The phrase "Irish goodbye" is used across the world to describe someone slipping out of a function without saying goodbye, but anyone who has gotten caught standing in the supermarket while their Irish Mammy chats and chats will tell you, that is certainly not how we do things!
As a notoriously chatty nation, we are often very reluctant to end a conversation, and the mere thought of being impolite puts "the fear" into many of us.
These two factors make up the perfect concoction to result in long-winded, awkward, roundabout ways of finishing up a conversation. Say anything at all, any excuse in the book, just don't say bye (unless you say it multiple times in a row, then you are in the clear).
Here are the most Irish ways to say goodbye...
"I'll let you go"
The brilliance of "I'll let you go" is that it puts the onus on the other person. You don't have to leave, you are simply relieving the other person of having to continue the conversation, how thoughtful!
Not only does this genius phrase make it seem as though you would like to continue talking, but it also creates the impression that the other person is very busy and likely doesn't have any more time to waste chatting. Irish people love to be told they are busy.
You are letting them return to all that they have to be doing, they have graced you with their presence for long enough.
"I won't keep you any longer"
Along the same lines as "I'll let you go", but "I won't keep you any longer" also adds a certain self-deprecating humor that promises to go down a treat with any Irish person.
Not only does the phrase assert that the person is very busy, it also suggests that they don't have any more time to be wasting on conversing with you.
"Go on. I'll talk to ya"
A classic. This line has to be split into two parts to unpack its genius.
The "go on" aspect holds a certain amount of cheekiness. You know what the other person is like, always up to some hilarious antics. Go on, and get back to them.
The "talk to you" promises that you will speak again soon, possibly to hear about said antics that they have gotten up to in the meantime. "Go on, I'll talk to ya" is very light-hearted and must be said playfully.
"Talk to you later"
Entirely different from "I'll talk to ya", "talk to you later" is one of the more formal Irish goodbyes.
As Irish people, we are apprehensive to just outright stop a conversation, with no mention of when it will resume. What if the other person thinks I have no intention of ever speaking to them again or that I hate them, or worse again that I am being rude?!
"Talk to you later" ensures that the person knows you will chat again at some point in the near future, offering them enough security in the relationship to soften the blow of saying goodbye.
"I may head on"
You are going to have to be wearing a watch to pull this one off, unless, of course, the room you are in has a clock, that will work too. You must glance at the time as you utter this phrase, oh and let out an exasperated sigh as you say it.
You have to seem as though you are saddened by the thought of leaving this magnificent conversation but are forced to by the clock, it's out of your hands (no pun intended!)
"I have to go home and put on the dinner"
Possibly one of the best ways to wind up a long conversation, especially if you are talking to an Irish Mammy. You aren't just saying you need to go, you are telling them what you are going to do (which ticks off the nosiness box).
There are however some limitations with using this line. It must be an appropriate time to be making a dinner, it can't be used in the morning time, of course, it is a Sunday in which case you can throw the rulebook out the window.
You also must be prepared for follow-up questions, specifically what you are making and who you are cooking for. Don't say you weren't warned!
"Oh God, look at the time"
Not really a goodbye at all, and yet somehow it is. Not only will this allow you to end the conversation, it will light a fire under the other person and they too will become eager to end the conversation.
An add-on to this one, if you are feeling especially elaborate, is to follow up with: "Sure I have nothing done". You likely actually have got a list of things that you need to get done, that you can reference if needs be, and the other person probably does too. Foolproof! It's manipulation at its finest really.
"Right so"
Especially effective if you are sitting down, and can simultaneously slap your hands on your thighs and stand up to leave. Short, simple, and non-confrontational, the perfect final note.
Neither party has to suffer through the awkwardness of saying goodbye, and both will likely be relieved to have avoided that dreaded moment because imagine having to utter those words!
"Right so" is instantly recognizable by any Irish person as their cue to leave. They then can begin their goodbyes to you, which is significantly less awkward since they are doing you a favor by leaving, without you having to say it. No, we are not thinking too much into it, before you ask.
"Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye..."
For a nation was tries to avoid saying goodbye so much, it is ironic that one of our go-to phrases is repeating the word five times. "Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye" is generally said at the end of a phone call.
Think of a small child excitedly chasing after a car on foot, eager to get in a few last words to their loved one. I like to think that this phrase brings a similar sort of atmosphere to a conversation.
I am unsure if there is really any explanation behind this one, except for that we don't tend to do things in half measures. If you are going to say it, you might as well go the full hog.
We may be known as the nation of a hundred thousand welcomes, but we have definitely got more ways to say goodbye!
And on that note, it's time to say bye, bye, bye, bye, byeeeee!
* This article was originally published on Evoke.ie.
Comments