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The Irish Paradox
The Irish Paradox: How and Why We Are Such a Contradictory People | Sean Moncrieff
4 posts | 1 read | 8 to read
What does it mean to be Irish? Weve been clever and stupid, principled and corrupt. We can be kind and cruel, guilty of dopey optimism and chronic fatalism. Were friendly, but near impossible to get to know. Were proud to be Irish but often crippled with self-loathing. We think were great, but not really. We find ourselves fascinating. Of course we do. Were a paradox. Theres something about Irish people, about the way their minds work. But what does it mean to be Irish? In his search for the key to the Irish psyche, Sean Moncrieff roams far and wide from the pub to the dole queue, the laboratory to the pulpit. Packed with offbeat anecdotes, observations and intriguing detours into the murkier recesses of Irish history and culture, The Irish Paradox is a roadmap for those struggling to make sense of a country defined as much by its contradictions as its sense of community.
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Libby1
Libby1
The Irish Paradox: How and Why We Are Such a Contradictory People | Sean Moncrieff
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Pickpick

This photo is not so much an Irish paradox, but more this morning‘s Irish reality. Dirty dishes, vitamins, & medicine; evidence of last night‘s illness and the need to finish the last 100 pages of The Alienist.

This book is EXCELLENT. As an immigrant in an island of emigrants, this book helps to explain the intricacies of culture in a small island where it‘s easy to find a friendly face but hard to find a friend.

@Cathythoughts
#HonestPhotos

Libby1 Feel free to tag any Irish Littens! 6y
Chrissyreadit I need to get this, get one for my mom and one for my friend.... 6y
Libby1 Excellent, @Chrissyreadit ! It has some very specific details about the economic crash and local media that might be a little unfamiliar with readers outside of Ireland. It was to me, and I live in Northern Ireland! It‘s definitely culturally different here due to the history of the place. If you just go with it then those details will become more clear. Enjoy! 6y
See All 15 Comments
Cathythoughts ❤️❤️❤️ 6y
TrishB Great summary ❤️ 6y
IamIamIam What a way to think about Manhattan!!! Spectacular, @Libby1! I live on a much larger island directly to the right of Manhattan, but we spend a lot of time in the city and that puts it in perfect perspective! By the way, the story goes that one leaves their heart in San Francisco but I left mine in Ireland last August. 💜🍀 6y
tournevis Sounds like a fun book. Being one generation too far to claim Irish citizenship (and passport) has always been a irritant to me, because I would have claimed it. As opposed to a hypothetical French citizenship, which could have been had through Huron membership (I'm not Native, at all, long story). Ireland is this lively porridge of cultures that France is not. 6y
Libby1 @Cathythoughts - ❤️❤️❤️ right back atcha. 6y
Libby1 Thanks, @TrishB ! 6y
Libby1 @IamIamIam - interesting! I‘m glad you enjoyed your time in Ireland. 💜☘️ 6y
Libby1 @tournevis - interesting! Ireland has had to deal with a steep rise in diversity in such a short amount of time. I arrived in Northern Ireland in 2000, and it would have been weeks or months between times when I‘d see someone who was from a different ethnic background. It was different here in NI than from the Republic, but it was still a shock to me at the time. 6y
tournevis @Libby1 Oh, how right you are that NI is an entirelt different beast than thr Republic. Oh, boy, yes. 6y
Libby1 @tournevis - the sense of reserve and suspicion of others can be even more extreme here in NI because of the Troubles. It‘s tricky. I think I‘ve made peace with it and make the best of it now. 6y
tournevis @Libby1 In many ways, the Troubles are not over. The wounds are still too fresh. 6y
Libby1 @tournevis ❤️ 6y
79 likes5 stack adds15 comments
quote
Libby1
Libby1
The Irish Paradox: How and Why We Are Such a Contradictory People | Sean Moncrieff
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“We‘ve been clever and stupid, principled and corrupt. We can be kind and cruel, guilty of dopey optimism and chronic fatalism. We‘re friendly, but near impossible to get to know. We‘re proud to be Irish but often crippled with self-loathing. We think we‘re great, but not really.

We find ourselves fascinating.

Of course we do. We‘re a paradox.”

Zelma Totally unrelated but I am pretty sure have the same wedding ring. 😁 6y
Suet624 Love this. It fits me to a T. 6y
Libby1 Wow, @Zelma ! This is actually a cheaper replacement to my original ring. I have too much of a #BookwormPhysique at the moment to wear my original! 😂🙄😬 6y
Libby1 Really, @Suet624 ? Interesting. I moved to Northern Ireland many years ago, and while certainly culturally different in some ways, I find definite similarities. 😊 6y
73 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Libby1
Libby1
The Irish Paradox: How and Why We Are Such a Contradictory People | Sean Moncrieff
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Some reasons why the Irish have produced great writers.

Cathythoughts Interesting.... ❤️ 6y
Libby1 @Cathythoughts - I enjoyed this book. Review to come later today. I thought of you as I read it and wondered what you‘d make of it. Also, as much of the Irish media doesn‘t cross the border I‘m not aware of what the author is like in that role. He could be a total pain in the backside! As an immigrant I always try to be sensitive to great sweeping statements about cultures but some of this rang true for me; at least it does in the North. 6y
Libby1 @Cathythoughts - I‘ll tag you in the review as well. 😊 6y
Suet624 OMG. so good. 6y
Cathythoughts Thanks @Libby1 I think he says this very well. 👍🏻 6y
63 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Libby1
Libby1
The Irish Paradox: How and Why We Are Such a Contradictory People | Sean Moncrieff
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“As the novelist Iris Murdoch observed,

‘I think being a woman is like being Irish. Everyone says you‘re important and nice, but you take second place all the time.‘”

76 likes