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?

Depends why you’re saying it. I’m 100% Irish as both parents are Irish. But they moved to England 5 years before I was born. They added no Irish culture to my upbringing, didn’t talk about Ireland, I never went there, never met any relatives, have no accent...

So I’d say “I have Irish parents” but I’d never describe myself as Irish in any percentage terms. As a much earlier poster referred to, I’d feel like the kind of American who discovered on Ancestry that a Great great uncle’s dog was born in Co. Mayo.
It would feel a bit try hard, to claim a cultural identity that really isn’t mine.

@Dondevastu you are British with a Lebanese background.
I think Gigi & Bella Hadid's father is Palestinian but grew up in Lebanon; also the actress who plays Maria in Corrie is half Lebanese!

You think that if the op had an Irish passport/ citizenship she would not have been mentioned it the opening post, as a way to strengthen her view point that she is 50% Irish ?
Personally I would think she would mention it alongside her DH's claims that she is only 25% Irish, as a way of illustrating how non sensical his argument is.

Are we talking Irish republic or Northern Ireland, as that matters. Why does this matter?

“Weegie” is widely used amongst Scots I know (both resident and non-resident). I know it’s not universally-likes but it’s common parlance

I’m from Glasgow, but thanks for the explanation

It’s certainly not common parlance here. No one refers to themselves as weegie.

But glad to be corrected that someone you know uses it. 🙄

ConstantlySeekingHappiness- you sound like a snob to me.

I am from.Glasgow, I live in Glasgow and I have family members and friends who refer to themselves as weegies every so often.

Why do you have such a problem with the word?

"Soap dodgin'' weegie cunts" wasn't that the Edinburgh opinion from Trainspotting?

constantly Edinburgh here - it’s a commonly used term here and throughout Scotland. But you know that.

So my grandma was 100% Irish, which makes me 25% Irish, dd's dad is 100% northern Irish.... by my (really crap) calculations she is 63% Irish???

@ConstantlySeekingHappiness I agree with what @Maria53 says. Both Maria and I know Glaswegians who use the word. Just because you haven’t heard it in your social circle doesn’t mean that it is not used! In fact in this thread alone you have 3 people who hear it in use all the time...

@babycornplease It depends if dd's dad is Catholic NI or Protestant NI. If Catholic he is 100% Irish if he is Protestant he is 100% British. 😂

I think the upbringing you have makes a difference.
My dad is Irish but has lived in England for most of his life. But we kids were brought up listening to Christy Moore and the Wolfe Tones, the paper was the Irish Post and we went to Catholic schools where most people had Irish parents or grandparents. Most of our socialising was done at the town Irish club. I think because Irish doesn’t look different and for most people doesn’t involve a different language then it’s easy to dismiss the cultural differences.

Interesting reading. My grandad, from long line of English born people, was born in Wales because his family had moved there to work. Grandad moved back to England with them all when he was 10. I would love to claim I’m a bit Welsh, as I love the country and culture, but I think this would be dubious as there is no Welsh passports to apply for, but I would secretly love it.

I have two Irish great-grandparents so I count 1/4. Both lived elsewhere, one from a small child and one as an adult.

Any South Londoners here?

Anyone remember the legendary Joe Friday (he's still alive) of the infamous Brockley Club? Friday and Saturday nights sliding up and down that floor before our parents would start jiving to Elvis.

Or the Harp Club/Venue in SE14 ? Many a couple from the 60s met there. I think at one point there was a bus would leave Cricklewood at 11 to take them down to New Cross to carry on partying.

I am one of the founding players of the very famous London Irish Green Isle camogie Club. One day I would love to make a film about the first game we played against a team from Offaly. Blood, hurls, sliothars and body parts everywhere.

Ladywell Park will never see days like that again.

@EmeraldShamrock he and his family are very much from the Protestant side. My catholic grandmother would have been horrified!!

Just as well we don't have anything to do with him these days... 😂😂😂

@babycornplease Every cloud and all that. 🤣😉

My Dad is Irish my mum Scottish and I say I am half Irish. All my dads family are from Ireland and I can trace ancestors back to 1740 roughly. I am extremely proud of my heritage and have always loved Ireland. When I am there I am happy! I have my Irish passport. As long as you have some Irish dna you are lucky !

I consider myself 100% Irish and 100% British. Can I be that?!

I grew up in Northern Ireland. DC born and raised in England are half Irish. Their next passports will be Irish given the Brexit fuckwittery.

I think you are half Irish OP.

Doesn't matter you're Irish enough. That's your identity there's no need for fractions.

DH and I are Irish, we are living in Australia raising 3 Irish children. All of us are Australian citizens, one of the children was born here but the other two were born in Ireland.
I cannot imagine them ever identifying as anything other than Irish, but who knows. My uncle emigrated to Australia almost 50 years ago, his children are in their 30's and all identify as Irish, they were all born here in Australia, I guess they also identify as Australian but it isn't something they put a percentage on.

They say the USA is full of people that think they are Irish!! Remember an American guy questioning my partner who was born and bred in Dublin as to how Irish he actually was!! My parents are from 2 totally different parts of the UK and moved to where l live now but l can't say l am half of each cos l never lived there and surely where l live now is where l am from? Agree with your DH x

Both of my grandmothers were born in Ireland (one Roi and one NI). Both my parents are half-Irish. That makes me half-Irish, although a UK passport holder.

You and your dad are both British.

I wouldn't really say Weegie.

I've always thought that was more people in Edinburgh who used that to describe peoe from West Coast.