Am I right in being slightly annoyed?

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For reference I am Irish living in Ireland.

I took DS to soft play over the weekend and got chatting to an English woman who was there with her DD.
Her DD starting having tantrum as 3 year olds tend to do and she starting laughing and joking with me over her throwing " a paddy".

Maybe she didn't understand the negative connotations of it but using this phrase to an Irish person in Ireland is a bit bloody stupid.

She ended up taking her DD and leaving so I didn't say anything but I wish I did.
Do I have right to be slightly annoyed by this?

WorraLiberty, I'm 43, Irish living in Ireland, in an urban area, and I can definitively say that this is not a phrase in common usage (or at all) in Ireland. I have never heard it used in this country, in real life, on television, in the press or on Irish online forums. The first time I came across it was on MN.

On the other hand, there are lots of colloquial British phrases that have crossed over to Ireland and are used to varying degrees by Irish people, depending on location, age cohort etc. The fact that this one resolutely has NOT crossed into mainstream usage in Ireland suggests it did, at least in its original inception, have negative connotations for Irish people. I agree that the vast majority of British people using it now do so without any malice or conscious prejudice and in total ignorance of its connotations.

OP, the point you are making is very clear. Perhaps if you see this woman again, you might give her a heads up. I feel quite bad for her that she might unwittingly offend somebody! It sounds like you had a nice chat and she meant no offence whatsoever, which doesn't mean that your feeling of slight offence isn't valid.

My husband was born in Belfast. He refers to his anglicised accent as "posh Paddy" and describes a tantrum as "a bit of a paddy". Because of that it would never occur to me it was offensive.

Oh thanks for clarifying ginger! I’ll be sure to avoid saying it.

See how easy that was?

And anybody who patronisingly responds to the word ‘decimated’ by saying ‘that only means reduced by 10% you know’ deserves punching repeatedly in the face.

That was re the bluenose thing btw.

ginger, do you know why it’s bluenose btw? What does it mean?

growup, I wouldn’t say paddy or bluenose because I’m aware what they mean.

I really don’t feel the need to go round policing the language of Rangers fans and mothers of toddlers when I know full well they mean no harm.

Lots of people use words which have dubious origins. Even the Irish.

Like I said, I’m irish and have never even heard of “bluenose” let alone use it. I think you mean some Irish rather than “the Irish”

I am baffled at the insistence by certain posters that this is a phrase commonly used by Irish people. It really is not. I am Irish, middle-aged, lived here all my life, interacted with Irish people from all walks of life, from every background and every part of the State, and I am telling you, definitively, that it is not a phrase in common usage, or at all, by Irish people in Ireland. The insistence that this not the case is quite perplexing. The only thing I can think of is that it has perhaps been adopted by the youngsters? I'm not au fait with youth speak, so there's that. It would seem strange for the young and hip to adopt such an apparently old-fashioned phrase, but I guess anything's possible.

Perhaps the Irish people using this phrase routinely in Ireland only identify as Irish people. CisIrish?

There are a couple of theories. That blue is a colour associated with Presbyterianism and Conservativism, that it’s due to ‘blue laws’ made by puritans which banned things such as skipping and singing, or that it refers to Scotland’s northerly position and cold weather turning noses blue.

I suspect that a paddywagon is so called not because it contained Irishmen but because it was driven by them; police forces in the US used to be (and in some places still are) predominatly staffed by Irish-Americans.

@McT123 I just googled it after your comment (which made sense) and according to the Oracle of Wikipedia, the origins of Paddywagon are unclear and could be either my definition (which I've always thought it was) or yours.

Isn't language a wonderful thing!

I am baffled at the insistence by certain posters that this is a phrase commonly used by Irish people. It really is not. I am Irish, middle-aged, lived here all my life, interacted with Irish people from all walks of life, from every background and every part of the State, and I am telling you, definitively, that it is not a phrase in common usage, or at all, by Irish people in Ireland

I’ve heard it used by 2 x BIL, FIL and SIL. All of whom are very definitely Irish and live in the same villages their family have lived in since their ancestors climbed out of the primordial swamp. FIL lived in England almost 50 years ago for a while, and BIL lived in Dublin for a bit. But I don’t think SIL and BIL 2 have lived anywhere but the village, they def use it.

ginger

The op isn’t policing either though. She said she was “slightly annoyed” to hear the phrase. As I’m sure some Scottish people would be to hear the phrase “bluenose”.

Some Irish people might use it and others might not use it but not find it offensive when others do. That still doesn’t mean that it’s ok to use. Enough people find it offensive that it would deter me from using it, even if I didn’t find it a bit offensive myself.

Sorry some Irish people might use the term “paddy” for tantrum I mean.

Maybe some Irish people also use the term bluenose, although as I’ve said, I’m Irish and had never heard of it till this thread, so I wouldn’t say it’s rife. I also lived for several years in Scotland and never heard it there either.

Blimey, I use that term all the time for my toddler. And I've been married to an Irish man for 5 years. Good to know the origin - I'll quiz DH tonight too!

YANBU for finding something offensive. YABU for assuming the woman knew the link.

Gingerrogered, I am genuinely baffled at that. It is something I have never come across, and I certainly do not come from one of those insular villages referred to several times. Many Irish people, across several generations, lived and worked in Britain for periods of time, so perhaps some brought this phrase back with them - again, like most British people, without ascribing any negative connotation to it - and it became of common usage within their own families? I can say with absolute certainly (and there are very, very few things I ascribe that much confidence to!) that it is not in common usage in Ireland.

To clarify, I am referring here to the Republic of Ireland, not Northern Ireland. I have no idea if it is a commonly used phrased in the latter, which is part of the UK.

YABU for assuming the woman knew the link.

She didn’t though. She’s already said she’s sure the woman didn’t know and it was an innocent mistake. I’m sure it was the op who said that? Sorry if not. It’s a long thread!

The reason it’s still going I think is because some people are insisting it isn’t offensive or else say that, even if it is considered offensive by some people, they still plan to say it, because they don’t care who they offend and they like saying it basically.

I know you don’t think all Irish people think the same way as him?

Of course not. Not least because my father's family is Irish and I spent half my summers over there (and still go now). I have never felt less than totally welcome.

Someone was asking for an example of Irish offensive terms towards the British. To be fair, I've never come across any others (I'm glad to say).

It is only used by the English people. Yanbu but you will have pps falling over to tell you you're wrong, that is not offensive, their Irish relative say it all the time blah blah.

I don't think half the people who use it get the difference with the name paddy and expression throwing a paddy.

It is so wrong for many reasons. I have NEVER EVER heard an Irish person say throwing a Paddy. Ever. Only English

Like pp I have never heard the word used by an Irish person, rural or city.

Bluelady
My husband was born in Belfast. He refers to his anglicised accent as "posh Paddy" and describes a tantrum as "a bit of a paddy". Because of that it would never occur to me it was offensive.

Let's see....Belfast....Northern Ireland...UK. 😂

Oh well. I suppose this is giving some people something to do until the next gollywog thread. Being professionally unoffended takes plenty of practice-they have to keep their hand in.......

Are you sure those who have Irish relations actually say throwing a Paddy. Not just referring to themselves as a Paddy. I consider myself an Irish Paddy. BUT expression throwing a Paddy is suggesting I am Irish uneducated bad tempered and a lunatic. Usually uneducated due to British rule.

I don't think many people realise the connection op. I am willing to bet the other lady did not intend to offend you in the least.

I genuinely didn't link the two before your post, and I am sure I speak for most people.

I know lots of Irish men called Paddy, but this is what I think of when I connect the two words with Ireland.

She probably didn't know it's related to the term paddy for Irish. I didn't until I saw a thread on here a few months ago. I just never linked the two, although it makes sense now I know.

Finding this thread interesting... I'm half and half. Irish dad, Scottish mum, raised half in Ireland, half in Scotland, family in both countries, born in Ireland but as an adult, settled in Scotland.

Between both sides of our (big) family, my dad and my uncles, there's always lots of good natured banter. Paddies vs Sweaty Socks (Jocks) and all that. Plenty of joking - if we "kids" (and now our kids) like potatoes, that's the Irish in us coming through. If we start talking about getting a bargain in the sales, that's the mean Scot side of us. It's daft, jokey, no harm meant and only said in a lighhearted way amongst the family - where everyone knows no offence will be taken/we can all give as good as we get.

I've heard of "having a paddy", many, many times. It's never once crossed my mind that it has anything to do with the Irish! But now that it's been pointed out, I'd say it's definitely one to add to the list of "say in a lighthearted way around those you know well rather than to/in front of complete strangers".

I'd never knowingly offend someone. At the same time, I think it's telling that the people I like to hang about with are those who can take a joke/don't become offended over comments that were never intended to be offensive! Each to their own.

Irish with mixed English/Scottish heritage living in Ireland here. Never heard the phrase uttered by anyone Irish ever. I've only ever heard it here on MN or possibly on a British tv channel.

It's not offensive to every Irish person, but it is offensive to some. I don't think I'd go as far as to say I'd be offended, but probably I'd have suggested that it's a phrase that may cause offence to some and perhaps choose another way of calling a tantrum a tantrum in front of other people especially Irish.