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 :)

Absolutely hate this term and I think that, "tacky American import" and "Karen" should be banned. What's really annoying is that when a poster points it out, people say "you knew what she meant" like that makes it OK 🙄

It's a religious slur. Catholics, no contraception is the implication.

I never knew this phrase had anything to do with Irish people or could be offensive until a similar thread on here around a year ago!

I try and remember not to use it since then. But I would say, don't assume that someone using this phrase is knowingly being offensive, they probably have no idea of the origins!

This

Its a horrible term
As is the term plastic paddy

The root of it is because (uncivilized) Irish people have so many children they even have 2 in the same year.
While English people have very few because they are more civilized

My dad is Irish, my grandparents are Irish, this phrase has been used in my family my whole life, I'm in my 40s! It's never ever come up as being offensive in our family.

A couple of years ago I pulled up a visiting Englishman using in it Ireland. He had no idea how offensive it is, was horrified and apologised immediately. I’ve never heard any Irish person use it in Ireland.

I've heard it once from an English friend living here

I’m Irish & never heard the phrase before living in Britain. Anti-Irish bigotry is unfortunately all too alive & well in some places in Britain, but it’s so commonplace it’s not even recognised en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Irish_sentiment

I just want to thank you for this thread.
I use(d) the phrase, but like many terms had no idea of the history or connection to the Irish.

There are lots of common phrases that we should stop using. For example as a kid we would play 'Chinese burns' again just didn't realise how offensive that was when I was younger.

I 2nd this! Being Irish is awesome. Celts have always been known for their fieriness, I'm proud of this 😄. I'm not going to be upset by something people aren't using in an offensive way. Lots of language has a history but like poster said context and current feeling is very important.

It’s offensive because the phrase makes it synonymous with having a tantrum.

Sometimes you see it written as 'beyond the pail' which always gives me visions of a neat row of buckets lined up to defend the English from those ferocious Irish, rather than a fence put up to separate the two.

Jesus Christ ...

And people twisting themselves in knots to justify it. Just don't use it!

Many of my older family members called the local corner shop an offensive name, they meant no harm they just called that name. Does not make it acceptable now.

Neither have I in my 50 years🤔

Beyond The Pale music festival

www.itsbeyondthepale.ie/

It's true.

Irish citizen born in England by accident here - I hate the term too. But, completely missing the entire point....I am told that when my great grandmother, who lived in Mayo, was annoyed at great grandfather the entire male population went for a drink in the neighbouring village pub until she calmed down. She was Italian....

I have heard of ''Paddy wagons'' in the past- {England} Vans used to take people to courts and prisons- but again, had given no thought as to why they were called that.

It's surely way out of fashion now? They are called 'Prison vans'.

Calling tourist buses 'Paddy wagons' is plain cringe.

Vile, and I’m sure MN HQ would be super quick to intervene on any anti-English sentiment

It's a slur and when a cultural, racial slur is made then it should be taken down ... except when it involves the irish of course. That is the most offensive thing here, beyond the phrase, the disregard.

I'm half Irish and it doesn't bother me at all. I hadn't even given it a thought until I read on here that's its offensive to the Irish. Not offensive to me at all.

My grandpa was Irish and used the term, but he was a complete arsehole so that in itself is an indicator to me that it's probably not a great phrase to use! I'm on the fence about deletion because then people don't learn. I've always know what it meant because my mum would complain about grandpa saying it (yes even back then), an edit with a message explaining the history of the phrase, which an awful lot of people seem unaware of, might be more effective in reducing usage.

Of course it is anti Irish.

Did you really mean your reply to offend all the Christians? Or are we going to now have a thread about whether it's offensive?