Number Of Old Men Walking Around With Hands Behind Their Back Dwindling

A NEW survey has found a staggering decline in the number of elderly men walking around with their hands behind their backs.

Old men wearing Paddy caps with their hands to the rear have been synonymous with Irish culture for hundreds of years, but latest figures show that there are less than 2,000 of them left in circulation.

Up until the late 90’s, the recognisable figures would be seen loitering around every village crossroad, staring at passing cars and chatting to one another about nothing in particular.

“We believe the dwindling numbers are down to a better understanding of fashion and posture,” chief researcher of the study Thomas O’Brien told WWN. “Aging adults these days have not worked as hard as their predecessors.”

“Old men walking around with their hands behind their backs are a dying breed.” he added.

The decline has also hit Paddy cap sales across the country, with 12,000 outlets closing in the last year alone.

“My family has been in the Paddy hat business for over 800 years.” said Paddy hat salesman Dermot Peak. “We have had to close our shop this week after our local man who walks around with his hands behind his back died suddenly after tripping onto his face.

“You see, that’s the problem when you don’t have your hands to the front.” he concluded.

The government has called for a reintroduction scheme designed to persuade elderly people back into wearing the caps, proposing a state funded ‘how to walk with your hands behind your back course’ by early 2015. In the culture focused scheme, pensioners will be given an extra €3 per week to walk around their local town or village for two hours a day.