Irish People On TikTok Are Just Discovering the American Term "Irish Goodbye" and Are Very Confused

Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor

Mar 19, 2023 1:00 AM EDT

As an American, I have used the term "Irish goodbye" many times. I mean, it can be a life saver when you are at your wits end! We've all been at a party where we're either too drunk or our social meter has reached its limit and it is very much time to go. But you're with a friend group where if you try to leave, they're going to do everything in their power to get you to stay. You're already weak, so you do the best swift exit you can think of, and that is leaving without saying goodbye to anybody. Maybe you text them after you're already in the car home, but you couldn't face anybody with the truth of you leaving. However, Irish people on TikTok are just discovering that Americans use this term and are very confused—mostly because apparently Irish people take a very long time to say goodbye. People from other countries are also chiming in saying they have their own phrase for it and it usually uses another country like the "French Exit" or "English Exit." So, basically, nobody wants to fess up to being the ones who leave without saying goodbye the most, even though it's very obviously something that people do in every single culture….