Source
r/ireland•
tuttutter

When parting, my dad gives me cash instead of saying "I love you." Is this an Irish thing?

There's an interesting scene in "Catastrophe," the Channel 4 sitcom about an Irish woman and American man coming to grips with a surprise pregnancy, in which the Irish dad says goodbye to adult daughter and presses a £10 note into her hand.

All of my relatives from Ireland do this, often instead of saying "I love you."

Sorry if this is a dumb question but I guess I'm wondering, is this an Irish thing? I haven't encountered it much in North America.

Posted Jun 24, 2015, 9:40 PM UTC

510
mervynskidmore•

Totally normal, would be hoping for more than a tenner though.

7
solongsue•

Price of love is definitely minimum €20...

4
grania17•

My grandmother's cousin does this. When I came to college in Ireland, my grandmother's cousins really took me in and looked after me. To this day whenever I see one of them. Even if it's only for a day, he stuff 50 quid into my jacket pocket, or purse. It's so cute and sweet. He's no kids so I always thought it was because of that.

5
DrWallowitz•

Yep, that and a nod.

2
mervynskidmore•

Or a, "look after yourself".

5
0ffice_Zombie•

I'm 27, quite capable of providing for myself and every time I am home my dad will press €20 into my hand as I leave. He tells me he loves me though. Friends would have similar experiences. Must just be an Irish thing.

1
ronnierosenthal•

I bloody wish it was a universal Irish thing. Never heard of it in my life.

3
0ffice_Zombie•

It's not an absolute but you'd see it enough.

1
HacksawJimDGN•

It's a very profound moment in your life when you're heading off and you press €20 in your parent's hand instead of the other way around.

Sunrise, Sunset, Sunrise, Sunset, Cats and the cradle and the silver spoon. Yes, we have no bananas

3
Jeqk•

All of my relatives from Ireland do this, often instead of saying "I love you."

Sorry, what now? I've never seen this happen between adults, unless it's a parent giving a little dig-out to a son or daughter heading back to college after a trip home. In any other circumstances I'd find it kind of insulting, tbh.

1