Fighting Irish: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

{{quote|''Did yez ever know an Irishman who didn't love a fight?

 

{{quote|''Then Maggie O'Connor took up the job, "Biddy" says she "you're wrong, I'm sure"

 

The Irish, or at least [[Oireland|Oirish]], counterpart to the [[Violent Glaswegian]] (when there's [[Scotireland|even any difference at all]]). Characters who are Irish or are of Irish descent are often portrayed as being fond of physical confrontation; even in a work where violence is typical, Irish characters will be especially eager for it. Being intoxicated and/or [[Bar Brawl|in a bar]] will often accentuate these tendencies.

 

 

This may very slowly be becoming a [[Discredited Trope]]; while in the 19th century Irish soldiers did indeed make up a disproportionate number of soldiers in the [[The British Empire|British]] and [[American Civil War|American]] armies (and are still allowed to join the British Army) times have moved on even if the stereotype hasn't. [[Reality Is Unrealistic|Ironically]], Ireland is one of very few countries to become independent in the 20th century to have ''never'' been in an international war. During [[World War Two]] it remained neutral because it couldn't sell the idea of England being worse than the Nazis to its populace (if often covertly pro-Allied in matters like internment) and turned down a 1949 offer to join [[NATO]]. The island also has a low rate of violent crime by international standards.

 

{{examples}}

== [[Trope Namer]] ==

 

* Irish girl Clover in the comic ''[[Blue Monday]]'' is easily the most violent person in the entire comic.

* Matt Murdock, a.k.a. [[Daredevil]] is the biggest example of this trope in comics. The son of an Irish-American boxer, Jack "The Devil" Murdock, Matt Murdock prowls the rooftops of Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood as Daredevil. He's an expert martial artist and boxer, and generally not someone you'd want to face in a fight. Matt is also portrayed as being devoutly Roman Catholic, another famous Irish cultural trait.

* In ''[[Braveheart]]'', Wallace's most eagerly violent soldier is an Irishman who joined the campaign not for the sake of freedom, but for the chance to kill Englishmen. He's also insane, or [[Alternate Character Interpretation|deeply religious with a sick sense of humor.]]

* Crops up in ''[[Gone Baby Gone]]'', where a man at the bar in Dorchester where Patrick goes to investigate gets belligerent and refers to him as having an "ass like a Skippy Jar." Amusingly enough, this was a [[Throw It In]] and the man was an actual resident of the area, and [[Ben Affleck]], the director, explains on the commentary that they were actually nervous about whether the residents would take direction or get belligerent for real.

 

== [[Live Action TV]] ==

** At the end of his first interview with Chris Mathews, who is also Irish-American, Stephen challenged him to a wrestling match and lost.

** Stephen has stated on multiple occasions that, if he had a [[Time Machine]], he would challenge [[English Civil War|Oliver Cromwell]] to a bare-knuckle fistfight on the banks of the River Shannon because "he drove [his] people west of [the river] to farm on rocks and gravel!"

 

== [[Music]] ==

* The ''Garryowen'' is a song all about drinking and fighting, and fighting and...drinking. And fighting.

* The [[Dropkick Murphys]] have several songs with this theme, including "Take 'Em Down" "Going Out In Style" and "Cruel", which contains this line:

 

== [[Professional Wrestling]] ==

** Finlay, who "loves to fight", embodied the fun-loving [[Boisterous Bruiser]] side of this trope, even as he knocked people out with his [[Carry a Big Stick|shillelagh]].

** "The Celtic Warrior" Sheamus represented the more villainous side, as he is willing to inflict serious injuries through underhanded means. After his [[Face Turn]] he's stopped using sneaky tactics and trying to cause permanent injuries, but he can still project serious menace when he wants.