irish person, I would have to say that we completley
> > deserve our reputation as a nation of drunks because our culture is
> > essentially a classic alcholic mindset. It's a shocking realisation
> > when it hits you and then you begin to see it echoed in every aspect
> > of Irish life.
> >
> > Even when budget time comes around TV news graphic always show a
> > cigarette and a pint as if every other aspect of Irish fiscal and
> > socio-economic policy is secondary to feeding our addiciton mindset -
> > it's first and foremost how much will our national addiction culture
> > cost us this year.
> >
> > When a foreign dignitary comes to Ireland the first thing the
> > Government does is find a pub and stick a pint of Guinness in their
> > hands. Ireland has 10,000 years of rich culture and history and all
> > our nation can project of ourselves to the rest of the world is "the
> > drunk Paddy up for the craic!"
>
> Very honest... and from my own extensive observations, not unfair for the
most
> part. Even so, I must say (as an Englishman) we are just as bad, and can
be a
> lot worse when it comes to closing time. Having drunk (and been drunk) in
plenty
> of 'London Irish' pubs, the only criticism I'd have of Irish drinkers -
the
> serious kind - is a tendency to become gloomy, insular and morbid when
they
> overdo it. That is better (IMO) than the English who tend to start
trouble, the
> Scots who almost always start trouble if they haven't passed out, and the
Welsh
> (worst of all) who start singing.
>
> I really like my 'late night local' in fact, which is very 'Irish' (a
'theme
> joint', which attracts anyone from the Emerald Isle from miles around),
and has
> a good, friendly atmosphere almost always... apart from St Patrick's Day
of
> course. The girls are rather lovely, the blokes friendly (providing the
rugby
> goes the right way), and everyone has a ball.
>
> That could be because Guinness has been supplemented by ecstasy, though
I'm not
> sure... whatever, far more cheerful than the grisly, charnel house style
> grimness of the Old Bell (Kilburn) or the Cricklewood Hotel... where I
used to
> fix the fruit machines and pool tables.
>
> I suppose you must have read 'Angela's Ashes'? That explains a lot...

But it's when they then try to sing Danny Boy .....

Surreyman


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