Formerly IrishOtter49, perhaps we can say that the cream of the Irish came to the US, where they flourish. The same for the Scots and the English, among whom were my ancestors.
Just let us know what your new name is. 🙂
Will do, Kate.
Not formerly yet. Still pondering. . . .
@IrishOtter49: Maybe be not so quick to judge the entire population of the island, by what you read in the news about some of them? You know how unreliable both our news and foreign news is about the United States, maybe give the Irish the benefit of the doubt? Just a thought.
@IrishOtter49:
I don’t worry a lot about Ireland being asshole, particularly historic Ireland. Now that Rosie O’Donnell has moved there, however, perhaps.
Ahhh so — now that you mention it. . . Yep. Rosie makes your case.
I’ve started a new post series: Technology in 1925, with ‘technology’ being broadly defined. The posts will discuss social & economic impact as well as the technologies per se. First post of the series, focusing of communications & entertainment, is now up:
The Irish political class is awful. Where I’d fault the Irish public is having no response to that awfulness. (Also the social and cultural breakdown of the last 30 years; what was once a conscientious society is now a quite slatternly society).
==
As for Rosie O’Donnell, I don’t think the decisions of the social workers who allocated to her one child after another could survive an impartial audit. Other than John Derbyshire, I’m not aware of anyone who has called attention to the sort of favoritism from which she seems to have benefited.
==
NB, what’s known publicly of Rosie O’Donnell suggests she’s a dreadful human being. I’d think more of the Irish if they gave her the cold shoulder.
I will grudgingly give Rosie O’Donnell at least a modicum of credit for actually following through. Too often leftwing celebrities have been known for making promises at the top of their lungs to leave America if “X” happens or “Y” is elected, only to not actually do so when the event comes to pass. Having great or even good wealth does afford such high profile celebrities the advantage of being able to follow through on such promises, but despite this far too often they do not.
Yes Irish Otter, as a Plastic Irishman having lived there several years and a graduate of Trinity I agree with your sentiments. The elites have lost their moorings. But do not despair. In the outback there remain a few who have not yet succumbed to the Borg
Dave cullen the cultural critic who had a podcast on youtube who became aware of the lockdowns and was demonetized and had to turn to rumble and other platforms like odyssee to carry his message, was the canary about this
European countries voluntarily surrendering to invading Muslim hordes cannot honestly be considered allies. Hence,
I’m judging Ireland and the Irish by my personal experiences (there are many) of the country, and also by the country’s official policies toward Israel, by its increasingly authoritarian government (including suppression of free speech and dissent), rampant and manifest hostility to Christianity (especially the Catholocism) . . . and so forth.
Re Art Deco: “The Irish political class is awful. Where I’d fault the Irish public is having no response to that awfulness. (Also the social and cultural breakdown of the last 30 years; what was once a conscientious society is now a quite slatternly society).”
That is basically the definition of “asshole.”
Ireland is becoming a 1984-ish Marxian [sic] police state. As well, in my experience anti-American sentiment has always be strong among the educated Irish, but now it seems to have spread to encompass the general populace.
I have fond memories of West Ireland — that’s where I learned to love border collies. But that Ireland is fading into history.
Here is the official government website for DOGE, for the folks that haven’t already accessed it.
According to the Savings tab, total savings is $105 billion.
The Irish parliament has 174 seats in it. Dissenters won six seats in 2024. The Irish outback has a ways to go to reclaim the republic.
IrishOtter:
You probably know a LOT more about this than I do, but I wouldn’t say that Ireland covered itself in glory during WWII, either.
IrishOtter – I’ll trade you your Irish antisemites for my self-hating cosmopolitan progressive Jewraelis…
Astoundingly there are still Leftie Jews who still think we can live in peace with Hamas – who still think that the problem is those nasty land-grabbing settlers… at the funerals of hostages their families vowed to continue their (failed and deadly) efforts at “coexistence”.
Now that the Jews have been gathered again into their homeland, we can see how many of them really are idiots. Tarnishes the brand, but it’s the truth.
Yes devalera (is it a coincidence he was played by alan rickman in the michael collins film) the role of the ira during the war (the devlin character in the eagle film) was not a fiction
I can’t tell you how many times I’d be quietly enjoying a beer in an Irish pub, minding my own business and all, only to be accosted by some educated but stupid belligerent big-mouth self-righteous self-regarding know-it-all Irishman bent on lecturing me at great length about the flaws and evils of America and Americans.
IrishOtter49 wrote, “I’m seriously contemplating changing my online moniker,…”
@IrishOtter49:I can’t tell you how many times I’d be quietly enjoying a beer in an Irish pub, minding my own business and all, only to be accosted by some educated but stupid belligerent big-mouth self-righteous self-regarding know-it-all Irishman bent on lecturing me at great length about the flaws and evils of America and Americans.
My sister had the same experience in Ireland. I’ve never been to Ireland but I have not had that experience in the countries I have been to.
Now, people from other countries that I would meet socially IN America would sometimes give me that lecture.
neo:
You are correct. I know the subject well, as you surmised.
Author Mark Halperin’s very pointed critique of Sweden comes to mind. Sweden, he observed, grew fat and prosperous on trade with Nazi Germany during WW2, only to emerge into the postwar period to lecture the rest of the world on morality.
The same could be said for Ireland.
Ben David:
Indeed. “Tarnishing the brand” is an apt description. I know how you feel and I am very sympathetic. The Irish have tarnished their own brand, and I don’t think there’s anything they can or will do to rectify the situation. In fact I don’t think that Ireland will be Ireland much longer.
Remembering that great scene in The Quiet Man: Sean Thornton and Squire Danaher take a timeout from fighting each other to have a beer together in the local pub. They fall to reminiscing about happier times. But shortly Danaher shakes his head and says, sadly and wistfully: “Ah, sure, the old days are gone forever.”
And the fight resumes.
That’s Ireland. I remain proud of my Irish heritage and glad of it. But, sure, the old days are gone forever.
Niketas Choniates:
The Irish love to talk, both for better and ill. They have, it seems, very few opinions that they won’t share, unbidden, with you. They can’t help themselves. That can be a good thing. I recall the long and very pleasant conversations I would have with shepherds in the fields of Mayo, or Clare, or Galway, gabbing amiably while I watched their border collies working the sheep. The subjects under discussion revolved around the weather, dogs, the weather, the objectionable behavior and character of the people in the next county over, the weather, the objectionable behavior and character of his wife’s family, and . . . the weather. Also dogs. There was much sly humor and laughter. There was talk of poetry and the quoting of Yeats. They were shepherds and, yes, they knew enough about the poetry of Yeats to quote him!
I don’t recall ever talking politics with these gentlemen. When, after asking me where in America I was from and I told them Chicago, roughly half the time (at least) they would tell me 1) they had family in Chicago; or, 2) they had themselves lived worked in Chicago for X number of years; or, 3) both. One told me, “I liked Chicago. I’ll say this about the city: it always gave me a meal and a bed to sleep in.” If you know the Irish, you know that’s very high praise indeed.
Sweden, he observed, grew fat and prosperous on trade with Nazi Germany during WW2, only to emerge into the postwar period to lecture the rest of the world on morality.
==
The change in per capita product of Europe’s neutral countries (1945 compared with 1939, courtesy the Maddison Project)
==
Switzerland: -10%
Sweden: -2%
Ireland: -1%
Portugal: +3%
Spain: +16%
==
They were not occupied by any foreign power and they were not battlefields so retained their physical capital and manpower. I’m not seeing anyone making off like bandits here. Spain already had severe losses in physical and human capital during the period running from 1936 to 1939 so benefited some from reconstruction and the transfer of resources from military uses to ordinary uses.
==
(I am recalling Hendrick Hertzberg offering a printed eulogy for Olaf Palme in 1986. Hertzberg fancied it was lauditory, but it made Palme sound vaguely repellent).
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This isn’t a world-historical issue, but something I’d like to get off my chest.
I’m seriously contemplating changing my online moniker, ditching IrishOtter49.
Reason: I no longer wish to associate myself with my ancestral homeland and people.
Ireland and the Irish have always been problematic (as, admittedly, have I), and paradoxically that was part of their charm. But no more.
Ireland is asshole and so are the Irish, sure. Begone with youse.
We might need a st patrick
https://x.com/MarkJCarney/status/1899583228060537166
Maybe combat moose to the rescue
New zealand seems to have moved away from Mordor to some degree
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2025/03/12/left-wing-punished-in-surprise-greenland-election-result-next-govt-may-be-more-trump-friendly/
Formerly IrishOtter49, perhaps we can say that the cream of the Irish came to the US, where they flourish. The same for the Scots and the English, among whom were my ancestors.
Just let us know what your new name is. 🙂
Will do, Kate.
Not formerly yet. Still pondering. . . .
@IrishOtter49: Maybe be not so quick to judge the entire population of the island, by what you read in the news about some of them? You know how unreliable both our news and foreign news is about the United States, maybe give the Irish the benefit of the doubt? Just a thought.
@IrishOtter49:
I don’t worry a lot about Ireland being asshole, particularly historic Ireland. Now that Rosie O’Donnell has moved there, however, perhaps.
Ahhh so — now that you mention it. . . Yep. Rosie makes your case.
I’ve started a new post series: Technology in 1925, with ‘technology’ being broadly defined. The posts will discuss social & economic impact as well as the technologies per se. First post of the series, focusing of communications & entertainment, is now up:
https://chicagoboyz.net/archives/73290.html
The Irish political class is awful. Where I’d fault the Irish public is having no response to that awfulness. (Also the social and cultural breakdown of the last 30 years; what was once a conscientious society is now a quite slatternly society).
==
As for Rosie O’Donnell, I don’t think the decisions of the social workers who allocated to her one child after another could survive an impartial audit. Other than John Derbyshire, I’m not aware of anyone who has called attention to the sort of favoritism from which she seems to have benefited.
==
NB, what’s known publicly of Rosie O’Donnell suggests she’s a dreadful human being. I’d think more of the Irish if they gave her the cold shoulder.
I will grudgingly give Rosie O’Donnell at least a modicum of credit for actually following through. Too often leftwing celebrities have been known for making promises at the top of their lungs to leave America if “X” happens or “Y” is elected, only to not actually do so when the event comes to pass. Having great or even good wealth does afford such high profile celebrities the advantage of being able to follow through on such promises, but despite this far too often they do not.
Yes Irish Otter, as a Plastic Irishman having lived there several years and a graduate of Trinity I agree with your sentiments. The elites have lost their moorings. But do not despair. In the outback there remain a few who have not yet succumbed to the Borg
The uniparty is strong over there as weve discussed before
https://redstate.com/sister-toldjah/2025/03/12/msnbc-host-on-the-violence-at-tesla-dealerships-n2186572
Dave cullen the cultural critic who had a podcast on youtube who became aware of the lockdowns and was demonetized and had to turn to rumble and other platforms like odyssee to carry his message, was the canary about this
European countries voluntarily surrendering to invading Muslim hordes cannot honestly be considered allies. Hence,
The Vance Doctrine
NC:
I’m judging Ireland and the Irish by my personal experiences (there are many) of the country, and also by the country’s official policies toward Israel, by its increasingly authoritarian government (including suppression of free speech and dissent), rampant and manifest hostility to Christianity (especially the Catholocism) . . . and so forth.
Re Art Deco: “The Irish political class is awful. Where I’d fault the Irish public is having no response to that awfulness. (Also the social and cultural breakdown of the last 30 years; what was once a conscientious society is now a quite slatternly society).”
That is basically the definition of “asshole.”
Ireland is becoming a 1984-ish Marxian [sic] police state. As well, in my experience anti-American sentiment has always be strong among the educated Irish, but now it seems to have spread to encompass the general populace.
I have fond memories of West Ireland — that’s where I learned to love border collies. But that Ireland is fading into history.
Here is the official government website for DOGE, for the folks that haven’t already accessed it.
https://doge.gov/
According to the Savings tab, total savings is $105 billion.
The Irish parliament has 174 seats in it. Dissenters won six seats in 2024. The Irish outback has a ways to go to reclaim the republic.
IrishOtter:
You probably know a LOT more about this than I do, but I wouldn’t say that Ireland covered itself in glory during WWII, either.
IrishOtter – I’ll trade you your Irish antisemites for my self-hating cosmopolitan progressive Jewraelis…
Astoundingly there are still Leftie Jews who still think we can live in peace with Hamas – who still think that the problem is those nasty land-grabbing settlers… at the funerals of hostages their families vowed to continue their (failed and deadly) efforts at “coexistence”.
Now that the Jews have been gathered again into their homeland, we can see how many of them really are idiots. Tarnishes the brand, but it’s the truth.
https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1899871370353283373
Yes devalera (is it a coincidence he was played by alan rickman in the michael collins film) the role of the ira during the war (the devlin character in the eagle film) was not a fiction
Oh well. We’ll always have Peggy.
==
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNs-16Tx0DY
I can’t tell you how many times I’d be quietly enjoying a beer in an Irish pub, minding my own business and all, only to be accosted by some educated but stupid belligerent big-mouth self-righteous self-regarding know-it-all Irishman bent on lecturing me at great length about the flaws and evils of America and Americans.
IrishOtter49 wrote, “I’m seriously contemplating changing my online moniker,…”
May I suggest, Guinness Float.
And, yes, it actually is a thing:
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/guinness-float/
@IrishOtter49:I can’t tell you how many times I’d be quietly enjoying a beer in an Irish pub, minding my own business and all, only to be accosted by some educated but stupid belligerent big-mouth self-righteous self-regarding know-it-all Irishman bent on lecturing me at great length about the flaws and evils of America and Americans.
My sister had the same experience in Ireland. I’ve never been to Ireland but I have not had that experience in the countries I have been to.
Now, people from other countries that I would meet socially IN America would sometimes give me that lecture.
neo:
You are correct. I know the subject well, as you surmised.
Author Mark Halperin’s very pointed critique of Sweden comes to mind. Sweden, he observed, grew fat and prosperous on trade with Nazi Germany during WW2, only to emerge into the postwar period to lecture the rest of the world on morality.
The same could be said for Ireland.
Ben David:
Indeed. “Tarnishing the brand” is an apt description. I know how you feel and I am very sympathetic. The Irish have tarnished their own brand, and I don’t think there’s anything they can or will do to rectify the situation. In fact I don’t think that Ireland will be Ireland much longer.
Remembering that great scene in The Quiet Man: Sean Thornton and Squire Danaher take a timeout from fighting each other to have a beer together in the local pub. They fall to reminiscing about happier times. But shortly Danaher shakes his head and says, sadly and wistfully: “Ah, sure, the old days are gone forever.”
And the fight resumes.
That’s Ireland. I remain proud of my Irish heritage and glad of it. But, sure, the old days are gone forever.
Niketas Choniates:
The Irish love to talk, both for better and ill. They have, it seems, very few opinions that they won’t share, unbidden, with you. They can’t help themselves. That can be a good thing. I recall the long and very pleasant conversations I would have with shepherds in the fields of Mayo, or Clare, or Galway, gabbing amiably while I watched their border collies working the sheep. The subjects under discussion revolved around the weather, dogs, the weather, the objectionable behavior and character of the people in the next county over, the weather, the objectionable behavior and character of his wife’s family, and . . . the weather. Also dogs. There was much sly humor and laughter. There was talk of poetry and the quoting of Yeats. They were shepherds and, yes, they knew enough about the poetry of Yeats to quote him!
I don’t recall ever talking politics with these gentlemen. When, after asking me where in America I was from and I told them Chicago, roughly half the time (at least) they would tell me 1) they had family in Chicago; or, 2) they had themselves lived worked in Chicago for X number of years; or, 3) both. One told me, “I liked Chicago. I’ll say this about the city: it always gave me a meal and a bed to sleep in.” If you know the Irish, you know that’s very high praise indeed.
Good times, good times.
Ah, there I go, getting sentimental.
About time
https://x.com/HansMahncke/status/1899872790209048909
Sweden, he observed, grew fat and prosperous on trade with Nazi Germany during WW2, only to emerge into the postwar period to lecture the rest of the world on morality.
==
The change in per capita product of Europe’s neutral countries (1945 compared with 1939, courtesy the Maddison Project)
==
Switzerland: -10%
Sweden: -2%
Ireland: -1%
Portugal: +3%
Spain: +16%
==
They were not occupied by any foreign power and they were not battlefields so retained their physical capital and manpower. I’m not seeing anyone making off like bandits here. Spain already had severe losses in physical and human capital during the period running from 1936 to 1939 so benefited some from reconstruction and the transfer of resources from military uses to ordinary uses.
==
(I am recalling Hendrick Hertzberg offering a printed eulogy for Olaf Palme in 1986. Hertzberg fancied it was lauditory, but it made Palme sound vaguely repellent).