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?

You are correct. If you father's parents were both Irish then he is 100 per cent Irish, so you are 50 per cent or half Irish.

Your grammar is atrocious. The correct wording is that the argument is "between DH and me". Most Irish people understand grammar, so perhaps you are zero percent Irish in reality.

How embarrassing for you @Euclid!
Let's hope you wake up in a less atrocious mood this morning.

I would describe you as British with Irish decent. I personally only think someone can be classed as something if they are brought up there have the accents etc and can be identified as one by people who speak to them

I think culturally you are not half Irish. Not if your dad has been born and lived all his life in england.
On a genetic pov, you are indeed half Irish and your dad is Irish (but I suspect he doesn’t see himself as just Irish)
On a citizenship pov, I think your dad can claim the Irish citizenship but you can’t.

So basically I would agree with your DH you are not half Irish.
(FWIW my dcs are born in the U.K. and half BRITISH/half friend. They also have dual citizenship. They don’t see themselves as half French. In their heart they are much more BRITISH just like you I imagine)

I doubt if record keeping was all that back then, especially in rural Cork, which is where I believe she came from.
On the contrary, the church kept impeccable records and if you visited the area she's from, there will be the parish priest, a local historian and a load of locals who would be familiar with the surname. You would probably find some distant relatives/second cousins still living there and would be able to visit your ancestors graves.

Complicated isn't it.

I'm British, my parents & their parents too.

But I lived in NZ for 25 years, I'm culturally very much part kiwi!

@AndNoneForGretchenWieners. I'd say you're half welsh 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

@Winederlust. I guess you're half Irish, but with your Dad being born & brought up in England it does feel like you're over stating the case somewhat, so I don't feel your DH is wrong either.

@OwlBeThere. Is say 'mixed breed'🤣

Most Irish people understand grammar, so perhaps you are zero percent Irish in reality
@Euclid You are 100% rude in reality. This is the casual rudeness that destroys Mumsnet. Grammar is irrelevant to this topic.

OP you are why you are. Crack (craic?) on!!

The interesting thing about being Irish is that we were invaded and infiltrated by the Vikings, the Normans, the English etc. etc., going back centuries and then you've Celtic blood also. So we're quite a mixed bunch if you were to look back through the centuries.

I've noticed quite a few British people who are immensely proud of their Irish roots and love to visit Ireland and their ancestral home. Not so much with other countries
It’s probably because if you’re white and have ancestry from another country, within 2 generations noone would be any the wiser because it would be white people talking in British accents, so people just assume British, which might be why you want to point out your Irish ancestry.
Whereas no matter how many generations people with African or Indian ancestry Have been in the country, certain people will never see them as just ‘British’

I’m not surprised that people want to shout from the rooftops just because I have brown skin doesn’t mean I’m not British.
It’s not because they’re not as proud of their heritage as you are ffs. How ignorant

Culture is an interesting one because although my grandparents were born in England they all grew up together in an Irish "ghetto' - the Irish bit of the city they lived in. There was still prejudice against them into the 1960s if not beyond. So it is the culture of the diaspora and a bit distinct from British culture.

I would not say I was in any meaningful way Irish though. Genetically yes - you can tell that by looking at me.

If any of your grandparents have Fitz at the beginning of their surname, you're likely descended from the Vikings I think (or is it the Normans?).
Long time since I studied history!!
If you google your grandparent's surnames on google.ie and their origin, you'll find that a lot of stuff comes up - if you're interested in your Irish heritage.

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.

It’s a bit more involved than just having a parent residing here. For instance, you might consider an overseas student or a person with a work permit to be residing here for the purposes of NHS treatment etc, but their children wouldn’t be entitled to British citizenship. We haven’t done automatic British citizenship by birth for decades, although lots of countries still do.

I have a similar family except my paternal grandparents were Welsh, I feel I am half Welsh. Although my grandmother was born in London her first language was Welsh and she didn't see herself as English.

There are no genes and no 'blood' that links you to a certain country / nationality - to believe this would - however - link you (in my mind - I am German) to a certain mind set.

Maybe because being Irish is nationality as opposed to ethnicity you are British? How far do you go back when determining you can claim a nationality, if your great grandparents were American would you still claim that?

Not sure though, you could definitely apply for passport though and that would mean you win the argument .

@LakieLady you'd be a quarter Irish not half wouldn't you?

This is muddled because people are confusing nationality and ethnicity. By ethnicity you are 50% Irish.

I’m the same, always considered myself half and half. And yes you can apply for dual citizenship

I’m not surprised that people want to shout from the rooftops just because I have brown skin doesn’t mean I’m not British.
It’s not because they’re not as proud of their heritage as you are ffs. How ignorant

Madam - Pardon me??

I'm certainly not ignorant, but you are 100% rude.

My husband is half German, half Czech but born in London. He has British citizenship but not a jot of British ancestry. He identified as British, but my eldest DD wears a necklace with a Czech Republic pendant on it and is studying German. Her German/ Czech heritage seems more important to her than to her dad.
I am born and raised in South of England but am quarter Scottish and quarter Irish. I am really interested in my family history and have my Irish great great Aunts Christian name and Scottish grandparents middle name.
I think you get to chose how you identify if legally you can be one or another.

I agree with the posters who say heritage - half Irish, nationality - British.

Anyone saying a quarter can’t do fractions.

Forgot to answer the actual question! I’d say that you’re British with Irish heritage. At best, a quarter Irish.

I think maybe the grammar comment was a joke , maybe the Irish would say dh an me ?

I mean, surely ? If not ...

I guess if it goes by citizinship then you are 100 percent English by that argument ?

Therefore I say you half Irish

You are half Irish because two grandparents are. Or fully British as this where you were born and bred.
As PP said it’s about how you see yourself based on where your family is from or where you’ve been born and or brought up, and there isn’t a wrong answer and nobody else can tell you what you are or aren’t.

I have cousins who were born in England to Irish parents. By your logic they are 100% Irish. However they're not. They all have Irish passports (since Brexit) and they love Ireland and are proud of their Irish connect but they all live in England, were educated in England, work in England etc, So they are English.
So bad luck OP. The world is made up of 2 kinds of people , Those who are Irish and those who wish they were Irish.