any questions about ireland

[123Imirish]

I'd like to take a visit to Ireland at some point -- mostly to be able to connect a little more with my heritage on my father's side (plus, I hear that Ireland is a really beautiful country).

 

Are there any places you'd recommend for someone that is looking into visiting for a couple weeks?

 

Also, what do you know about the blarney stone? I'm told that there are some traditions that surround it, though it'd be nice to go ahead and get a little more knowledgeable about the legends and whatnot behind it. :3

Places to visit..... Glendalough... hike on the Wicklow way... the ring of Kerry.... The Aran islands is a must..... the cliffs of moher..... the giants causeway.. The BURREN, if you don't visit the burren, just....  Connemara.....kilmainham gaol (jail)... The Brazen Head pub (the oldest in the country. Around a thousand years old..)  ... Dublinia and christchurch cathedral...     Spend as much time as possible hiking in Wicklow and The ring of Kerry. Traversing Kerry is historically and geographicly beautiful. Much of the fun things o do can be little odd things at the side of the road, I remember one time whilst in Kerry at the side of the road a woman had her great great grandparents farmhouse from the famine in perfect condition and had animals on the farm and it was 3 euro in.I learned a lot more than I did in history class. 

 

The Blarney Stone (Irish: Cloch na Blarnan) is a block of carboniferous limestone^[1] built into the battlements of Blarney Castle, about 8 kilometres (5 mi) from Cork, Ireland. According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of thegab (great skill at flattery). The stone was set into a tower of the castle in 1446 The word blarney has come to mean "clever, flattering, or coaxing talk"

 

Ireland is a multi cultural society and 75% of people support ame sex marriage. A referendum will be held on this early 2015.

 

IMPORTANT! Things to know about Irish people and ireland.

 

 

when an Irish person says "what's the craic" (pronounced “crack.”) or "that was great craic" they are not talking about drugs.Craic is a Gaelic word, with no exact English translation. The closest you get is “fun.”  

 

Never turn down a cup of tea, it is a federal offence, well should be. If a person offers you tea it's rude to not accept. Tea is to us as coffee is to Americans.

 

​Irish people curse to emphasise things they say, cursing is also a national pastime 

 

Everyone outside the suburb limits of Dublin is a culchie (an Irish version of redneck.) (they are all farmers, you can't understand them when they speak, they think they are better than people from the city, they will attack on sight and as of 1967 the Irish government has given orders for them to be shot on sight, only problem is the only people with guns in Ireland are farmers. OH no Catch 22 alert. Everything said there was a total fact

 

Never say that you are Irish if you have family that emigrated to __ from Ireland. The locals will hate you and in their minds will think of all the american stereotypes ever. Even If they know you are Canadian. To us there is no difference.

 

We have all the crappy american pop music and shitty TLC and MTV programmes, thanks for infecting us America. But we also have crappy British pop music! 

 

The only cure for a cold is flat (non fizzy) 7up. THE ONLY CURE.

 

Insults can mean we like you. It is all we know.

 

We are not all religious and there is only one real conservative religious campaign and they supported civil unions, so yeah..... 

 

Our president was an avid smoker of weed in his youth.

 

Our president is who we want to lead our  country, the Taoiseach (prime minister) is the one we all hate who has power.

 

Our most dangerous wild animal is a fox and deer, no joke.

 

You listen to FM104 to smile. You turn it off when the pop music starts.

 

We have one `skyscraper`it is 17 stories.

 

Nobody can speak Irish.

 

We pretend to be smart.

 

We invented the tyre

 

Our ancestors, the celts, invented Halloween.

 

we invented whiskey

 

We invented the study of seismic waves.

 

we designed the submarine

 

invented the tattoo machine 

 

invented to word boycott

 

portable defibrillator

 

Radio therapy and dozens other things 

 

The Chinese government loves us

 

DON'T TIP PEOPLE IN RESTAURANTS. unless there is a tip jar

 

Here people say  “I’ll be there in five minutes”... Try five hours.

 

Many people in Dublin have Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, French and Scottish ancestry. Because the Celts came to Ireland from Scotland  and the Vikings (who founded Dublin) came from Scandinavia (Norway, Denmark, Sweden) And the Normans came from France, who surprisingly were also decended from Scandinavians.  

 

The origional 

[FreeJayFly]

I'm a little surprised that tipping seems to be a custom that's really only acceptable in America for the most part (my step father went to Taiwan once, and said that the restaurant owner had followed him to put the tip he left back in his hands at one point). Though, I suppose that just comes from cultural shock, and knowing that tipping is sometimes the only way people make a living over here. I'll have to keep that in mind since it's a habit I have when leaving good service.

 

I can understand that about the American stereotypes as well. It's a little grating (even to a minority of us over here) to see some of them going around on St. Patrick's day with a shirt that says, 'Kiss me, I'm Irish'. So while probably not on the scale you're talking about, I can at least understand that animosity and where it comes from.

 

Thanks so much for the information and telling me what formalities to go with when I have the chance to visit. u v u~

 

(Also, getting offers for tea? I love tea over coffee, so there's something I definitely won't be turning down any time soon)

[Spaniard]

I'm a little surprised that tipping seems to be a custom that's really only acceptable in America for the most part (my step father went to Taiwan once, and said that the restaurant owner had followed him to put the tip he left back in his hands at one point). Though, I suppose that just comes from cultural shock, and knowing that tipping is sometimes the only way people make a living over here. I'll have to keep that in mind since it's a habit I have when leaving good service.

 

 

I love the US but what I hate about is how, like many other countries, it values money and power over human quality of life. Tipping is a means for restaurants, chains, to pay their employees less and not provide them with minimum wage. It's gross, in my opinion, and I wish I didn't have to do it here. We're not okay with giving universal health care but we're fine with paying people's salaries at dinner, it's madness.

[Xydonus]

I'm a little surprised that tipping seems to be a custom that's really only acceptable in America for the most part (my step father went to Taiwan once, and said that the restaurant owner had followed him to put the tip he left back in his hands at one point). Though, I suppose that just comes from cultural shock, and knowing that tipping is sometimes the only way people make a living over here. I'll have to keep that in mind since it's a habit I have when leaving good service.

 

The whole 'Don't tip unless there's a tipping jar' is not really true. Having eaten out in Dublin many times over the course of the years, I can say that tipping is still something that is prevalent in society. Whenever I eat amongst a group the first thing we do after getting the bill is to chip in for the tip.

 

If you don't tip however you won't get accosted, something that might be the case in America for example. I was also surprised to hear that tipping taxi drivers is a common thing in America, which I can't get my head around...

[123Imirish]

I'm a little surprised that tipping seems to be a custom that's really only acceptable in America for the most part (my step father went to Taiwan once, and said that the restaurant owner had followed him to put the tip he left back in his hands at one point). Though, I suppose that just comes from cultural shock, and knowing that tipping is sometimes the only way people make a living over here. I'll have to keep that in mind since it's a habit I have when leaving good service.

 

I can understand that about the American stereotypes as well. It's a little grating (even to a minority of us over here) to see some of them going around on St. Patrick's day with a shirt that says, 'Kiss me, I'm Irish'. So while probably not on the scale you're talking about, I can at least understand that animosity and where it comes from.

 

Thanks so much for the information and telling me what formalities to go with when I have the chance to visit. u v u~

 

(Also, getting offers for tea? I love tea over coffee, so there's something I definitely won't be turning down any time soon)

Over here we wear shirts and fake tattoos saying kiss me I'm Irish or pog mo thoin (kiss my ass) on paddy's day

also I didn't get to finish my post as you can see from the misspelled last word

 

And you're welcome.

 

I'm a little surprised that tipping seems to be a custom that's really only acceptable in America for the most part (my step father went to Taiwan once, and said that the restaurant owner had followed him to put the tip he left back in his hands at one point). Though, I suppose that just comes from cultural shock, and knowing that tipping is sometimes the only way people make a living over here. I'll have to keep that in mind since it's a habit I have when leaving good service.

 

The whole 'Don't tip unless there's a tipping jar' is not really true. Having eaten out in Dublin many times over the course of the years, I can say that tipping is still something that is prevalent in society. Whenever I eat amongst a group the first thing we do after getting the bill is to chip in for the tip.

 

If you don't tip however you won't get accosted, something that might be the case in America for example. I was also surprised to hear that tipping taxi drivers is a common thing in America, which I can't get my head around...

 

I'n all the restaurants I've never, nor seen or heard of anyone tipping. 

[Xydonus]

I'n all the restaurants I've never, nor seen or heard of anyone tipping. 

 

 

I don't think its something that you would 'see'... I mean if you know yourself, tipping in Ireland simply involves leaving a few extra on top of the coin plate along with the receipt. It's not a loud proclamation of standing up and announcing to everyone within the Restaurant, "I'm now tipping this fine waiter! Bear witness to my tipping and all bow amidst my generosity!"

 

It's subtle and unannounced...

[123Imirish]

 

I'n all the restaurants I've never, nor seen or heard of anyone tipping. 

 

 

I don't think its something that you would 'see'... I mean if you know yourself, tipping in Ireland simply involves leaving a few extra on top of the coin plate along with the receipt. It's not a loud proclamation of standing up and announcing to everyone within the Restaurant, "I'm now tipping this fine waiter! Bear witness to my tipping and all bow amidst my generosity!"

 

It's subtle and unannounced..

I remember when I was small my mam would leave around two euro on the plate, I just took it as that it was part of the bill.

[dangoofed]

What are your thoughts on Joyce?

[Kitt Frostpaws]

- Warning: Stereotype joke alert -

What's it like knowing our drunk is your sober?

[Spaniard]

No one announces that they're tipping, even in the USA . . . .

[dangoofed]

 I'm from Wisconsin, so our sobor is an Irish Hangover