Stereotypes create prejudice by overgeneralizing certain characteristics. I looked up some of the stereotypes associated with Irish people and compared them to my experiences here in Dublin. Let us explore some of them during my last hours on the Island.
Do all Irish have red hair?
No! Of course not! Even though the first Irishman I saw was the security guard at the airport and he had red hair, not everyone in Ireland is redheaded. If you use public transportation to get around in Dublin, you will see locals going to or coming from school or to work. You will notice that Irish comes in all shapes and sizes.
Let’s talk figures: Only 2% of the world’s population have this hair color and only 10% of them are Irish. That is 3% less than Scotland!
Are all Irish drunk?
No! Of course not! Whiskey and beer are very popular in Ireland and acoholism is a big problem in Ireland. In Dublin, you can see ‘Guinness’ almost everywhere. Economically, it is very important. I read somewhere that binge drinking is very popular but there are also people who do not drink. There are laws against drinking in public places and during my time in Dublin, I did not see a single drunk person.
Are all Irish extremely friendly?
No! Of course not! After arriving at the airport, we went to buy the leap visitor card. The salesperson seemed anything but friendly. Even though my first encounter was not the nicest experience, I noticed in all other touristy places they are quite friendly. If you ask something, they will gladly help.
You cannot compare every Irish person to each other, some are extremely friendly redheaded drunks, others are not.
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