When tourists come to Ireland and interact with the Irish, there are a number of honest mistakes commonly made which usually to very awkward situations. Below are 14 of the worst things you should never do in Ireland.
1. Take the piss out of the Irish Accent
Some tourists think that when they’re visiting new lands, they should try to adjust a bit to the local culture and do impressions of the locals, thinking it is funny. However, trying to imitate the Irish accent is not advised. Locals hate it when foreigners attempt to joke about their accent.
2. Call an Irish person a Leprechaun
Tourists travelling to the Emerald Isle often find it amusing to ask the locals about leprechauns, as if these legendary little folk were real and commonplace. However, Irish citizens find it more tiresome than funny. Irish people hate it even more if you call them a Leprechaun. So whatever you do, don’t call them one.
3. Ask for an “Irish Car Bomb” in the pub
Yes, this drink of Guinness stout, Bailey’s Irish Cream and Jameson Irish Whiskey is popular in America, but don’t order it in an Irish pub. This order will bring up old wounds and will most likely get you kicked out of the bar. The name originates from the many car bombings that took place during the Troubles in Ireland. We also recommend that you don’t ask for a “Black & Tan” either. You’ll be asking for trouble so consider these things not to do in Ireland.
4. Only Visit Dublin
Yes, Ireland’s capital city is fun to visit. There’s the Guinness factory, Temple Bar and some beautiful shops and churches to discover. But the lush green countryside is surely Ireland’s prized possession. You’ll definitely want to explore rural areas, other cities and landmarks such as Galway, Belfast, Killarney National Park, Glendalough, Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher.
5. Ask ‘do you know (NAME) in (NEARBY CITY)?’
Every Irish person gets asked do they know someone from their town, city or county. If you are from Dublin and someone asks you ‘do you know Emma from Dublin?’, you will likely not. After all, Dublin is a pretty big place. Irish people are bewildered that outsiders would even ask something like that (and assuming that everyone in Ireland must know each other).
6. Not buy a round of drinks back
In Irish pubs, it’s a common practice to order drinks in rounds. For example, if you’re with a group of four people, everyone in the group takes turns buying a round of drinks. We recommend that if you walk into a pub with only a few patrons, you offer to buy the first round. This will definitely get you in the good graces of the locals.
7. Say “top of the morning”
It bewilders Irish people when we are asked to say “top of the morning” as it is widely understood to be a phrase that the Irish use regularly but nobody in Ireland actually uses it. The phrase was coined in a Holywood movie and for some reason, English and Americans think it’s a common phrase in Ireland. In reality, if they said it to an actual Irish person they would either get laughed at or get knocked out.
Example:
Johnny:”I cant believe them Yankees are so retarded they actually think we say top o’ the mornin’ to ya”
paddy:”I know right, the fucking Gobshites”
