Addressing others with respect is an integral part of Irish everyday life. The Irish people have their own set of conducts of respect. For one, when speaking to an Irish, keep an arm’s length distance from the person. This is a sign of respect. Maintaining personal space is important in Irish culture. If you happen to pass by someone on the street or anywhere else rather closely without actually touching the other person, an apology is expected from you.
Irish people are disciplined when it comes to waiting for their turn to be served or lining up. They will patiently stand in line and respect queues.
While Irish people as a whole are very friendly and hospitable to tourists, they frown upon people who speak in a loud voice. For them, this is rude and disrespectful.
With the Irish, the handshake is the preferred form of greeting. It is customary to shake hands at the beginning and end of a meeting or conversation. Among even relatively new acquaintances, first names are used in personal greetings. There are also some commonly used slang terms for referring to people. For example, “yer wan” pronounced “yer one” is a popular term used to address a female. “Yer man” is the male equivalent. “How are you?” is the most common casual greeting especially between individuals who are familiar with one another. Responding to the greeting by just saying hello will suffice. No further conversation is expected of you.
While conversing, Irish people generally prefer direct eye contact. Do not break eye contact with an Irish person when he/she is speaking. The Irish perceive people who avoid eye contact as untrustworthy. Your best approach is to also look him/her in the eye and remain friendly, relaxed and unpretentious.
The Irish are gregarious conversationalists and debaters. Topics of conversation may range from the political to the mundane. However, religion and politics are two very delicate subjects due to the country’s long history of invasion. It is best to wait for the Irish to bring up these subjects themselves and be prepared to hear opposing and strong opinions about these two subjects.
The Irish are opinionated and find arguments entertaining. They welcome any expression of views provided they are sincere and informed views. Insincere views are perceived to be downright arrogance. The Irish do not condone arrogance of any kind. It is quite ordinary for Irish people to criticize themselves but they are not generally receptive to criticisms from other people so beware.
The Irish people are hard to impress. Boasting about yourself or your accomplishments will get you nowhere. They prefer to judge competence and abilities based on actions. Even if you do manage to impress them, they will not openly admit to it.
Academic accomplishments do not necessarily command respect. It is considered to be bragging to talk about one’s academic achievements. People who make lengthy references about their educational background are more often than not subject to teasing.
With regards to acceptable physical conduct, men should refrain from being openly demonstrative with women. Winking at women and making personal comments are not welcome. Touching, hugging and patting other men in public are socially unacceptable except during rugby games. A slap on the back to convey “well done” is okay. Irish men opening doors for women as well as employees for their bosses and the young for the elders are common sights.