To say I'm half Irish

[Winederlust]

Just wanted to settle a petty argument between DH and I.
I was born in England. As was my mum. My dad also. However both his parents were born in ROI. They moved to the UK as young adults and met, married and settled with a family in England.
I think that, although my dad was born in England, he is full blooded Irish. Which in turn makes me half Irish. My DH reckons I'm quarter at best.
Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things but just interested in the general MN population's thoughts?

To answer the question I would say you are English with Irish heritage.

Genetically you are half Irish.

But I wouldn’t say your dad is Irish in the same way that someone was born/grew up in Ireland is. Culturally he would be more British I think.

Genetically yes you’re 50% Irish but TBH I’d feel like a right knob saying it to anyone given both you and your two parents were born and raised? In England? In what context do you need to refer to your Irish heritage?

I don't get the people saying you're 'genetically Irish'. You don't know if you have any genes that are specifically Irish do you and DNA tests can't show that accurately at the moment.
You have some Irish cultural heritage, but that's from you paternal grandparents, not your DF, so I agree with your DH that you're not half Irish.

My children have one welsh, one Scottish, one English and one Irish grandparent.

I bet the six nations is fun in your house!

You're British, of half Irish descent.

With respect, its really very simple.

My mum is Irish, my dad is English. I was born in England, I consider myself English.
But, as per the Irish constitution, I am also an Irish citizen, born abroad. No quarter or half about it.

I think YABU OP. I would consider you English (of Irish descent), not half Irish.

Haha feck off Euclid (irish enough for you? )
I'm as pedantic as the next person when it comes to grammar but I'll cut myself some slack at 1.30am thanks very much.

@Donkeytail

There has been lots of migration to Ireland in the past 20 years or so, lots of first generation Irish. I would never dream of 'correcting' the kid down the road and saying he isn't Irish, he is Nigerian because that is where his parents are from. He was born here, raised here, he is Irish.

I agree - those kids are Irish - that's how they see themselves.

@ILikeSardines

It is culturally sensitive. It makes me wonder sometimes when people criticise those born outside of Ireland with Irish parents - the sense of being Irish comes from the parents and they, as Irish citizens, have that right to introduce their children to Irish culture and a sense of belonging there.

The ancestor in US thing should also have been put to rest by now - surely people realise that Americans in places like NY define themselves by their ancestry? No one who ever say the same to Italian Americans, etc. It's a recognition of something that makes sense in US culture so why do Irish people in Ireland feel that they mock it?

I wonder something similar. I have always thought I am half Welsh - my dad was born in Wales as were his parents, my maternal grandmother was born in Wales, but my mum and I were both born in England. I'm now wondering if that can be right or if I'm not Welsh at all (just have Welsh heritage).

Odd that people just assume OPs dad is culturally Britsh. We've really no way of knowing that. I'm Scottish (but my dad is from another non European country) and would never identify as British even though I was technically born and raised there.
I don't have a strong connection to my dad's country but it's my heritage all the same.

If your father is Irish you are half Irish. Does it fucking matter though?

"Citizenship by birthplace isn't recognised everywhere - I think Ireland removed it several years ago but it is still in place in the UK."

Even if neither parent is a citizen or resident?

and would never identify as British even though I was technically born and raised there.

So do you have citizenship of where your dad comes from?

The one thing you are absolutely not is a quarter. Depending on how you define it 0 or 50% but not 25% because that makes no sense.

Thanks guys.
No, it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme, as I said...it's just been one of those silly discussions I have with DH from time to time. I just wondered what the consensus was.
The nature/nurture/blood/culture argument is still complicated it seems.

@ChandlerIsTheBestFriend

Not yet, I've thought about it but I don't travel enough to justify the tax implications

@Gwenhwyfar

I think (after a quick read) one parent has to be resident in UK so it's not quite as flexible as I thought. Also, there are different statuses.

From Gov.uk:

You’re automatically a British citizen if you were born in the UK before 1 January 1983, unless:

• your father was a diplomat working for a non-UK country
• your father was ‘an enemy alien in occupation’ and you were born in the Channel Islands during World War 2

I agree with @Donkeytail.

One of my grandmothers had Irish parents, but they emigrated to NZ and had their family here. I never heard my grandmother refer to herself as Irish and don't believe she considered herself as such as she wasn't born there.

I don't understand why people are saying your dad was British because he was born in England. I was born in Germany, my parents were working over there at the time, but we moved to England when I was 5 weeks old. I'm not German.

OP, I would call myself 'British with Irish heritage' in your shoes. Actually that's what I'd call myself in my shoes too. None of my Grandparents were fully Irish but I have so much Irish ancestry on both sides I reckon if you totted up all the percentages I'd come out more Irish than most things!

There are so many parts of where you belong to consider that it doesn't matter. You've a claim to be half Irish if you want it. I've lived in Ireland since I was 2, no Irish parents. But I'm still Irish, culturally but not officially. That's why it doesn't matter. I'm not Irish but I am anyway.

Your social skills are far more atrocious, Euclid. Proper weird behaviour. No way would you say that to somebody in real life. Should probably also spend a bit more time on your spelling.

@Euclid
Before you start pulling others up on their "atrocious grammar " better check your own writing style first "you father" should be "your father" .
Must be sooooo good to be so perfect.
Just sayin!

I was born in NI, so I can claim to be British or Irish, and I have held both passports. But I'm now also Australian, as I got citizenship in January. My husband was born in Austalia to Irish parents, who then moved to Ireland and he was brought up there. And our son was born in London, so he is also entitled to UK, British and Australian passports. If asked I'd say I'm now proud to Australian Irish, my husband would say he's Australian, and my son would be a bloody Pom.