Hugging, touching, or simply being overly physical with others in public is considered inappropriate etiquette in Ireland. Avoid using PDA and respect people's personal space in Ireland.
The Irish are the subject of some of the most lasting and clichéd stereotypes. In their long history, they've been painted as weak and submissive, lazy, uneducated, helpless, and reliant on the kindness of others for their own survival [source: The Society Pages].
They have a way with words, a warm smile and attentive ways that are enough to make anyone go weak at the knees. An Irish man has a great sense of humour. Absolutely anything can be made into a joke, the serious and light situations. And after all, laughter is the key to the heart!
Irish people are known for pointy and angular features, characterized by strong-looking jaws and chins, deep-set eyes, and pronounced cheekbones. They also tend to have slick oval heads as well as long and tall pointed noses.
The modern Irish usually have light features – pale blue or green eyes, reddish or brown hair and fair skin with freckles.
There is an emphasis on egalitarianism and mateship. A person's level of education and wealth does not necessarily earn them status or respect. Instead, the Irish tend to emphasise one's efforts and hard work. Generally, there are not many social indicators that can define class distinctions in society.
What is the most famous Irish blessing? “May the road rise up to meet you” is one of the most famous Irish blessings.
The country that brought us shamrocks, Riverdance and Guinness has been named one of the happiest countries, according to the World Happiness Report 2023. Ireland has secured the 14th spot on the list with a score of 6.91 out of 10.
Physical Contact: The Irish tend to have a warm and friendly disposition, but generally restrain themselves from showing a great deal of physical affection in public. Men are usually less comfortable touching one another than women, but a friendly slap on the back and other gestures are still common.
Irish culture and customs
Irish people are friendly, and place a lot of emphasis on the family. They're also fiercely patriotic and St Patrick's Day is a raucous affair that has everyone, no matter their location, raising a glass or two.
Christianity in the form of both Roman Catholicism and Protestantism is the most widely practised religion in Ireland.
Ireland is the only country in the world to have a musical instrument as its national symbol. As a testament to the country's love for music, Ireland boasts a harp as its national emblem. It dates back to the 13th century. It's estimated that there are 30,000 castles and ruins in Ireland.
Saying Hello in Ireland. To say “Hello” in Irish Gaelic, you say: Dia dhuit. That phrase is how you say hello to someone in Irish.
Often referred to as “supermums,” they are known to offer agony aunt services, have the best remedies for a cold or flu, give the best hugs, make the best comfort food, and always have the kettle on. Irish mammies: we salute you!
This means that traditionally an Irish family is large, rowdy, playful, and boisterous. Irish parents give their children a lot of freedom and encourage them to be independent and self-reliant while maintaining parental authority and a secure parent-child bond.
Irish people tend to be creative and calm in a crisis. They prefer to improvise rather than follow a rigid plan. Outwardly the Irish accept authority but inwardly have strong displeasure in accepting it. They also dislike bureaucracy.
The most common greeting is the handshake. The Irish usually shake hands when being introduced or when greeting a friend or work colleague. In formal situations or with people of higher status, titles and last names are used. Among close friends and family, the Irish may hug and kiss each other on the cheek.
In fact, in Ireland and Scotland, more than three-fourths of the population has blue or green eyes – 86 percent! Many factors go into having green eyes. Sixteen separate genes have been identified as contributing to eye color.
HG1Many different genes are responsible for producing what are considered typical Irish physical traits: curly hair, freckles, faces only a mother could love, etc. But it is suspected that a master gene located on chromosome 7 may be responsible for arranging the overall Irish "look".
The findings illustrated that 45% of Irish women described their body type as a pear. 9% of respondents described their body shape as double cherry which is also known as hourglass. 9.4% voted their body type as strawberry while 16.4% said their body was shaped like rhubarb.