The Irish

[Mr. Viking]

We drink the same as the rest of you. Irish Nationalism seeks to go hand in hand with drinkers, but has little to do with them (If you think this is a nasty statement, I am a nationalist). The only interesting things about Ireland are that people tend to drink either nothing or a lot, and that most when pushed don't have strong opinions

[Bobby Stout]

I don't really understand the Irish Nationalism thing and drinking.....?

Anyway, I know most other nations drink a similar amount to us. We just seem to be more famous for it somehow.

We also have this weird thing about it where we feel guilty about it sometimes but then celebrate the Irish pub as being a wonderful thing. So it's like constantly a national conversation. I think everyone's families have been touched by having an alcoholic, destructive person in the family at some point. I don't agree though that people drink a lot or nothing. The majority of people binge at the weekend and have nothing during the week. There wouldn't be too many tee-totallers. Until a certain age anyway. Once people have kids and mortgages etc, they're allowed out once a month. I have a kid, but he doesn't live with me. The stress of it all makes me drink more than I should. Which is fine.

But things have changed in Ireland anyway. My father will tell you that a lot of people he worked with used the pub around the corner from their office as a second office, whereas now it's frowned upon to even have a drink at lunchtime. Come in to work with a hangover once or twice and it's ok, everyone thinks you're fun. Do it all the time and you'll be lucky to keep your job. I'm speaking from experience.
See also anyone who uses the hair of the dog treatment for hangovers.

Which is just ridiculous.

[Palinka (RIP)]

Some interesting thoughts there from both Mr.Sandman/Viking and Bobby Stout.

With out wish to stray too far from the topic, have either of you (or anyone else) seen the new (UK) Channel 4 sitcom, London Irish? The show seems to be exploring some of the same issues that you have raised here.

[Bobby Stout]

Nah, I haven't watched it. I read a short review in the Irish Times and it didn't sound particularly good. Besides, I think the Irish in it are of the northern variety and they're a different breed up there altogether. I might give it a look though, if you say it has a bit more substance to it than I thought.

I could write a book on Ireland and alcohol, but I doubt anyone is too interested and I have to be up for goddamn work in 7 hours time. :-)

[Palinka (RIP)]

Nah, I haven't watched it. I read a short review in the Irish Times and it didn't sound particularly good. Besides, I think the Irish in it are of the northern variety and they're a different breed up there altogether. I might give it a look though, if you say it has a bit more substance to it than I thought.

I could write a book on Ireland and alcohol, but I doubt anyone is too interested and I have to be up for goddamn work in 7 hours time. :-)

I would buy that book.

Meantime, we are about Modern Drunkard unity, so please do not single out anyone who drinks as "other".

Else, you might as well be a zombie.

Break the barriers, think for yourself. Above all, love your fellow Drunkard.

[Shane-O-Matic]

Like a good number of Scots, I come from an Irish family. Like most Glaswegians of Irish stock, we're from Donegal.

Regardless of the "nows and thens" of drinking in Ireland, I'd recommend numerous visits to the country to anyone. I've still to visit many of the southern counties (as an adult) but they're on my list. There's a beauty to the stillness of a quiet rural pub; same applies to the relative craziness of Lavery's (Belfast), Madigan's (Dublin) or pretty much any pub in Derry/Londonderry. Any pub in any city in the world will have its characters, but it's easy enough - and far from unreasonable - to be charmed by the folklore and such.

[Palinka (RIP)]

The Scots and the Irish have a long, rich, at times troubled, at times beautiful (think "whisk(e)y" here) history and relationship.

[Mr. Viking]

Nah, I haven't watched it. I read a short review in the Irish Times and it didn't sound particularly good. Besides, I think the Irish in it are of the northern variety and they're a different breed up there altogether. I might give it a look though, if you say it has a bit more substance to it than I thought.

I could write a book on Ireland and alcohol, but I doubt anyone is too interested and I have to be up for goddamn work in 7 hours time. :-)

careful now, I'm half Dublin, half Belfast

[Palinka (RIP)]

careful now, I'm half Dublin, half Belfast*

* And half a gallon of Port and a packet of crisps, please...

[Bobby Stout]

careful now, I'm half Dublin, half Belfast

I was (half) joking.

Besides, I'm half Dublin and half Limerick and I think they're a different breed down there.

Or is it up there. I'm not sure which. (I feel like I'm from about four different places. And now I have a half-Polish son to add to the confusion.)

Though I sure as hell prefer drinking with my Limerick family more than my Dublin family so I guess that's what I am.

[Palinka (RIP)]

...I guess that's what I am.

[Mr. Viking]

Some interesting thoughts there from both Mr.Sandman/Viking and Bobby Stout.

With out wish to stray too far from the topic, have either of you (or anyone else) seen the new (UK) Channel 4 sitcom, London Irish? The show seems to be exploring some of the same issues that you have raised here.

I find it to be an accurate portrayal of how I see my generation of Irish diaspora behaving in my head

[coqui_chris]

We drink the same as the rest of you. Irish Nationalism seeks to go hand in hand with drinkers, but has little to do with them (If you think this is a nasty statement, I am a nationalist). The only interesting things about Ireland are that people tend to drink either nothing or a lot, and that most when pushed don't have strong opinions

Do you mean like the Brand of Irishness ie "The Gathering: There's a Pint Waiting for You! Grab a pint, join a session, have some craic!" kinda thing?

[Wolfcoat]

My next trip outta the states will be Ireland, and the islands (Isle of Man, Hebrides, Shetlands, Orkneys). Done Angland, Scotsland Welshland, back in the 80s. It was a great time, took a month to drink an tour. I had just turned 18, it was a golden time to hit the UK.
(I'm a drinker with a history problem, so I hit the pubs and then the museums and castles. There is this lovely tavern in Bath, right across from the oldest damn graveyard I've seen, great rabbit stew and an oaken bar that was worn like a godsdamn trough from all the beers and elbows...)

I like to visit islands, but my past geological studies rule them out as places to live. (too bad, too, Iceland was nice and clean, but fookin volcanoes AND glaciers? And high prices for alkeehaul?)

I've heard great things about Ireland from many of my friends and fam that have been there.

[Mr. Viking]

Do you mean like the Brand of Irishness ie "The Gathering: There's a Pint Waiting for You! Grab a pint, join a session, have some craic!" kinda thing?

very much so, yes, it makes me feel uncomfortable