St. Patrick's Day Question

[Moliphino]

I hope this doesn’t sound patronising or offensive to anyone, it’s a genuine pondering I always have about the US and the St Paddy’s day celebrations and Irish links in general. I know that lots of Americans have ancestry going back to Ireland, but just as many have ancestry to England, Germany and the rest of Europe but it just seems that lots of Americans seem to refer to themselves as Irish but you don’t here people refer to themselves as English or German. Some of those calling themselves Irish probably only have ancestors born in Ireland several generations earlier and have probably never even been to Ireland but they seem to still refer themselves as Irish. I know Joe Biden used to tell everyone how Irish he was but from what I can tell his Irish connection is from generations ago and is less Irish than me. My great grand parents were from Mullingar in Southern Ireland before they moved to England and my wife’s mother was Northern Irish but neither of us would regard ourselves as remotely Irish, proud of our Irish heritage, but we would never class ourselves as English-Irish or anything like that.

As I said I hope this doesn’t offend anyone, Its just always been something I think of from watching US tv shows and movies where people who are clearly not Irish refer to themselves that way and I always wonder why that is?

English is sort of the default. Germans/people with German ancestry probably downplayed it in the WWII era. Irish (and I think the Italians were similar) faced discrimination in the US, so they stuck together and celebrated their roots. Not everything could be done exactly the same, so they made do with what was available (hence corned beef, and why American Italian food is very different from Italian food in Italy).

 

[SnowBeast]

Irish person born in Dublin. In Ireland being Irish is a nationality. In American they call themselves Irish as an ethnicity. Outside of America Irish ethnicity is not a thing. In Ireland, the American tourists who call themselves Irish as an ethnicity are known as plastic paddys and are very much a source of amusement.

In Ireland from the 1950's onwards, as the country started to recover from 800 years of British occupation and WW2, Americans were targeted as a way to bring money into the country. There was an Irish Government department originally named An Bord Fáilte created by the Tourist Traffic Act 1952. It is now known as Irish Tourism. Their job since the 1960's is to basically reinforce the yew olde Darby O'Gill stereotype in the minds of Americans so that they come to Ireland and spend money. Huge amounts of money is spent, most recently their biggest project has been The Wild Atlantic Way.

There is a huge economy in Ireland built around American tourists, so the Irish people smile, take the money while making fun of the Americans in private. We even have our own theme park in Dublin, called Temple Bar, where we corral all the tourists, and get them to spend huge amounts of money in the pubs. Its well known that the pubs inflate the prices for the tourists.

That’s hysterical Tink, I’ll make sure when I visit Ireland I won’t be claiming I’m a local and earning the plastic paddy title.

 

[mjkacmom]

Here in the UK we are a complete mongrel race made up from all sorts of weird and wonderful places like the Romans, Normans, Celts, Vikings, Anglo Saxons and on and on. I wonder maybe because though England has been settled since the Norman conquest in 1066 that we’ve finally sort of just thought as ourselves as British. In the US though I suppose on the scheme of things it’s a young nation and as you say it’s a melting pot of nationalities who many still cling to their recent heritage…where here most people probably don’t have a clue where their ancestors came from, they just think as themselves as Brits.

Very interesting though, you are completely right it’s not something that seems to happen in Europe, most people just regard themselves as the nationality of whatever country they were born and raised.

I do know that some are still interested in ancestry, 2/3 of my 23andme 3rd cousins do not live in the US.

 

[Smugpugmug]

There is a huge economy in Ireland built around American tourists, so the Irish people smile, take the money while making fun of the Americans in private. We even have our own theme park in Dublin, called Temple Bar, where we corral all the tourists, and get them to spend huge amounts of money in the pubs. Its well known that the pubs inflate the prices for the tourists.

Back when I studied at a university in Dublin, my classmates would talk about how they went to Temple Bar and/or the Temple Bar area and I would shake my head and wonder why they were willing to spend 13 Euro on a Heineken.

 

[lanejudy]

We even have our own theme park in Dublin, called Temple Bar, where we corral all the tourists, and get them to spend huge amounts of money in the pubs. Its well known that the pubs inflate the prices for the tourists.

Umm.... that's typical for pretty much any tourist destination to jack up prices. In fact, it sounds exactly like Disney World.

 

[mjkacmom]

Umm.... that's typical for pretty much any tourist destination to jack up prices. In fact, it sounds exactly like Disney World.

Try eating and drinking in Times Square! You can find the tourists at the Hard Rock Cafe and Applebees.

 

[fly girl]

Mixed age gathering, not at a bar. We picked Saturday. Thanks for voting, everyone!!

I know it is too late, but I would have said Saturday. Have fun!

 

[fly girl]

There is a huge economy in Ireland built around American tourists, so the Irish people smile, take the money while making fun of the Americans in private. We even have our own theme park in Dublin, called Temple Bar, where we corral all the tourists, and get them to spend huge amounts of money in the pubs. Its well known that the pubs inflate the prices for the tourists.

Lovely.

When I go to another country I am cognizant of their culture, norms, traditions, and ways. I do my research to make sure I am respectful. Sad that courtesy isn't reciprocated and in return I am mocked behind my back. I'd rather you do it right in my face, it would be more authentic.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Aa far as nationality in the US, if a person asks somebody their nationality (I never really hear of asking ethnicity) most people do not respond, 'I'm American'. Most do respond with their known ethnicity, and generally the predominant one or two

To that question, in all my years, and it's a lot of years, I've always responded, mostly Irish, a little German. With a DNA with Ancestry, I find I am mostly a mix of predominant UK (more Irish, a bit of English, Scotch and Welsh), some Germanic and some Scandinavian. I still would reply, 'Irish with a little German'.

 

[Moliphino]

Umm.... that's typical for pretty much any tourist destination to jack up prices. In fact, it sounds exactly like Disney World.

It's been 10 years since I was there, but the prices were still way cheaper than you'll get at Disney.

 

[Smugpugmug]

It's been 10 years since I was there, but the prices were still way cheaper than you'll get at Disney.

Food I would agree with you but beer in the touristy pubs was around the price of a beer at Disney. If you go to places tourists don't go to then beers were like 50% cheaper. It's why I always went to sketchy dive bars lol they had the cheapest Guinness.

 

[Micca]

To that question, in all my years, and it's a lot of years, I've always responded, mostly Irish, a little German. With a DNA with Ancestry, I find I am mostly a mix of predominant UK (more Irish, a bit of English, Scotch and Welsh), some Germanic and some Scandinavian. I still would reply, 'Irish with a little German'.

That settles it Dan--Next meetup we're having Irish Coffee and German Chocolate Cake

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

That settles it Dan--Next meetup we're having Irish Coffee and German Chocolate Cake

Irish Coffee was invented in the 1960's at Shannon airport for American tourists whose flight was delayed leaving Ireland. It is not a traditional drink but a modern creation.

German Chocolate was created by an American chocolate maker called Samuel German. It has nothing to do with Germany.

 

[leebee]

Lovely.

When I go to another country I am cognizant of their culture, norms, traditions, and ways. I do my research to make sure I am respectful. Sad that courtesy isn't reciprocated and in return I am mocked behind my back. I'd rather you do it right in my face, it would be more authentic.

Yup. Maybe we should re-think where we will travel next summer. I suppose all countries do it, but at least we have it confirmed that the folks in Ireland will laugh at us behind our backs.

 

[leebee]

That settles it Dan--Next meetup we're having Irish Coffee and German Chocolate Cake

Me too?

 

[mjkacmom]

The only family recipes I have from the great grandparents is an Irish soda bread that my aunt is now the one to make, and a German gugelguph cake another aunt on the other side used to make for everything, but she’s too deep into Alzheimer’s now. But I do have both handwritten recipes.

 

[Dan Murphy]

That settles it Dan--Next meetup we're having Irish Coffee and German Chocolate Cake

Me too?

Sounds good to me, Ron and leebee!!

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Team Saturday for me!

 

[TippyThomas]

Can't wait for the corned beef lecture again this year.

 

[mjkacmom]

Can't wait for the corned beef lecture again this year.

Sad story, I stocked up on corned beef last Saint Patrick’s day, because I love it but it’s too expensive other times of the year, went on vacation this summer for a week, freezer chest gave up the ghost, what a waste (and what a smell to come home to).