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.

I agree with this. I think because English people are not an ethnic group, they don’t see that ethnicity and nationality are different. My friend is British, she is a British National , her parents moved here before she was born. Ethnically she is Asian, so she has elements from both cultures.
Irish people are not the same ethnic group, and they have experienced racism because of this.
OP, enjoy your ancestors on both sides. Maybe finding out more about all of them would make you feel more comfortable?

He's American!

It does reflect really badly on Irish society and a sense of inclusiveness though.
How, exactly? It’s just some daft notion one person has got into their head, it doesn’t represent any lack in Irish society at all.

She says she feel like a fraud because she is not Irish Irish.

😳

In the sense that she doesn't feel legitimate. Perhaps I should have said her perception of Irish society, personally I have found Ireland and Irish people extremely welcoming, I guess that's why I react to her post, it doesn't reflect anything I recognise.

Tbf i can understand that. We roll our eyes at americans tbh.

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.
That's just daft

@darjeelingrose

NOWHERE did the OP say Irish people made her feel this way.

She "feels" like a fraud.

I understand this even though I was born and raised in Ireland and all my family are Irish.

Because we're not the stereotypical Irish Catholic family.

Not everything is a slight on Ireland.

I just find your position quite odd, tbh.
Op was born in Ireland to Irish parents and grew up there.
There was no question of being “welcomed”, or the reverse.

😅😅😅😅

Reminds me of some Irish people I've met over my life time. 😂

I was born in Scotland. Raised all over the place. Irish mother , grandparents , etc going back many generations forever it seems. I've spent 3 days of my life in Ireland ( trip to Dublin). So pretty much the opposite of you. You're Irish. I'm not.

My ds did the whole DNA thing and was disappointed to find he was 100% lrish. He loves lreland but dearly wanted a little bit of variety or excitement in his ancestry. He would have loved your results.

According to my DNA I am 80% Irish … but born and brought up in England. I talk about my “Irish Heritage” and everyone roles their eyes, like I’m “plastic” 😂😂

Nonsense OP (I mean that kindly). I was born in the Uk to Irish parents. Moved to Ireland when I was 4 left again at 22. I've now spent more years living outside of Ireland than in it. My family are v D4/upper middle class- no GAA in our house, it was rugby or tennis!
No 'Irish' names either. I am 100% Irish! No clue whether my great great grandparents were from Ireland, England or anywhere else. I'm just Irish! It's my accent, my culture, everything. Never watched a hurling match in my life and never will. So what?
You're Irish and frankly more Irish than I am!

Really? Because I feel like on the contrary, if you feel not legitimate in a country that considers that you are Irish even if you were not born in Ireland, with, I think, one grandparent who is Irish, when you have four, and you were born there, then it's really odd. In the UK, if you have one British grandparent you are not considered British and have loads of hoops to jump through even if you were born in the country. So not to feel Irish with all those generations going back, to feel like a fraud in those circumstances, just seems very odd.

Gaelic school, eh?

I agree, in the sense that it’s op who’s being very odd. Not feeling legitimate in her circumstances can’t be blamed on anyone else.

I always thought I was Scottish, Scottish on one side, I now find I am Irish, Irish on that side (a bit passing through Scotland). Enjoy what you are, nobody will care if you are less Irish than you thought. My other side is Yorkshire forever.

I assume the Gaelic school description is either auto correct or for a uk based readership...as this isnt in craicnet.

I'm Irish, I was born in Ireland. My mother is American my father was a Dub. His father was a Dub his mother was from Armagh.

I was raised as an atheist in the 80s. Going to school I felt totally alienated as I was the only one who didn't participate in religion. I didn't really identify with being Irish. I do now, it's a big part of who I am. Ireland is where I am from regardless of my parental heritage.

Our opinions of ourselves change over time. If you perceive yourself as being less Irish because of where you're great great grandparents were from then perhaps you should reevaluate your definitions of Irishness, and how you evaluate yourself and others within that...

I'm Scottish. Born in Scotland, live in Scotland. Grandparents were all Scottish.

Prior to that, the vast majority of my ancestors on both sides came from Ireland.

I don't consider myself to be Irish at all.

So, no, I see it completely differently to you. I think it would be farcical if I were to claim Irish heritage. I'm not, I'm Scottish.

Of course you are Irish!

It’s not like the Irish and British are two different species, it’s just culture.

One immigrant talking to another one.

i am an immigrant too and many many years ago I used to have similar feelings, that’s why there is no laugh in my post. As I sort of understand.

But I stand by what I have said previously. To be proud of your own nationality is the same as to be proud that you were born on Monday, in both cases there is no any of your personal contribution to it.

if all of a sudden you find you are not 100 percent Irish, why would you feel lesser?? If you find out you have English, French, Ukrainian blood, why would you be upset? What is wrong with the “other” blood? Why is it not good?