The Stereotype of the Drunk Irishman

Who exactly does this stereotype serve?

[@thelastjohnwayne]

This is one of the finest films ever made.

[@ronaldnewman7927]

John Wayne won his only Oscar for true grit but that was really out of guilt for all the incredible parts he'd played and got not recognition for. This role, The Searchers, Angel and the bad man. And don't get me started on the war films... Yes, he'd was brash and opinionated and could be a putz, in other words, he was a man!

[@ianmarsden1130]

Agreed

[@Setebos]

As a song I once heard informed: "Sir! I'll have ye know that an Irishman is never drunk. S'lang as he can hold onto a blade of grass to keep from fallin' off the Earth."

[@us-Bahn]

Dean Martin: “You’re not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on.”

[@highstepperARF]

You've a fine, steady hand.

[@us-Bahn]

Shower down then

[@Kitiwake]

It's very funny. He obviously got an "advance" on his fee from "Thorn Shaunton".

[@coleparker]

Well, since the movie was made by an John Ford, an Irishman, and the actor playing Mr Flynn is an Irishman, and the movie was made in Ireland, I do not think anyone involved was flying off the handle when the character was portrayed as being drunk. Besides, he is really the only one in the movie portrayed as such.

[@johnlavery6116]

A romantic view of Ireland from a period in Ireland long since gone...take with a pinch of salt........Ireland.

[@coleparker]

@@johnlavery6116 Probably so, although my younger brother who is now 55 years old, married an woman who had family in Ireland. They went there on their honeymoon and he did say that in the more rural areas, there were pubs like the one in the movie. Parenthetically, I worked with a guy who was a child in Castlemane (sic), when Ford came there to make the movie. He is one of the children seen in the movie.

[@alohalaniboido8083]

Wonderful acting by both actors.

[@tracynation239]

Excellent. ♡ T.E.N.

[@Woozler554]

I have been to Ireland. It is ridiculous to think all Irish are drunks - far from it. But is also naive to think that alcohol is not a large part of Irish culture. It most certainly is.

[@Kitiwake]

Most of the drunk people in Ireland now are east Europeans. It's illegal to be drunk in public in Ireland fyi.

[@Woozler554]

@@Kitiwake What did I say, pal? Did I say the Irish are drunks? Work on your reading skills.

[@NattyBumppo48]

If Michaleen Flynn doesn't look just like a leprechaun at 1:05 then i never saw one....lol

[@gabejurewicz713]

He says he doesn't give a sh..... 😆

[@endi5739]

She was a very pretty woman but she had a very bad temper, I bet it mustn't have been easy to coope with her on her daily baisis ^ ^

[@limerence8365]

Interesting to think that back then it was considered old fashioned for Americans to care about things like dowries. Mary Kate doesn't have any say for her own possessions. It's her brother who has to give consent for her to marry, its her brother who decides on the dowry. Ultimately Mary Kate doesn't want it in the end. But in this scene she shows great independence in sticking with tradition. All her furniture, all her money were hers and she wanted to keep it as it represented her freedom, independence, and her own self worth that although controlled by men and not by her at all, it was still all hers. Weirdly you could kind of say the same about this movie. Definitely about Ireland and glorifying Ireland, but also definitely made by Americans. Emerging Irish cinema is was very rebellious against this false, romantic view of Ireland with loveable drunks. Look up Poitín 1978 film for an example. Takes the drunk Irish stereotype to a whole other level.

[@christoph0r]

Me.

[@mazdajay55]

🤠😘🥰

[@martinhanley9524]

That is not a drunken Irishman but a great actor: Barry Fitzgerald playing one

[@GamblingGranny2024]

I agree.

[@darling11111]

The greatest film that I have ever watched. I am 55 and watched this with my Irish mum and dad. It reminds me of them so much. Thank you for sharing this on KZbin x

[@bernardgayton6302]

One word Fantastic, I could watch it over over, 💯👍⭐⭐⭐

[@bmoran1795]

I love this film no bad language no traffic no rudeness just a class film

[@gavinhiggins231]

They broke the mould after this

[@damianconroy9276]

Barry Fitzgerald has convinced me he was drunk.....it's the great est piece of acting ever seen if this little man was sober😁👍👍

[@jamespalmer9396]

"When I drink whisky I drink whisky and when I drink water I drink water "

[@Ellemerob]

Whiskey

[@AlfredPeeler-yj6sw]

Words to live by!

[@Zrinski11]

I watched this movie many times just because of Barry Fitzgerald. John and Maureen were good but Barry made movie great. Masterful performance...

[@andrewtempleton6606]

"Is to steal a few hours from the night, my dear" 🎶 Then the chuckle. Oh, was there ever a heartier chuckle in movie history? Beyond charming.

[@mosheridan7016]

Not really just one of the best movies ever made

[@wespenn7243]

6:19 "When I drink whiskey, I drink whiskey, when I drink water I drink water."

[@Kitiwake]

It's well known that 47% of the population of Ireland were teatotallers in this era. Thanks in the main to the influence of organizations associated with the church like father Matthew movement and the Pioneers Total Abstinence Association. The church Itself does not condemn alcohol.

[@fsbirdhouse]

One of the greatest films ever made Now I'm not a man that uses the word "Charming" often, but no other word comes close. This is the height of those rare productions that comes along once in a very great while Though not it's equal by any stretch, I equate 'Luck of the Irish' with Tyrone power and absolutely the best Leprechaun in film history in the person of Cecil Kellaway as Irish as they come in legend

[@fredjones7705]

I'm studying hard at the Pub every day so I can be Irish as well.

[@aldenhislop4960]

Like an Irish 7 course meal A potato and a six pack

[@mizofan]

Stereotypes laid on thick in the film, but it's still superb. I love Connemara.

[@celtbell]

Its mayo

[@droidzilla22]

Quiet man isn't really a fair one. Everyone was Irish in it. Only one was a drunkard, and honestly, he wasn't always drunk.

[@markgowans]

Ward Bond was American like |John Wayne

[@jackiesharp669]

I agree ,it's a really great film. What I like is how much it seems true to life,not sure what life was like back then but seems right.

[@Albert-hc3cq]

"Clothes on her back, or without them" lol

[@paulaharrisbaca4851]

There's a movie with John Turturro, that I can't recall the title of, but it has to do with Italian and Irish workmen in the New York/New Jersey area (I think it was called "Joe") where the Italian workmen in the 1950's brought big sandwiches, "poor boys" or "hero" or "submarine" sandwiches while the Irish workers drank a bottle or two of beer for their lunch. I'm part Irish. And Italian. And Scots-Irish....and German. It's definitely not just a stereotype but a truism, and why woke people get so weird about these things I don't know.

[@susanjoyce-yq2mg]

Stereotype it may be, but some truth is definitely mixed in.

[@jamestinsley3110]

You're right it didn't show the dark side of a drunk. Irish or whatever drunks are really never funny and drunk comic act have all but disappeared.

[@ernee100]

The Stereotype? Take a quick peruse of the Try channel on KZbin. Actual quote, "I feel like I can light my breath on fire."

[@mH8675309]

3:03 wont be needin that anymore

[@maxwellcrazycat9204]

I watched this movie in my 8th grade English class. Not sure why. But I still love to watch it on occasion. Around 1970.

[@eddiepoole499]

Did you catch that? Michaleen said Thawn Shorten. instaed of Sean Thorton.! LOL!!! He's loaded.

[@edgardopineda3317]

There is something appealing about red hair women, that i cannot find the words to express. Perhaps someone may say them, have a good afternoon!

[@formationit5039]

You're gonna have to dig deep to find any Irish to get all triggered up. This scene only gives me a laugh.

[@natural_law]

❤

[@692ALBANNACH]

Is there one on the Scottish drunk?

[@mrgreene3290]

Maureen O'Hara was born in 1920, The Quiet Man was released in 1952, thus Ms. O'Hara was 32 yrs old during this filming. Barry Fitzgerald calling her a 'spinster' was great fun, but true for the ladies of that age. Her character should have been married by at least 26yrs, but likely her brother never found any of her suitor's worthy of his sister's hand.

[@joep8787]

I love how she spits in her hand before she shakes his at the end. No one's commented on how insulting this movie is to Irish men. You have the gorgeous O'Hara in this little town and all the men would rather be loafing in the pub instead of working or chasing after her. The coast is clear for a Yank to come in and woo her without any competition.

[@vizini2682]

It's an interesting point but I never thought about her not being courted by the locals.

[@margpetit1]

She was regarded as a ‘shrew’ by the locals... with her “temper”! None of them wanted anything to do with her.

[@coleparker]

No one wanted to court her because of her temper more than likely her brother.

[@coleparker]

How is the movie insulting to Irish Men. BTW, I worked with a guy who was born in the town where this movie was filmed and appears as a child extra in it. He was never offended by it.

[@coleparker]

Also, the spitting in the hand before shaking on a deal was quite common not only in Ireland, but in parts of the USA as well.

[@pahoboye]

they dug him out for all the "orish " movies of the time..lil ol irishman.. throw in a few toora looras in the background...and thats the seet recipe

[@mexicanfries5336]

Bollix

[@margaretmccall2627]

I love this film it brings back a lot of memories watching it with my mum and dad

[@albertmata724]

Stereotype ... i am

[@matteovasta5952]

Micheli o- l’uomo di garanzia!

[@squamish4244]

Stereotype? J/k everyone.

[@jm-nv5bl]

This is my favourite movie and I don't really like john wayne films

[@susanjoyce-yq2mg]

Shocked! Shocked, I say!

[@11cupsoftea]

"Thorn Shorton" 😆

[@porflepopnecker4376]

Things often become "stereotypes" because they're true. What exactly does crying about it serve?

[@chrissumms.5194]

Porfle Popnecker Stereotypes come from something that’s true, but it is exaggerated and generalized.

[@johnmulvey5121]

That's right. I know one or two Irish men who like a drink. A lot to drink in fact

[@mexicanfries5336]

Wrong. There is some truth in stereotypes.

[@Kitiwake]

@@johnmulvey5121 Not all Irish by a long shot. Ha.. Do you know any Russians? Don't the French class consume the most alcohol per capita in the world?

[@mizofan]

@@chrissumms.5194 and some stereotypes are based on bias and are false or misleading

[@GamblingGranny2024]

Michaleen Oge Flynn

[@bennyorourke4412]

very good

[@tharrell5544]

It's not a stereotype. If it weren't for the Irish, they could have AA meetings in a phone booth. I'm Irish and have a bunch of Alcoholic relatives.

[@benitolonard4441]

Ireland isn't even in the top 20 countries for alcohol consumption per capita

[@Woozler554]

@@benitolonard4441 Based on WHAT???

[@benitolonard4441]

@@Woozler554 Based on you're on a bloody computer look it up. Ireland is in the top ten for beering drinking but way outside the top 20 for wine and spirit drinking. Overall Ireland is outside the top twenty according to WHO

[@Woozler554]

@@benitolonard4441 No, YOU look it up, pal. YOU made the assertion, so YOU produce the evidence to back it up. I am not going to do your dirty work.

[@Woozler554]

@@benitolonard4441 Out of curiosity, have you ever been to Ireland?

[@normellison5347]

My grandfather was a drunk Englishman , lousy weather is lousy weather and pints are pints mate !

[@penguinegg01]

I thought the whole film was pretty insulting to Irishmen.

[@seanpatrickrowley]

This film is not derogatory. It's an instance where a group is telling a story about themselves - the good and the bad. You're watching the struggle of an oppressed society and their diaspora being processed in real-time.

[@debbrarobinson1548]

fas roinnt liathroidi sneachta

[@stevlehr]

@@seanpatrickrowley Every time I watch this movie a feel like visiting Ireland. The movie, if anything, expresses love. My mother's people left Ireland in 1740 because they were being forced to tithe to a church to which they didn't belong.

[@Keepingitrespectfulmostly.]

@@stevlehr My great grandmother and her husband came over to Liverpool from Dublin in the late 1800's I discovered and he found work. My mothers mother and her husband are from Cork and Tipperary. It mentioned somewhere called Leafy Lane in the West of Ireland too on her birth certificate. I did a tour of the Guinness factory Dublin years ago when I stayed with some friends in Longford and the lady who sold me the ticket saw my surname and thought I was up for the day from Cork. My visit to Dublin and friends I saw in the two or three days I was there far excelled any way I have been treated and looked upon in England my whole life. Maybe if I ever win the lottery or get some other chance I will go back to Ireland again I still have loads or relatives in Limerick. When we visited in the late 70s the whole family went and just because the car we were using had GB sticker on the back we had rocks thrown underneath it by some idiots.. It was around the time there was a riot at a local prison too and they were all up on the roof is all I remember of it I was still quite young. All in all good visits though. Dodging the rain all the time..

[@kevinkane7667]

@@debbrarobinson1548 no need to say that.