"I'm Irish American"

[MacMahon]

I've noticed that to many Americans their Irish, Scots, Italian etc. roots are a big part of their current identity. As a nation of immigrants in a New World I can see why this link to earlier generations is interesting and important.

But it's also something I find confusing.

I live in Yorkshire. I'm English. I have Irish ancestors on both side (great grandparents and great x2 grandparents). If I was in America this would quite possibly be a big deal. I'd be an Irish American and identify with the struggles and persecution that my people suffered at the hands of the English. But I wasn't born in America, I was born in Leeds, and my Irish ancestry play zero role in my identity.

I'm on an ancestry group and Americans are getting that DNA test done and finding out that, contrary to family lore that they are Cherokee or Mexican or Italian Americans, they're actually pretty much 'just' 100% British.

It makes me wonder how authentic this celebrating or identifying with their Irish/First Nations/Italian roots is, and how much is just (mistaken) tribalism and division.

Or "African American".

It's fine for the initial immigrant and first generation a little. But in you are born and live in the country you should accept that country as home. Otherwise keep a little connection if you like, but not seriously.

Everyone in America is a something-american. The government, over the years, have done a fantastic job of uniting all these people from completely different backgrounds into all being 'American'. I'd say it's not designed to be divisive, quite the opposite (if we ignore all the racism etc etc, which I actually can't).

In America patriotism is a major thing. They sing the anthem at baseball games and pledge allegiance to the flag every day at school. That's the glue they use to stick everyone together which we just don't have on the UK!

I agree. I have spent a lot of time in the USA and I always found it a bit cringe how much they play on being 'Irish'. Irish pubs everywhere, the obsession with St Patrick's day, dying the river green in Chicago. Yet ask them to point it out on a map and they'd be stuck...

I think African American is different as they're still experiencing prejudices and hardships that have a big impact on their lives.

I get what you mean OP. I was born and raised in England, my mum is Irish and I was raised predominantly by my Irish grandparents, now I live in Northern Ireland. I sound English, I was educated by the English education system and it's been the country that most influenced me culturally. I'd never dream of saying I'm Irish (even though I have an Irish passport and currently no British one!) when realistically I haven't had the Irish 'experience'.

my Irish ancestry play zero role in my identity

And there's your answer. For those people who identify as Irish-American, Italian-American, Chinese-American, African-American etc that part of their ancestry plays a huge role in their identity. For some Americans of identical ethnicity their ancestry will not be a part of their identity and so they will not label themselves that way but will just call themselves Americans.

We have a similar thing in my own home. My DH and I both have Irish parents who migrated here before we were born. For my DH his Irishness is very important. He considers himself Irish and travels on an Irish passport. I'm not that bothered, I feel like more of a Brit and have a U.K. passport. Neither way is wrong, just different.

In America patriotism is a major thing. They sing the anthem at baseball games and pledge allegiance to the flag every day at school. That's the glue they use to stick everyone together which we just don't have on the UK!

Yes, but this bit makes sense to me. It's jingoistic to the British ear, but it makes complete sense in a nation of immigrants.

It's bordering on appropriation. How they can call themselves Irish/Scottish when they've never even been, couldn't point it out on a map is beyond me. It's embarrassing.

I think African American is different as they're still experiencing prejudices and hardships that have a big impact on their lives.

Yes, that's why I didn't include it it.

@MacMahon

I think African American is different as they're still experiencing prejudices and hardships that have a big impact on their lives.

Yes, that's why I didn't include it it.

It was a response to another poster who did!!

People can identify in any way they please. If Irish Americans are proud of their ancestry then let them crack on.

@IsleofRum

Or "African American".

It's fine for the initial immigrant and first generation a little. But in you are born and live in the country you should accept that country as home. Otherwise keep a little connection if you like, but not seriously.

Please do not compare the two and tell black people in America how to refer to themselves, thank you. It is one of the six recognised racial classifications in the US. 'Irish American' is not.

'Six racess are officially recognized: white, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, black or African American, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, and people of two or moree races.'

read more

@IsleofRum

Or "African American".

It's fine for the initial immigrant and first generation a little. But in you are born and live in the country you should accept that country as home. Otherwise keep a little connection if you like, but not seriously.

Well this is bullshit when that "home" has far from accepted you. So I don't think it's the same thing at all.

I'm a US citizen of Irish descent; now living in Japan.
My name alone immediately identifies as Irish, rather than
American.

These past few years I am happy to note my Irish roots,
much more readily, than admit to being American.

乾杯! 🍻

I'm scottish. I've been to the states 3 times. Every time I've been I had various Americans telling me they were 'scotch' too

@sst1234

It’s trendy, that’s all. Because no one says they’re ‘English American’, do they? Because it’s just not trendy. It’s not about roots, it’s about ‘ooh look at me, my ancestors come from the land of leprechauns and river dance’.

No one says they're English American because that is the default. The hyphenated Americans came about because of resistance in the nineteenth century to the idea that anyone other than those of English descent could be American.

I met someone in a pub who, I'm pretty sure, was part Neanderthal although he didn't declare it (he didn't need to actually!)

@Practicebeingpatient

my Irish ancestry play zero role in my identity

And there's your answer. For those people who identify as Irish-American, Italian-American, Chinese-American, African-American etc that part of their ancestry plays a huge role in their identity. For some Americans of identical ethnicity their ancestry will not be a part of their identity and so they will not label themselves that way but will just call themselves Americans.

We have a similar thing in my own home. My DH and I both have Irish parents who migrated here before we were born. For my DH his Irishness is very important. He considers himself Irish and travels on an Irish passport. I'm not that bothered, I feel like more of a Brit and have a U.K. passport. Neither way is wrong, just different.

But I think that OP’s point, that generally speaking, Americans seem to have ancestry as a part of their identity more than in British people do.

And there's your answer. For those people who identify as Irish-American, Italian-American, Chinese-American, African-American etc that part of their ancestry plays a huge role in their identity.

Well, no, that’s my point

I do laugh at Joe Biden when he manages to shoe horn "I'm Irish" into almost every public introduction.

It was a response to another poster who did!!

Sorry, I was rushing, I meant that I completely agreed with you

'I do laugh at Joe Biden when he manages to shoe horn "I'm Irish" into almost every public introduction'

Just like a lot of American people with even the vaguest family connection to Ireland. The response of actual Irish people who were born and brought up in Ireland is pretty much to this

It’s standard and has been so for as long as I can remember.

Maybe they just think it makes them sound more interesting. It is odd though for a country who tends to be very patriarchal, and in general think there the dogs bollocks of countries. All that America is great crap and the constant line of "most powerful country,/president etc". Seems lots of them don't actually want to be seen as just American and like to add a special label based on some long lost relative.

I think the most ridiculous one is Joe Biden, who I have regularly heard saying "I'm Irish". No you're not, you twunt, you're American.