Esther McCarthy: Why the Irish small-talk question ‘Are you busy?’ drives me mad

From weather chat to competitive busyness, Esther McCarthy examines the everyday exchanges that make Irish small talk so entertaining

How are you even supposed to answer 'Are you busy' Picture: iStock

Small talk is great. We are champs at it here in Ireland. I once spent a good 25 minutes talking about spitty rain versus soft rain on the side of a pitch. I’m all for the social niceties that get us through the day without murdering each other.

“Oh, tis far from it we were reared, ha!” accompanied by a tsk, an eyebrow waggle and a bob of the head as we wait in line to bring our little darlings into the indoor climbing wall centre.