---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is an Irish way of paying…"
description: "\"There is an Irish way of paying compliments as though they were irresistible truths which makes what would otherwise be an impertinence delightful.\" — ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fa/katharine-tynan-29781_being-irish_there-is-an-irish-way-of-paying-complime_2718919.jpg"
---

#  There is an Irish way of paying compliments as though they…

![“There is an Irish way of paying compliments as though they were irresistible truths which makes what would otherwise be an impertinence delightful.” quote by Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fa/katharine-tynan-29781_being-irish_there-is-an-irish-way-of-paying-complime_2718919.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fa/katharine-tynan-29781_being-irish_there-is-an-irish-way-of-paying-complime_2718919.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fa/katharine-tynan-29781_being-irish_there-is-an-irish-way-of-paying-complime_2718919.jpg)

> “There is an Irish way of paying compliments as though they were irresistible truths which makes what would otherwise be an impertinence delightful.”

[Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Irish compliments are delivered as irresistible truths, turning potential rudeness into charming flattery.

**In simple terms:** Compliments can be charmingly bold.

Key Takeaway

Use wit in praise.

Themes

culture language humor

Mood

playful observational

Type

cultural literary

When to use this quote

- social interactions
- public speaking

Key Concepts

social dynamics Irish tradition

Questions to Reflect On

- How does cultural context shape compliments?
- When does boldness cross into offense?

A Different Perspective

Excessive flattery may seem insincere.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Being irish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-irish/) [Compliments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compliments/) [Delightful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delightful/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Ireland and the irish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ireland-and-the-irish/) [Irish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irish/) [Irish proverbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irish-proverbs/) [Irish writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irish-writers/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/)

## Related quotes

> [“There are some things in life we know to be true, beyond logic or reason, science or faith. Irresistible truths, they're called, the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-grace/there-are-some-things-in-life-we-know-to-be-true-beyond-logic-or/)

[Melody Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-grace/)

> [It is a great mistake for men to give up paying compliments, for when they give up saying what is charming, they give up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-a-great-mistake-for-men-to-give-up-paying-compliments-for-when/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [I have never studied the art of paying compliments to women; but I must say that if all that has been said by orators…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-have-never-studied-the-art-of-paying-compliments-to-women-but-i/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [“He has certainly not been paying me compliments. Perhaps that is the reason that I don't believe anything he has told me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-has-certainly-not-been-paying-me-compliments-perhaps-that-is-the/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [“I firmly believe in small gestures: pay for their coffee, hold the door for strangers, over tip, smile or try to be kind even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-firmly-believe-in-small-gestures-pay-for-their-coffee-hold-the-door/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“All compliments are not created equal. Some may change the trajectory of a person’s life, while others fall on deaf ears. Is it well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/all-compliments-are-not-created-equal-some-may-change-the-trajectory/)

[Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/)

> [We learn to praise God not by paying compliments but by paying attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/we-learn-to-praise-god-not-by-paying-compliments-but-by-paying/)

[Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/)

> [“ On Paying Compliments Compliments, appropriately timed, allow you to develop a greater sense of rapport with your interactive partner. Most people want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-berent/on-paying-compliments-compliments-appropriately-timed-allow-you-to/)

[Jonathan Berent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-berent/)

> [The habit of paying compliments kept a man's tongue oiled without any expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-habit-of-paying-compliments-kept-a-man-s-tongue-oiled-without-any/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-beard/the-mills-of-god-grind-slowly-but-they-grind-exceedingly-small/)

[Charles A. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-beard/)

> [You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/you-can-t-make-a-silk-purse-out-of-a-sow-s-ear/)

[Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/)

> [God's help is nearer than the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurney-benham/god-s-help-is-nearer-than-the-door/)

[William Gurney Benham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurney-benham/)

> [The mills of God grind slowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/the-mills-of-god-grind-slowly/)

[Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/)

> [In heaven there is no beer. That's why we drink ours here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-yankovic/in-heaven-there-is-no-beer-that-s-why-we-drink-ours-here/)

Frank Yankovic

> [You know it is summer in Ireland when the rain gets warmer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-roach/you-know-it-is-summer-in-ireland-when-the-rain-gets-warmer/)

[Hal Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-roach/)

## More by Katharine Tynan

> [I have always believed that hair is a very sure index of character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/i-have-always-believed-that-hair-is-a-very-sure-index-of-character/)

[Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

> [It's a strange thing now how people will know they're dying themselves when no one else could suspect anything wrong at all with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/it-s-a-strange-thing-now-how-people-will-know-they-re-dying/)

[Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

> [the way with Ireland is that no sooner do you get away from her than the golden mists begin to close about her, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/the-way-with-ireland-is-that-no-sooner-do-you-get-away-from-her-than/)

[Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

> [The trouble with the Irish question always has been that it was an English question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/the-trouble-with-the-irish-question-always-has-been-that-it-was-an/)

[Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

> [O, the red rose may be fair, And the lily statelier; But my shamrock, one in three Takes the very heart of me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/o-the-red-rose-may-be-fair-and-the-lily-statelier-but-my-shamrock-one/)

[Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

> [Often our bad moments are self-propelled ... And the drama is almost exclusively within our heads and hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/often-our-bad-moments-are-self-propelled-and-the-drama-is-almost/)

[Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

> [It is a horrible demoralizing thing to be a lawyer. You look for such low motives in everyone and everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/it-is-a-horrible-demoralizing-thing-to-be-a-lawyer-you-look-for-such/)

[Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

> [Irish people have a trick of over-statement, at which one ceases to wince as one grows older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/irish-people-have-a-trick-of-over-statement-at-which-one-ceases-to/)

[Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

> [To be a saint does not exclude fine dresses nor a beautiful house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/to-be-a-saint-does-not-exclude-fine-dresses-nor-a-beautiful-house/)

[Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

> [The kind need kindness most of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/the-kind-need-kindness-most-of-all/)

[Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

> [January has only one thing to be said for it: it is followed by February. Nothing so well becomes its passing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/january-has-only-one-thing-to-be-said-for-it-it-is-followed-by/)

[Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

> [... Hope is at the bottom of the Pandora's box of Irish troubles, and I believe proudly and firmly in the ultimate destinies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/hope-is-at-the-bottom-of-the-pandora-s-box-of-irish-troubles-and-i/)

[Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

> [The Irish always jest even though they jest with tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/the-irish-always-jest-even-though-they-jest-with-tears/)

[Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

> [Religion dies hard in the Irish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/religion-dies-hard-in-the-irish/)

[Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

> [Drawbacks are good when you are on holiday. If the holiday were too good you might not want to go home again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/drawbacks-are-good-when-you-are-on-holiday-if-the-holiday-were-too/)

[Katharine Tynan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

[Explore all 18 Katharine Tynan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/)

## More Being irish quotes

> [I was elected by the women of Ireland, who instead of rocking the cradle, rocked the system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/i-was-elected-by-the-women-of-ireland-who-instead-of-rocking-the/)

[Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/)

> [You know it is summer in Ireland when the rain gets warmer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-roach/you-know-it-is-summer-in-ireland-when-the-rain-gets-warmer/)

[Hal Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-roach/)

> [I think the genetics of being Irish are that you sort of prefer when it's rainy and cloudy. It's just genetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-flannery/i-think-the-genetics-of-being-irish-are-that-you-sort-of-prefer-when/)

[Kate Flannery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-flannery/)

> [“There's no sense to being Irish unless you know the world's going to break your heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adcock/there-s-no-sense-to-being-irish-unless-you-know-the-world-s-going-to/)

[Thomas Adcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adcock/)

> [Why do we like being Irish? Partly because It gives us a hold on the sentimental English As members of a world that never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-macneice/why-do-we-like-being-irish-partly-because-it-gives-us-a-hold-on-the/)

[Louis MacNeice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-macneice/)

> [This is one race of people for whom psychoanalysis is of no use whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/this-is-one-race-of-people-for-whom-psychoanalysis-is-of-no-use/)

[Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/)

> [I find being Irish quite a wearing thing. It takes so much work because it is a social construction. People think you are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/i-find-being-irish-quite-a-wearing-thing-it-takes-so-much-work/)

[Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/)

> [I'm Irish and very proud of being Irish, but as an actor, your extraction should be secondary, really. You should be able to embody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-m-irish-and-very-proud-of-being-irish-but-as-an-actor-your/)

[Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/)

> [St. Patrick... one of the few saints whose feast day presents the opportunity to get determinedly whacked and make a fool of oneself all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-madigan/st-patrick-one-of-the-few-saints-whose-feast-day-presents-the/)

Charles Madigan

> [Ireland is a fruitful mother of genius, but a barren nurse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyle-o-reilly/ireland-is-a-fruitful-mother-of-genius-but-a-barren-nurse/)

[John Boyle O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyle-o-reilly/)

> [In heaven there is no beer. That's why we drink ours here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-yankovic/in-heaven-there-is-no-beer-that-s-why-we-drink-ours-here/)

Frank Yankovic

> [Sheep are not considered the most intelligent animals but British scientist say humans may have underestimated the woolly creatures. In fact, the British scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/sheep-are-not-considered-the-most-intelligent-animals-but-british/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

> [When I die, I want to decompose in a barrel of porter and have it served in all the pubs in Dublin. I wonder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/when-i-die-i-want-to-decompose-in-a-barrel-of-porter-and-have-it/)

[J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/)

> [God invented whiskey to keep the Irish from ruling the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mcmahon/god-invented-whiskey-to-keep-the-irish-from-ruling-the-world/)

[Ed McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mcmahon/)

> [What's the use of being Irish if you can't be thick?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-conn/what-s-the-use-of-being-irish-if-you-can-t-be-thick/)

Billy Conn

[Browse all 39 Being irish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-irish/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "There is an Irish way of paying compliments as though they were irresistible truths which makes what would otherwise be an impertinence delightful.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Katharine Tynan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/there-is-an-irish-way-of-paying-compliments-as-though-they-were/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Being irish"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/there-is-an-irish-way-of-paying-compliments-as-though-they-were/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fa/katharine-tynan-29781_being-irish_there-is-an-irish-way-of-paying-complime_2718919.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fa/katharine-tynan-29781_being-irish_there-is-an-irish-way-of-paying-complime_2718919.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fa/katharine-tynan-29781_being-irish_there-is-an-irish-way-of-paying-complime_2718919.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There is an Irish way of paying compliments as though they were irresistible truths which makes what would…” — Katharine Tynan",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Katharine Tynan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-tynan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "There is an Irish way of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/there-is-an-irish-way-of-paying-compliments-as-though-they-were/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-tynan/there-is-an-irish-way-of-paying-compliments-as-though-they-were/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
