IrishShop Blog - IrishShop.com

Recent Posts

Tags

How to Spot an Irish Dad

Irish Shop

Do you suspect that  your father or a father you know might be Irish? Never mind the DNA testing or what he says on Paddy’s Day. We have some more surefire ways to confirm that a man is in fact an Irish dad. And with Father’s Day around the corner, this is the time to find out if the dad in your life would love some Irish gifts. Of course, he doesn’t have to have Irish ancestry to enjoy a present from this soggy but magical island. The Irish have settled in different countries around the world, sharing our music, literature and fun-loving culture everywhere.

Let’s find out if your dad might just be a bit Irish…

  1. Does he look especially good in a flat tweed cap? Irish dads have a range of personal styles, but one accessory unites them – the flat tweed cap. They can wear it with jeans and a t-shirt or slacks and a cardigan or a leather jacket. These traditional Irish hats are one of the most versatile pieces of fashion out there. No Irish dad is complete without one.

    Image from Ireland

  2. Is he very excitable about the home heating? Some dads get worked up about sports or your screen usage. But Irish fathers know that their personal mission in life is to prevent the waste of heating. Does he rule the thermostat with an iron fist and patrol for open windows? He might be Irish.

    Man Adjusting Thermostat

  3. Does he slip you money and demand your silence about it? If your dad behaves like he’s conducting a high-stakes criminal mission when pushing a twenty into your hand and whispering ‘there now, don’t tell your mother’, you can assume he’s Irish.

  4. Has he the patience to wait for his pint to settle before he even considers taking a sip? No respectable Irish person would think of drinking their pint as soon as it’s poured. He’s not an animal, for feck’s sake. And he’d prefer that frothy drink to be in a proper pint glass please.

    Personalized Irish Coat of Arms Pub Glass


  5. Do you regularly find him resting his eyes while watching television? The rest of us need to open our eyes to view the television, but not the Irish dad. He absolutely is watching, and don’t you dare touch the remote.

    Man Asleep Watching Television

  6. Do people find him charming… until they see him in protective papa bear mode? The Irish dad has two main operating speeds – chilled and charming or Cú Chulainn. Cú Chulainn rarely appears unless he feels his loved ones are being endangered or insulted. And Ireland itself counts as a loved one.

  7. Is he the absolute best storyteller because he’d never sacrifice a laugh for the exact truth? It’s not just his accent that makes everyone want to hear his stories. It’s that most celebrated of Irish gifts – the gift of the gab. He’s no liar, but the Irish dad instinctively knows how to structure a story and deliver it for maximum dramatic effect and laughs. His love of adventure gives him a wealth of tales to tell. 

    Adult father telling story to son

If you can see these tell-tale signs in your dad, odds are good that this Father’s Day he’d love Irish gifts such as a classic pint glass, flat cap or wallet. But mostly, he wants to spend time with you and swap stories. 

Back to blog