Ireland

Greetings

Man greeting Man - Men usually shake hands when greeting one another. Handshakes are usually on the firmer side and don't linger that much. If you are greeting someone you are very close to then a hug is acceptable.

Woman greeting Woman- At a first meeting, women generally shake hands. Kisses on the cheeks are common if you know the person very well. If you are greeting someone you are very close to then a hug is acceptable.

Man greeting Woman- At a first meeting a regular handshake will do. Kisses on the cheeks are common if you know the person very well.

Communication Style

• Irish people are known to be very direct and to the point. Honesty is appreciated and expected.
• Communication is direct but well colored, meaning that the Irish people love to tell stories; hence much of what they say is embellished.
• Humor plays a big role in communication. In general, Irish culture values teasing and joking during conversation. Therefore, giving someone a hard time or pulling someone’s leg is often simply meant in good fun.
• Arrogance is looked down upon heavily. Stay humble and modest.

Personal Space & Touch

• It tends to be taken badly if you are too close to someone while conversing. At least an arm’s length is a good distance to keep, however, if you are too close, people will simply move away.
• If you are flirting with someone, then touching during conversation is acceptable.
• Touching is occasionally used to highlight a point or increase the intimacy but the touch rarely lingers.

Eye Contact

• Eye contact is very important when greeting people. After that it becomes a bit less important and wandering eyes do not necessarily mean disrespect.

Gestures

• A peace sign with your fingers facing away from you is fine, but a peace sign with your fingers facing you means something entirely different and, put nicely, means “bug off.”

• When watching sports, the Irish use quite expressive gestures accompanied with colorful language.

• High fives are common, meaning good stuff or congratulations.

Views of Time

• Time is cyclical in meaning that no one is expected to be on time, mainly because traffic is a huge problem in the big cities and often there is no public transportation option. Also, if there are any adverse weather conditions, then the traffic becomes even worse and being on time is highly unlikely.
• Being a bit late, either in a business or a social situation is acceptable. If you are going to be more than 15 minutes behind schedule, it might be a good idea to call and forewarn your counterparts of your delay.
• If you are a punctual person, beware, some people might consider you a bit odd if you arrive early.

Gender Roles

• Women hold the same rights as men and hold positions of power in the political and corporate arenas.

• Men still dominate the workforce when it comes to senior positions and higher salaries.

• Many Irish women feel a huge pressure to stay home with the kids. However, at the same time, they feel pressure to have a career.A good mom is seen as one that stays home at least for a few years when she has young children.

• Many women still see children as the most important aspect of their lives, and while families may not be as big as they once were, having children is important.

Taboos

• Avoid talking about homosexuality or abortion as a majority of the population are very religious and/or conservative when it comes to social values.
• Avoid referring to the Republic of Ireland as part of the United Kingdom.
• Avoid referring to or calling someone a "mick" as it would be considered a major insult.

Law & Order

• One must be 18 to purchase alcohol. A passport or drivers license is needed to purchase alcohol and it is illegal to purchase for minors.

• It is illegal to sell alcohol to someone that is already drunk.

• As of 2004, smoking has been banned in all public places, including bars and restaurants.

• Penalties for possession, acquisition, and trafficking of drugs are severe and include mandatory lengthy imprisonment in local jails.

Dress

• For Men: dark colored suits and ties work best when dealing with people in finance and management positions. Business casual will work in other situations.
• For Women: stylish yet classic business suits or dresses and blouses. Accessories are usually worn.
• Jeans are usually not appropriate but this may vary depending on the industry one is working in.

Titles & Business Cards

• Professional titles are not used very often and may be perceived as being pretentious. Stick with Mr., Mrs., and Miss until you are on a first name basis.
• There is no specific etiquette surrounding the giving and receiving of business cards.

Meetings

• It is best to allow for a good amount of small talk before speaking about business.
• It is always best to turn up on time, especially if you are the one seeking the goods and/or services from an Irish counterpart.
• Once the conversation gets down to business it is best to be direct and to the point and expect the same in return.
• Avoid overly elaborate presentations, modesty is the way to go.

Negotiations

• Avoid aggressive and hard-selling tactics.
• Decisions are usually made by group consensus with the leader having final say, so they may take awhile.

Gift Giving

• Gifts are not usually brought to business meetings.
• If you are invited to an Irish home, flowers, chocolate, and good wine or spirits are appropriate gifts.

In the Classroom

• The school year starts in September and ends in June and is based on a trimester system.
• The national holiday is St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th.
• With 88% of Irish people affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, Christian holidays are respected, with school vacation given for All Saint’s Day, Christmas and Easter.

• At the university levels, students can dress however they like.

• Grades are mainly based on essays and exams. 1st is the best grade, 2-1 is very good, 2-2 is good, 3rd is ok, Pass is poor, and Fail is failing.

• The style or teaching depends on the subject or level of study. Often times for introductory liberal arts classes, the professor will give big lecture classes.

• University language classes are generally smaller tutorials and more interactive.

• Medicine and science majors often have smaller laboratory classes in which they participate.

Other Observations

• Enjoy the pub culture, which pervades all of Irish society and is about more than just drinking in public houses. Pubs are a central place to meet friends and neighbors in a relaxed atmosphere.