Irish. Craic. Alcohol. Friendly. Crazy. Craic.
That’s the stereotype. Recent antics at the Euro’s in Paris have poured it into concrete to be wondered at for generations to come. If you don’t know what i’m referencing, please get youtube-ing at your earliest convenience.
But how stereotypical and predictable are other trends within this little gem of a country?
Just the other day my mother (typical Irish mammy – but that’s another blog entirely) waved her smart phone in the air and asked:
“How do I check my balance?” When greeted with a hesitant silence (that was me: I am guilty), she continued: “Hang on I’ll Google it.”
She proceeded to download the Vodafone app, set up her account and check her balance from the app on her home screen. Having never felt so proud in my entire life, I did wonder how “smart” a nation Ireland is. So I hit up google. (no – not the big brown britannica encyclopaedias, google.)
Increased internet usage, smart device ownership and daily use of social apps can only add to the amount of craic had every day and ultimately decrease the “size” of the country (i.e the shmall world we live in). Conversations such as “Your name is James? Of course, I think my mother reads mass with your cousin” it seems, will live on.