Talk

Flip

MNHQ have commented on this thread

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

MNHQ have commented on this thread

Ethical dilemmas

Is saying ‘having a paddy’ racist?

212 replies

PanickyBrum1 · 09/07/2018 18:11

I’m a new parent who posted for the first time on mumsnet recently after having a very tired and at times unreasonable panic about things. Some of the things I wrote were not fair and I rightly got picked up on them and some things that the community attacked me about I would stand by. But one thing I’m genuinely not sure whether I should feel bad for was being condemned for using the phrase ‘having a paddy’.

To give context I was describing my own behaviour and although I’m half Irish by blood, the whole Irish thing hadn’t even occurred to me.

OP posts:

Report

JaneJeffer · 10/07/2018 11:31

I'm ignoring the GF.

Report

Fontella · 10/07/2018 11:36

Tell me again that it’s not a phrase reflective of Irish people

I'll tell you it's not a phrase reflective of Irish people, because until I read this thread, it never even occurred to me that there was a connection.

Having a paddy, hissy fit, temper tantrum etc - are just words to me. I never thought for one second it had anything to do with the Irish. Never, ever made the connection. I have Irish ancestry on my paternal grandmother's side and am Welsh on the other side - I don't have a racist bone in my body, and I have certainly used the word on occasions to mean a temper tantrum. Nothing else.

Report

SoddingUnicorns · 10/07/2018 11:41

I'll tell you it's not a phrase reflective of Irish people, because until I read this thread, it never even occurred to me that there was a connection

Genuinely, if you’d never heard the N word before and didn’t know it was racist, but then it was explained to you, would you say the same thing?

I doubt it tbh.

You didn’t know it was offensive, you’ve been told that it is and why and you’re still denying that it is. Why?

Report

TaraCave · 10/07/2018 18:18

Fontella.. I understand you hadn't heard it was reflective of Irish people.
But it is.
It is a negative phrase
Perhaps just words to you
You're not racist and don't mean offence if you say the phrase. I understand that.
The N word is just a word also. But again that word too has negative meaning.
Please take on board what an Irish person living in Ireland is asking . .. Please dont use the phrase, it's offensive.

Report

makeitso · 11/07/2018 00:34

I don't think I've ever had a post deleted before. I didn't think I was attacking anyone. I felt extremely belittled and dismissed on that previous thread though and I don't think there were any posts deleted on that

Report

dolphinhusband · 10/10/2018 14:24

I prefer "pitch a fit" but I guess that may be offensive too 🤔

I'm epileptic and not offended. I say it myself.

Report

JaneJeffer · 10/10/2018 15:50

Why did you bump this up again?

Report

Hattifnatt88 · 23/03/2019 12:52

My mother in law is British, and she used to occasionally say my boy had a "paddy". I am not British / English is not my first language, so I had no idea it was considered racist/unacceptable in any way :o I never used it myself, as it doesn't make much sense to me, as I'm used to saying tantrum. How odd!