Irish people? Could you tell me some things about your culture?

Question

About religion, family, patriarchy, societies, marriages etc?

Any literature would be good.

Want details on strongly religious people. The man in the book runs the family and is very patriarchal and I wanted details on only Irish not Irish American. Know about potato famine, idea of escape to foreign lands. What about marriage and religion and the idea of how society controls women and people in general? How are all these linked. What about Irish women in particular? How are their lives different from say English women?

Didn't mean to offend any Irish people. I was just repeating what was in this book. Amongst Women by John MaGahern. The main character is very tight fisted we realise later it is because he is scared of poverty after the potato famine, he is religious and controlling. Obviously not all families are the same. People like this can exist in any race, religion and family. I know Ireland isn't a poor country but the book I am referring to and and the character lives in rural Ireland and that is what I was looking for. What use is information about tans and TV's when I am meant to be writing about rural Ireland and families there.

Answer 1

I know the book you mean, Amongst Women. It was set during the 1950s, and Ireland has changed completely since then! The father in the book was a very controlling and patriarchal character, that's right, but he doesn't represent all Irish fathers ... ;-).

Religion: Considered to be more trouble than it's worth, and in certain areas considered equal to politics, which has led to untold trouble, especially in Northern Ireland. Nowadays not many Irish are attached to institutional religions, and there are far more religions that merely Protestantism and Catholicism in Ireland 2007.

Family: Important, but humanity in family also now allowed. Unmarried parents not uncommon, nor are separated parents, married or otherwise, nor are step-families. The Church also has less control over families.

Patriarchy: Not nearly as strong as it seems in the book. Yes, the men have traditionally been the heads of households, but the women are the necks, and the necks turn the heads ...

Societies: Generally Irish society is very different now. In 1950s Ireland people were leaving to work, nowadays people are coming to Ireland to work. Huge Polish community here now, and many other Eastern European nationalities are here too.

Marriages: See families. Oh, and we now have State divorce, and fewer people marry in churches, and mixed marriages are common.

Answer 2

I can try! That's very broad. Do you want Irish and/or Irish-American, they can be VERY different. Here are some famous Irish literary figures:

James Joyce
Brendan O"Carroll
Jonathan Swift
W. B. Yeats
Samuel Beckett
Bram Stoker
Frank O'Connor
Sean O'Faolain


Ireland is split between Protestant and Catholic. It has historically resulted in numerous wars etc and even the splitting of Ireland. The blanket term is "the Troubles". It's more than just religion, its also the split between Anglo (English) and Irish etc. very, very broad topic

Irish is traditional and agrarian (farming) society. so that effects a lot of the culture. Marriages for land etc. The grinding poverty, the potato famine, clan society.

The topic is too huge for this, I'm getting lost in my own response! Wiki has a great section on Irish culture, maybe start there. Watch for the source, some sites are heavily slanted to either the English or the Irish side, so take things with a grain of salt

there is a lot of misinformation about the Irish too. Yes, there are a lot of alcoholics, and yelling fish wives and superstitious Irish, but I don't think it's really more so than in any other culture. There were signs here in the US that said things like "No Irish Need Apply" for jobs and housing because of the discrimination against the Irish in the US for so long based on these stereotypes. We're not all bog hoppers, paddys and mics either! My mom's family laugh and say "lace curtain" or "shanty" Irish. We get our houses and cars blest, and do some superstitious stuff. And, of course, we have tons of cops and firemen in our family.... lol I guess we are a little stereotypical in some ways! :)

Answer 3

The Irish are heavily geared towards their family which for the most part can be quite large. A typical sized family in Ireland would be 5 children and 2 parents but of course there are many families larger than this again. Then when you include Aunties, Uncles, Cousins, grand children etc it becomes a huge clan.

The backbone of most families is the Mother who is usually looked upon as the pride of the family. The older the Mother is the more traditional values she will hold. A traditional mother would be a typical house wife, making sure the kids are well educated, religious and has respect for the neighbour. She would also make sure the husband would be well fed because after all he works all day to put food on the table.

You would never dare insult anyone’s Mother as it is the biggest insult you could ever throw at someone.

Unfortunately Ireland is changing fast in the way we do things and think. Old traditions are slowly moving away as our population is getting younger. As Katie describe the women are putting on their fake tan and fake nails for a weekend out where as 25 years ago (or even sooner) a woman wouldn’t dare to do such a thing, it was even daring to wear hair spray back then.

Most families here are brought up as Catholics, some are brought up with a strict religious background as I was. We needed to attend mass every Sunday and any holy days of obligation. You would also have to attend confessions on a weekly basis before you were allowed to take Holy Communion at mass.

We would be brought up with the belief that drinking under 18 was a sin and also sex before marriage was a sin so some people actually became quite uncomfortable towards the subject of sex.

Most family homes would have religious items in the house hold such as a picture of Christ, Mary and probably the families favorite Saint. Some families would also say the rosary together on a weekly basis, some even on a nightly basis. Usually the older a person is the more religious relics would be in the house, for example my grandmother’s house is like a religious shrine and probably has more status, crosses and photos than our local chapel.

Another thing that is common within family households is holy water fonts. These would be small and located at the door and the reason for these would be so anyone leaving the household could bless themselves with the holy water.

You might also find something the following site: http://www.yourirish.com/

Answer 4

If you want to see what the modern day Irish people are like read "The Popes Children" by David McWilliams (I think). You might not be able to find it in USA, maybe in UK, but if you were really interested you probably could get it online somewhere.

The Modern Irish people don't have the ridiculous accents that Americans seem to think we have!! Most Irish homes (in Dublin) would cost about half a million euro and would have three bedrooms, 1 or 2 bathrooms, kitchen, frontroom and back room. It would contain a broadband computer, about 3-5 TVs, a few stereos, a dishwasher etc.. Both parents would most likely work to pay the high mortgages. About 2 children. Average income would be about €500 a week. Minimum wage is €7.50. We don't dress in shauls and rags. A couple would most likely have 2 cars. And that's about all I can think of right now.

Answer 5

You seem to have an idea in your head which I can only presume has come from listening to one too many old wives tales.... I don't mean to offend you so please don't take it that way. Ireland is a country which has just had a huge pick-me-up in our economy we are now in the top ten richest countries in the world... We are a first world country, our islands and remote areas of which some still speak Irish, are fully plumbed and have electricity.... the average Irish home has a flat screen TV and computer, along with other modern appliances and forms of entertainment. Ireland is just as materialistic as England and other countries despite what people might say, although some of our very rural areas might not yet be.
The women in our towns, cities and villages all get their spray tans and fakes nails for the weekend... along with a bit of botox here and there.

The only way to see Ireland for what it really is is to come here and experience it........ it is different, but not in a way that can be explained... it must be lived.

Answer 6

Most Irish are Catholics and have a devotion to the Blessed Mother. Irish are very very smart, especially the ones who do not drink. They work very hard. You will not ever find a harder worker employee than an Irish who does not drink. In Ireland the woman run the household and the money, etc. Irish are prone to arguments and do have quick tempers. They are very funny. They do not seem to be all that materialistic compared to the other ethnicities.

Answer 7

We're very family orientated, much like people in the North of england and certain parts of the south.

Most people were brought up Catholic, but many don't go to church. Especially young people. Although people still make their kids have the confirmation and they get ready for this in school. For many this is a huge event and there is a big fuss made of it, especially with girls. Irish travellers are known to make a big deal of this, with horse drawn carts, large lace dresses and such for the wee girls and fancy clothing for those attending.

Funerals are also a big part of Irish society with some fetching hude crowds. Many of which didn't know the deceased that well. Irish travellers and settled travellers, but not limited to will sometimes use large horse drawn herses and carts for those attending.

Answer 8

Here's a good book for you to check out - Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt.

It will make you cry, laugh, and enlighten you to our culture.

This New Years my family and I will throw a pan of milk out the front door so that the pixies don't cause us any troubles this coming year. We also eat fruitcake or rumcake for prosperity in the New Year.

Answer 9

wE BAKE cornbread on valentines day to attract leprechauns, as this is an ancient folklore that lives on!

Answer 10

Big cocks