As a nation, we're definitely more up for the craic than the confrontation.
Whether it came to sibling rows or schoolyard bitchiness, rocking the boat or stirring the pot is something most of us were advised against when growing up, and woe betide anyone who went against an Irish Mammy's teachings, right?
And while that attitude may have stood to us at some points, it looks like this particular approach has definitely seeped into adulthood if recent research carried out by Lyons Tea is anything to go by!
So, we may fancy ourselves as a nation of foodies, but according to Lyon's Get It Off Your Chest campaign, a whopping 75% of us have actually kept schtum and ate up upon receiving the wrong order in a restaurant – Sacrilege, right?
Oh, and we may love nothing more than a good session, but 34% of us would feign an illness to get out of a social event while a further 16% would bemoan the lack of babysitter in order to flake out on the couch.
So, why are we so fearful about 'fessing up and getting it off our chest?
1. Lack of confidence
We caught up with Pauline Browne, Marketing Director for Lyons, who told us that as a nation we all fear being that ONE person who has an opinion on everything and makes no bones about voicing it.
Thankfully, us Irish are a creative bunch and quickly realised that tea is just another word for truth serum, with 80% of respondents admitting that they find it SO much easier to open up and pour it out if they're clutching a cup of tea between their hands.
2. Desire for the craic
Our nation's innate desire to be known as serious craic with top-notch banter can cripple us at times, and generally means we don't like 'fessing up if it will ruin the moment or take the good out of a situation.
Owing to this, the research showed that a staggering one-third of us will bail from a party the 'Irish' way ie. without saying goodbye to anyone, in case we're forever dubbed anti-craic by the others.
But unsurprisingly, we've learned that injecting a little humour into proceedings means we can speak the truth without being labelled a total buzzkill by half the group.
3. Fear of confrontation
With a whopping 40% of respondents admitting that they hate confrontation and will avoid it at all costs, it's no surprise most of us are prone to a white lie or two.
Pauline explained that "as a nation of 'uncomplainers', we'd rather avoid a sticky situation with a porky than put anyone out with the truth" – something most of us here at SHEmazing! HQ knew a little too much about.
Be honest (if you can!) and consider how many white lies our poor Irish Mammies were subjected to over the years. We know, we know, we were just protecting them, right?!
