The kindest thing you can do for an Irishman...

Cafe Society
1

I’m watching episodes of Dave Allen At Large on YouTube, and Allen is listing the kindest things you can do for various people. ‘The kindest thing you can do for an Irishman is not to stand behind him and say “Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock!”’

Please explain.

2

A reference to the bombings that the IRA carried out during the Troubles?

(that’s about the only thing I can come up with, but the only Irish connections I have are a love for Van Morrison’s music and occasional pints of Guinness)

3

That thought did cross my mind, but I don’t know how the IRA bombs were set off so I wasn’t sure.

I thought it would have been funnier if he’d said Captain Hook instead of an Irishman.

4

Or not to tell the Irishman that last call was 10 minutes ago…

5

is pour.

6

My guess would be that it’s a pub reference - I’m picturing a nagging wife standing behind her husband in the pub, saying “tick tock, tick tock”, as in “time to come home”. That’s a complete WAG, though.