To feel like a fake Irish woman?

[bumbleebe]

So I was born in Ireland. All my grand parents and great grand parents born in Ireland. But before that, only about 1/4 of them are from Irish families. Rest of them moved over from England to Dublin (as a huge number did). So ‘genetically’ I’m only 1/4 Irish.

My parents gave me a very very Irish name. Sent me to Gaelic school etc.

I now live in England. People always sort of view me as being Irish Irish. But I feel like a fraud, because compared to many Irish folk, I’m not. I didn’t know this out until I did my family tree, and now I just sort of feel deflated.

You are making a good point and I agree@TheMurderousGoose I‘m just infuriated by this speak of ‚not real‘ this and ‚not real that‘ . The fact is no one is real anything. And I’ve encountered enough racism based on borders to make this a bloody absurdity.

Well, I feel about as British as British can be, despite my ancestors (near and far) being from a wide variety of other places and cultures. As a PP has pointed out, aren't we all a bit of a mish-mash?

YANBU

Much moral panic on MN when it comes to subjective measures of identity.

I don’t think national identity or legal citizenship trumps ethnic heritage when describing who you are. If, for example, all four of your grandparents are Korean but you are born in Sri Lanka and educated in Australia am you not allowed to feel Korean?

There are PLENTY of people born and bred in the UK and elsewhere with the notion that they are Irish Irish.

If you are of Irish descent (or of ANY descent e.g. Pakistani or Ghanian or Jamaican or wherever) with parents who kept links to their country of birth and their traditions, you can feel part of that culture too.

Nothing odd about that. It's more odd that someone born and bred in Ireland doesn't feel Irish tbh.

Where do you stand on Tayto crisps @bumbleebe ?

Why is it so important and why does it bother you?
What is so great about being born “true” Irish, English or Chinese?
What is your personal contribution to it?
To be proud of what is your nationality is the same as to be proud you were born on Monday. Yes, why aren’t you upset you were born on Tuesday instead?

i can totally get people being interested in their history and ancestry. But I fail to understand pride in something they have never had saying.

@MaggieBsBoat

How is that offensive?

I understand precisely what the OP means.

If someone was born in Jamaica, but lived most of their life in Ireland, would you call them offensive for saying they don't feel fully either? Ridiculous.

It could just be that you've moved around so much you've lost your identity a bit. I'm similar btw but don't think of myself as a fake

I'm as irish as far back as I can go , my husband is just as English. Our son is Irish, he's born here , has an Irish name and will grow up here. There's more to being Irish than blood. If the Americans who's ancestors left during the famine can claim to be Irish, then you are definitely Irish

More important than Tayto is the protestant tray bake discussion thread.

Really? I find it obvious. It's the implication that some people are more Irish than others, and the ridiculousness of having all your great grand parents born in Ireland and somehow being 1/4 Irish. I don't know if I'm not more offended by the appalling maths though.

You're questioning why a sense of belonging might be important?

As an emigrant, believe me it matters.

Folks like me (born and bred in one country, adult life in another) have a very strong sense of where we're from and "belonging" to something.

It's not to be laughed at.

So I’m not English? My parents and grandparents were born in Nepal but my Grandfather came here in the 1950s. I’ve been to Nepal once in my life. I see myself as British and English.

if I went to Nepal I’d be a foreigner to them.

Ridiculous analogy, when op is fourth generation Irish and grew up there.

I'm Irish and welcome anyone who wants to be Irish along with me.

No, that's not what it is at all. It's about the OP despite all her great grandparents being born in Ireland not considering herself Irish. It's not about being a recent immigrant or a sense of belonging. It does reflect really badly on Irish society and a sense of inclusiveness though.

I'd like to try it out for 3 weeks 😅

@Hannahsbananas

You are mistaken.

OP was born in Ireland

All grandparents are Irish.

That makes them Irish.

Where you got 4th generation from I have no idea.

There's me more concerned with her thoughts on Bono....

My Uncle did a dna thing and found we were 10% Irish. We've been skipping round like Michael fekkin Flatley ever since.

Ah here look, we all get a pain in the hole with the yanks or whatever, but you suck it up like! We're all irish!

@darjeelingrose

That's not what the OP said though.

It’s more that I don’t feel as Irish as someone whose family have lived on The Arans since before records began… do you see what I mean?

comparison is indeed the thief of joy.

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