Irish posters - "having a paddy"

[BarbaraHoward]

Irish posters - can I canvas your opinions on the use of "having a paddy" to mean "having a tantrum"? I've been having a bit of back and forth (well, plenty of forth not much back in truth) with MNHQ over the past day or two and I want to check that I'm not going against the majority view here.

IMO, the phrase is awful, and plainly anti Irish. I know most people using it aren't doing so to slag Irish people off, but the phrase is still awful IMO.

I've been here a long time, and reported the phrase more than I can remember. Usually, it's just deleted right away. Raising it on a thread always derails it as people just go on the offensive.

I reported it yesterday and got the immediate email that it was being checked out, but the post stayed up for hours despite a follow up email, another post and a thread in Site Stuff. It was then edited rather than deleted, which I thought was the norm for offensive language. I reported another use this morning and it's still up.

What are your views? Is this a fight worth having with MNHQ or am I out of step with the majority of Irish posters on here?

Thanks :)

We're not expecting them to know the ins and outs of Irish history, just the most basic of information which is that we're not part of Britain or the UK.
Do they not learn that basic information in primary school?
We had to learn every county and river in Ireland in primary, and yet English people don't even know which countries make up Great Britain or the UK?

And it's not exclusive to Irish people, people all over the world in countries which had gained independence will be 'bent out of shape' if people from the invading country aren't aware that they have in fact gained their independence.

I can't think of an example of a bit Irish...it is something that sounds silly, but after a long, complicated story actually makes sense. At least to the person involved.
Anyone who can remember the comedian Dave Allen would get the idea.

61 here. Did not know that the term was in any way connected to being Irish. Thought it was completely separate. Like a paddy field is nothing to do with being Irish.

I do t know if I ever used the term but certainly won't now I know.

I remember when I was in labour and really wanted the epidural but every time the midwife came in to ask how I was doing I'd smile and say 'Grand'.
My partner at the time had to go out to her to say I was in a lot of pain and wanted the epidural.
I remember laughing afterwards and thinking 'that's so Irish'.

I also remember once having an injury and saying that it was nearly better but my shoulder hurt when I mashed potatoes. That's so Irish 😅 but probably offensive to some because they don't want to be associated with potatoes. But in general we do love them 😂

My kids had to learn the headlands too @kkloo . Which is useful if planning a seaside picnic on a windy day.

Three types of potato is ideal, roast, mashed and something cheesy.

I really want this to be true!

I'm starting to be reminded of this sketch...

www.facebook.com/share/r/oVAhjsQgCHB3XP2v/?mibextid=UalRPS

@kkloo We say "that's so Irish"
In my family but it's not offensive. We are laughing at ourselves.

In the uk the term "that's so Irish"
Or "that's positively Irish" meant stupid ior backwards.

It's not something you hear much nowadays but it used to be a common term

Is this a fight worth having with MNHQ
Probably not with the way things are on here right now sadly. I can't explain what I mean by that but if you know you know.

It's racist. But unfortunately anti-Irish racism seems to be acceptable on MN.

I know exactly what you mean. I was wondering if I was adding two and two and getting 24.

@Peridot1 @flatsevenup never considered the word in relation to the Tory Party but your understanding of the word is correct. It does mean robber, outlaw etc.

It still means that though. It is the word for an English person if you are speaking in Irish, and the meaning is no more derogatory than referring to a person from France as French. And, there are people still (small and smaller pockets unfortunately) whose first language is Irish.

Maybe the word ‘English’ is used in the same manner by some. Indeed this whole thread is how the word Irish can be used in a derogatory manner. Doesn’t change its precise meaning to something else other than the nationality of a person from Ireland, though.

Sasanach is the Irish (Gaelic language) word for an English person. I’ve never heard or used it in a derogatory sense, but then again the Irish language itself is interesting given we were banned from speaking it for so long by the occupying English. So it’s not hard to imagine the word sasanach being loaded in some circumstances. But in itself it is simply is the word for an English person.

It shocks me to see "Paddy" in certain contexts, and I am "only" a person of Irish descent. I dislike the unthoughtful/unintentionally questionable use of "paddy wagon" and "throwing a paddy". I understand that people may not know the background, but I think it's right to reconsider using the term once you know that it's questionable.

Some others that shock me that are in regular use here:

fragrant
gyp(ped)
hysterical
woke

limegreenheart what is wrong with fragrant? I have looked up meanings but am just getting peasant sweet smelling.

It is vile,

The first time I ever heard the saying on C4 Gogglebox, the sisters said it.

I looked it up and now the only place I ever see the phase used and defended is on MN.

I have never heard it in America, Canada Australia. Family everywhere.

As a mix of ROI and NI. I have never even heard it used in all my years visiting NI to see family.

It seems to be very much an English choice of phrase and it is completely saturated in bias.

eek! PLEASANT sweet smelling.
Peasant sweet smelling would be completely different.

I remember years ago on a thread here there was someone who kept arguing that it was not offensive that she used to do an imitation of her workmates Irish accent constantly. I pointed out that when I lived in England/Australia this used to happen all the time and I didn't like it (the implication was I didn't pronounce things "properly") and it was probably something that wasn't appropriate in a workplace. She was adamant that I was wrong and she wasn't!

"Throwing a Paddy" is something I heard a lot as a child in the 70s. There was definitely a lot of anti-Irish sentiment looking back.The Englishman, Scotsman, Irishman jokes v similar to the "so Irish"/stupid idea. I remember my uncle having lots of "joke" Irish things like an "Irish" pencil with a rubber at both ends and an "Irish" mug with the handle inside. Really horrible when I look back now.

Thanks all for your responses. I've reported my OP of this thread to MN and explained why, I'll post if I get a response.

Nothing wrong with fragrant.

Gyp, I've never heard used in the context in which I assume you're referring to... only "my shoulder is giving me gyp again" which is different.

Nothing wrong with hysterical. It's often over used but not offensive. It just means an extreme emotion.

Good luck @BarbaraHoward , I hope you manage to puncture Mumsnet's 'approved racism against designated untermensch' bubble, but thanks for the thread in any case.