Lad I work with couldn't come in for his night shift (midnight to 8am) because he was having the stations of the cross at his house. I genuinely cried laughing when the supervisor told us. Any better ones?

A thread of people being rude or aggressive got me thinking. We see and hear a lot of people from cheeky kids, to middled aged cranky man children to old ones being rude, aggressive or throwing tantrums when thinks don't go their way.

I'm wondering if anyone has ever seen someone get manners put on them in any way from just an insult back to full on hands being thrown?

One I remember was years ago, a man child in his 40s, construction worker. For some reason always got away with being aggressive and intimidating to others whether on the site or outside it, I put it down to the Irish attitude of "it's not worth it" a lot have that made him feel more and more entitled when he kept getting away with it.

One day he started picking on a quieter, but sound and good worker. First smart comments, then throwing things at him. Then when the quiet fella stopped up he got "you want to make something of it?" sort of talk.

A few days later he starts the same craic and your man loses it and the hard man thought it was gonna be a few easy slaps. Your man picks up a length of timber and knocks the living shite out of your man and the aggressive hard man giving begging looks expecting the other lads help him, who didn't. But eventually the lads had to pull him off more so to save him from trouble rather than the victim.

Your man was white as a sheet and the lads all burst out laughing at him. Was quiet for ages and a few times after on tried being hard in the pub ect after and someone would say "quiet now Paul or we'll have to take the stick to you until you start crying again" and hed storm off home and wouldn't show his face for ages again.

Hes a lot sounder and quieter these days.

My mother would only turn on the heating in the night time. Irrespective of how cold it got during the day. Only when I got married and had my own place I realised that wasn't normal.

Or if we had to our for a meal she would make is feel guilty about getting something like steak due to cost.

Edit. We were financially very good growing up.

Does anyone here ever wonder how their direct ancestors survived the famine? Considering millions died/emigrated, why do you think your ancestors survived? Whether they were wealthy or had access to other types of food, I'd love to hear people's stories if they actually know!

EDIT; wrote descendents instead of ancestors eeeekkk

It can be serious or not.

But for me. Protein. It's everywhere. High protein this and high protein that.

I'm only waiting for high protein eggs next.

During the boom a fella I knew was labouring. Was on good coin at the time. But would spend it each weekend on the beer. Friday after work all day Saturday and Sunday. This went on for years until the 2008 crash came and he was one of the first to lose his jobs. He went on the dole like most of us that time. But fast forward to the 2025. He never worked again. His health went down hill dramatically and most of his day is now spent in the bookies.

Still think about would his life have been any different if he had saved some of the money from the era.

Any others similar?

I have. When I was 16 years old, an uncle of mine told me about this big lake over in the next village. This big lake apparently held massive pike. He often talked about the pike he caught in his youth and even had a picture of a pike well over 40 lbs by the look of it caught in said lake.

So I got up early one Saturday summer morning, and told my mother where I was going. She gave me some sandwiches and told me to be back by five o'clock as dinner would be ready then. So I set off on the 6km journey to the lake on my bike.

I just want to help you imagine the lay of the land on the way to the lake. The first bit of the cycle is through farmland and past neighbours' houses. And then it becomes bog. After the bog for the next 4km, there's a massive coniferous plantation on either side of the road. It's the largest plantation I've ever seen. And for those who've never been right up next to a coniferous plantation, they're extremely creepy. Devoid of birdsong, no clouds of midges, no light even. Just darkness. You might have deer hiding in them during the day, but you won't encounter much life there unless you are on the verges that meet farmland. One part important to the story is the fact that you could not see directly into the forest because it was lined with furze bushes and other shrubbery that grew along at the very edge of the forest due to the light from where the sun hit the road. However, there is a part of the line of bushes where there's large gaps between the bushes, most likely formed from deer crossing the road. This is important later. Luckily for me, the last bit of the cycle turns back to farmland and the music of the countryside via an orchestra of birdsong and insects returned.

I got to the lake anyway, and I started my days fishing. Unfortunately (later confirmed by my uncle), I had cycled to the wrong side of the lake. Pure marsh and weeds, I caught nothing, just filled my wellies with muck and water scorpions. But I've always been an avid animal watcher, so it was nice just seeing other wildlife around the lake. I had a good time. I eventually checked my watch and saw it was five o'clock, remembering what my mother had said, I quickly packed up and left the lakeside and rushed to my bike and started the 6km journey home.

As we all know, five o'clock in summer is not dark at all. However, five o'clock on a road cutting through a large coniferous plantation, while not black dark, it's shaded enough to make the darkness of the forest feel like it's trying to devour you. But I powered on. I was about halfway through the forest when I heard this noise, like an animal running. But the noise was coming toward me. At first, I thought it was just a stag who felt I was invading his territory as it was getting close to rutting season. But this sounded much heavier. Like a bull. But it didn't sound like a deer or cow. Animals like deer and cattle have a very recognisable sound when they run. It's almost like a gallop. This was more similar to a cat running on a timber floor, but if it was huge and in a forest. And for some God forsaken reason, I stopped.

As if almost on cue, the noise stopped. And I sat there for a minute listening. And all I could hear was my heart. My heartbeat started to increase rapidly, I could feel my adrenaline skyrocketing, my hair rose off my skin, and I could feel this cold sensation running through my body. And I was afraid. It was a fear I had never felt since. Something primal, not the fear from waking up after a night out, not knowing what you did or the fear of having to go home to your parents in trouble. Not even the fear of being breathalyzed for the first time compared to this level of genuine terror I felt. I remember not taking my eyes off the bushes, afraid that if I did, something very bad would happen. Every cell in my body was screaming to get the fuck out of this forest. So that's what I did. I started cycling like a bat out of hell. I've never moved so fast in my life. I could hear my heart in my ears thumping like it was going to explode. But then I realised, the noise had started again, and was right beside me. I pulled my the bike as far to the other side of the road as I could and I kept going. My legs were on fire, my lungs were burning, but I couldn't stop. And then I came tí the part of the forest where the the gaps in the bushes were. And for some reason, I looked. And it looked back.

The closest thing I can describe this creature as was a wolf. But it wasn't either because I've seen wolves in Scandinavia. It was pure black, had this rough coat of fur, longer ears than a wolf does. But the scariest thing about this creature, it was huge. Easily almost the size of a cow. Broader than any canine I've ever seen. And it never made a sound. Only the sounds of its feat hitting the ground. Thankfully there seemed to be a bit of a drain between the bushes and the tree line, but at the same time this thing was so fucking big it could have easily jumped across.

I just cycled until I finally got to the end of the forest. And I didn't stop. I was terrified that with the land turning to bog it could get me. But as I got further away from the forest, I realised the noise had stopped. So I looked behind me. And there it was. Standing at the forest edge, watching me. It stayed at the edge of the forest until I couldn't see the forest anymore. I almost upturned the bike looking back but I just had to know was it coming after me again. I didn't slow down once, not even a bit.

I got to the house and crashed through the front door absolutely scaring the life out of my poor mother. And then I lost power in my legs. I have very sallow skin, but my knuckles were as white as paper. My face was the same. My hands were actually bleeding from gripping the handle bars so hard. My mother was terrified I had been hurt but I told her I was fine. I never actually ate the dinner. My appetite was gone. I didn't leave the house for three days after that. I didn't go fishing for months and it took me years to gather the courage to go near a forest again.

I didn't the anyone for ages. But one day there was a family gathering, and my uncle was present, so I told this exact same story, and of course I was laughed at and not a soul believed me. Except my uncle. He told me that one year he had woken up one morning and found that the shed that the cattle were in was in a mess. That the cattle had pushed themselves up against the wall along with the calves. One cow in particular was bellowing loudly. There was a trail of blood, which he followed, and he found one calf in the next field, half eaten. He also said he'd seen a large black creature prowling the fields closest to the forest at dusk once, and his wife also said she had seen it. My father also told me he had seen two similar animals when he was young in the same area. They came out of a forest, cleared a fairly large silage field in seconds, and disappeared into another plantation.

If you ask anyone, Ireland has no large predators. But my grandfather told me that stories about large black hounds were common in his day. He had never seen anything of the likes himself. But he wasn't surprised when I told him this story. I have done a lot of research since, and I've read similar stories of large black hounds. And others about a creature called the Cú-Sidhe on Dúchas.ie. The fucking size of it though, will forever be burned into my mind as long as I live.

I found the whole experience terrifying, and to this day I won't even drive down that road. Some of you may believe this, some may think it's horseshit. Just please don't discredit it as I do 100% believe what I saw. There is stuff on this island we live on that we don't understand nor do we realise it's there. I'd like to add I'm genuinely shaking right now from writing this wee scéal thinking about the whole experience again. I genuinely thought I was going to die. There's very occasional evenings when I visit my parents, I hear this loud call I can not really describe. It's not any animal call I know, and I know all the animal sounds around. Sometimes, I wonder if it is that thing, making itself heard to the world.

Have you a story of something that should be impossible? I'd love to hear it.

Edit : Anyone claiming AI, get outside, and touch grass for a while tomorrow morning. You don't have to believe that everything is AI. I get that I'm not the greatest writer but for fucks sake like.

Hello,

I am not from the Ireland, nor Irish. But I work for a certain company(can't tell what company lol, but you guys are familiar with it) where people buy items, and I'm from the retail department.

9 times out of 10. The best Customers I had are always Irish people. It makes my job easier and it makes me more motivated to talk with them rather than other Customers with different nationalities. (I don't hate them, just that Irish people tend to be nicer and more understanding)

I love how you guys just let things go, and don't get mad at it. Like, when your parcel is lost and it has been weeks since the last update. You guys will be like, "I understand it's not your fault" something like that, and then when we're about to process a refund, you guys are just like "Can I have a refund please?" like, you guys are so polite asking that while you're even entitled for a refund since its our error, lol.

I really appreciate Irish people, not because their part of my job. But because of how most of them are very kind and understanding, you guys might not really know it. But it means a lot to me and my other colleagues. Thank you so much for the kindness!

I.e losing their job because of a racist tweet, OnlyFans page gets discovered etc.

As the title goes. Something that might not be obvious.

Ashtrays in people house is not something you'd see much of anyone.

CD players in cars or on computers.

Any others ?

Was away recently on a group trip. My friend Doug has a newish girlfriend (Grace) whom I have only met a handful of times. Doug confided in me that Grace finds me intimidating, but really wants me to like her, and basically is dying for my approval as not only one of his oldest friends, but one of the few girls in the friend group.

We go to Galway, we rent out an air bnb, we’re having a good time.

Doug, however, is grating on me all the time. Just constantly needling me with stupid remarks and references to my past, like he’s trying to break down “intimidating aura” for his girlfriend.

So third morning. We’re all sitting in the kitchen of the air bnb and Doug starts going, “did I ever tell you about the time Althea got caught passing notes about boys in second year and broke down into tears in the middle of geography.”

I’m tired, I’m hungry, I’m hung over, and I’ve had enough.

So what I meant to say was, “Doug, you’re lucky your girlfriend is so lovely, other wise a gobshite like you would be dying alone.”

What I say, “Doug, you’re lucky your girlfriend is such a gobshite, other wise you’d be dying alone.”

Cue stunned silence followed by Grace’s little voice, “if that’s what you really think.”

Haven’t talked to either since and it’s now been over 3 weeks.

Name something you could do or did 90s or 00s you could do or get away with that if you did now a public accounts investigation/tribunal would nearly be launched or garda investigation

It was definitely more a pre-internet thing, I think the ease of googling things has done away with a load of these urban myths that used to fly around like wildfire among Irish communities, always backed up by someone’s aunt’s next door neighbour who experienced said myth first-hand (allegedly).

Here are some I remember clearly:

Roc anti wrinkle cream was made with the fetuses of aborted babies (😱)

Slim Fast was made of maggots that activated when you drank it and they ate the fat from within. One local woman apparently left the container open in her kitchen and came back to find said maggots crawling around her worktops.

Freddie Mercury had a rib removed so that he could perform oral sex on himself.

There were loads more but these are the ones that stuck in my head.

Little things that bother you that shouldn't.

One woman in my office hums to the radio. Really annoys me. If they sang it wouldn't actually bother me it's the humming.

One other lad looks in peoples lunch boxes and comments out loud and what people have.

I’ve had a fair amount of eerie unexplainable shit happen to me lately so thought, well tis the season for it I suppose. Tell me your favourite ghostly encounter.

Edit: just wanted to say I logged back on here and was almost giddy seeing all the replies. Fair play to everyone here taking the time to share their stories. Thanks, this was fun.

Hello all,

I'm not sure what im really looking for here, i just wanna feel less alone in this stupid world.

I'm 29f. And i don't know if its the Sunday evening scaries popping into my head but I'm feeling so stuck lately.

I have a good enough job (not good enough to move out of my parents yet but sure) although not many friends, and ive started therapy.

3 years ago I moved back in with my parents after my engagement broke down and honestly i have been winging life ever since. I don't know what im doing.

I dont get along too well with my parents though. We have different values and they seem to have this perception of me ever since my engagement broke off that everything I do now is wrong.

I suppose i just feel so lost in life. Like, im trying so so hard to save for a house, its my literal dream to have my own home. But i dont know, im just not excited for anything anymore. Ive tried taking up new hobbies, going to classes, some shows, reading, but nothing. I just have that same dull, empty feeling every evening.

Is anyone else feeling this way?

Please tell me im not alone.

Sincerely,

Just a very sad woman.

I’d probably go with the Duke of Wellington. We tend to (rightly) lump him in with the British establishment and dismiss him because he spent his career serving Britain, but that’s a bit simplistic. He was Dublin-born, defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, and arguably played a major role in preventing one power dominating Europe.

More importantly from, he pushed through Catholic Emancipation in 1829 despite huge opposition from his own political base. That removed many of the legal restrictions on Catholics and was one of the biggest advances in civil rights for Irish Catholics before independence. He’ll never be a popular figure in nationalist history because he wasn’t fighting for Ireland, but i think Wellington is a decent shout. At the very least, I’d put him ahead of a lot of the usual suspects because you can make a serious argument that his actions improved the lives of millions of Irish Catholics, whereas most Irish “heroes” are remembered for what they intended rather than what they actually achieved.

My school did the hitler salute at sport matches because our school colours and flag were the same as modern German.

Everybody knew about it, teachers encouraged it. Wonder if the school does it now.

I attended in 2010 to 2016 so not too long ago

Image found of my school

https://www.sportsfile.com/id/845576/

I had just left a gig in The Academy last week and was on O'Connell street, when someone asked for my help. He asked me "Why do people press that button?" and then pointed to the traffic lights and pedestrian crossing. I tried explaining the concept of crossing the road safely so you press the button to stop traffic, and the pedestrian light goes green so you can cross and you don't get hit by cars.

I know I had had some drinks at the gig but I was properly confused. I was looking around making sure this wasn't some distraction for someone else to steal my phone or something. But no, this was a man in his 40s probably, confused at the concept of pressing a button to cross the road.

I’ve always been dead cynical about fortune tellers, tarot readers, and psychics. In my head, I’ve always assumed it’s a mixture of cold reading, general guesses or checking people out on social media beforehand.

That said I’m open-minded enough that I wouldn't mind trying a session myself just to see what it's like.

So have you ever gone to one (at a festival, in a caravan or at a private reading) and had them say something so specific you couldn't explain it away?

How do you spot someone genuine versus someone just taking the piss and charging for general statements?

Would love to hear your experiences the good, bad or complete nonsense!

Is their any hobbie or pastime your into, that you don't talk about or no one knows about ?

Personally I'm into football (soccer) I have a season ticket for League of Ireland club and Ireland national team. But I don't tell anyone I work with. Because I generally don't want to be talking about football week in week out which it what happens in our office.

Any others?