Why do Americans want to be Irish?

Sykk

So almost any American guy/girl I come across have a similar habit of saying "Hey, I'm 25/50/75% Irish!".. When they find out I'm Irish... They go on to say how their great grand uncles mothers sisters aunti's granddaughters brother was from Ireland

This has literally happened me 8 out of 10 americans I speak to

I know it happens to other people aswel, so what are your views?

Do they just wish they could be as amazingly talented and intelligent as the Irish?

Kiera

Because we're awesome!

Dudess

Two possible responses:

- They want to be one of us because we're so brilliant - everyone's jealous of the Irish

- I know - what's that about? Why would anyone want to be a member of our heap of sh1t race?

rockmongrel

It really is because we're great.

SadieSue

They want to cling to some kind of ancestry I suppose.

MultiUmm

Or maybe Irish people just have big egos and an inflated sense of self importance.

Degag

I don't think that they necessarily want to be us, they think that they are us....

"My great great great grandaddy was from County Mon-ag-han!"

My name is URL

Americans have very little heritage of their own.. I don't mean that in a bad way but they do their best to hold on to the little they have.. which is more than can be said about some Irish people

smokingman

I think the question should be "why do Irish want to be Americans....like, whateva etc etc <insert other yank lingo here> ..."

FearDark

Dudess wrote: »

Why would anyone want to be a member of our heap of sh1t race?

Ooh controversial!

wylo

to be fair , its their heritage, their grandparents etc, if you were living here and your grandparents were Italian you'd be proud of it, and probably would have no problem telling Italians the same thing.

WindSock

Sykk wrote: »

So almost any American guy/girl I come across have a similar habit of saying "Hey, I'm 25/50/75% Irish!".. When they find out I'm Irish... They go on to say how their great grand uncles mothers sisters aunti's granddaughters brother was from Ireland

This has literally happened me 8 out of 10 americans I speak to

I know it happens to other people aswel, so what are your views?

Do they just wish they could be as amazingly talented and intelligent as the Irish?

There is a population of 300 million people all trying to scramble for a unique cultural identity. And as a conversational piece when talking to you. If I meet someone from Spain, I tend to say I have some Spanish ancestry.

Twin-go

So they don't have to feel so guilty about being drunk (or American):D

Sea Sharp

Because they think we're all mad bastards who love getting into bar-fights. Or maybe they see all the jewish and italians being proud of their heritage and they get jealous.

Diabhal_Glas

Its ridiculous when Irish people get annoyed If Americans say they are Irish. They are of Irish descent and hey if they want to cling onto that let it be. I take it as a compliment that they would want to be recognised as Irish.

bnt

It's not really about being Irish, it's about Roots, and if someone thinks she has Irish roots, she'll naturally come to Dublin. In North America, if you aren't a Native American, then you're an immigrant from somewhere.

If you think Dublin has it bad, try Edinburgh in summer time, when it's overrun by either Luvvies from London or US tourists seeking their Scottish roots. There are 4 or 5 times as many Scottish Americans as there are people in Scotland. :cool:

owenc

Because they are obsessed about heritage so will have done their family tree and because they are american will have nearly every nationality, sure if you tell them your english or something they'll say the same thing, try it out some day.

AnonoBoy

A lot of Irish people want to be American too though judging by the accents I hear when I'm stalking women walking out in Donnybrook.

owenc

bnt wrote: »

It's not really about being Irish, it's about Roots, and if someone thinks she has Irish roots, she'll naturally come to Dublin. In North America, if you aren't a Native American, then you're an immigrant from somewhere.

If you think Dublin has it bad, try Edinburgh in summer time, when it's overrun by either Luvvies from London or US tourists seeking their Scottish roots. There are Scottish Americans than there are people in Scotland. :cool:

Yes my great great cousin in america calls himself scotch irish and is obsessed with scotland.:rolleyes: But at the same time supports celtic and converted to catholic!:eek: He even set up his own club... i'm embaressed.

aDeener

Diabhal_Glas wrote: »

Its ridiculous when Irish people get annoyed If Americans say they are Irish. They are of Irish descent and hey if they want to cling onto that let it be. I take it as a compliment that they would want to be recognised as Irish.

+1

owenc

Its also an oppurtinity to get another nationality, you become close with that country aswell, i love heritage!!

_feedback_

In fairness, I've met Americans with Irish roots that have more love and respect for our lovely little country than most of the people I know that live here. Mad really.

bonerm

elviscostello wrote: »

In fairness, I've met Americans with Irish roots that have more love and respect for our lovely little country than most of the people I know that live here. Mad really.

Well they would do, they don't have to live here.

Auvers

Dudess wrote: »

I know - what's that about? Why would anyone want to be a member of our heap of sh1t race?

heheh is the auld rag out

Ruu_Old

Most people that I have met love the history part of things and go to great lengths to discover where their ancestors lived which is grand. The ones that annoy me are those who think the IRA and other Republican factions have a place in the future of the island.

PeterIanStaker

Ireland and America have a great deal in common. We are both dominated by Civil War politics and religious loonies!

PeterIanStaker

Dudess wrote: »

- I know - what's that about? Why would anyone want to be a member of our heap of sh1t race?

- Standard Irish media response.

BumbleB

I'm American and Irish.I'm a dualer.

I think you don't realise how many doors it opens for you , its great to be from a country that never pissed off any other nation.

In NY where I grew up its good to be Irish as all the builders unions are controlled and staffed by Irish people and you are well looked after in terms of getting work etc if you are good .

I'm going to Russia soon and theres no way i would have gone in with an american passport.

biko

I think it's a take on the usual "rags to riches" story.
Plus it's gives you licence to drink.

Dudess

FearDark wrote: »

Ooh controversial!

Auvers wrote: »

heheh is the auld rag out

I was giving it as a sample of something that's yawnsomely trotted out by those with an inferiority complex over and over and over and over 'round these parts...

owenc

Ruu wrote: »

Most people that I have met love the history part of things and go to great lengths to discover where their ancestors lived which is grand. The ones that annoy me are those who think the IRA and other Republican factions have a place in the future of the island.

They all do..

Dudess

owenc wrote: »

They all do..

Wow, you know what every single American claiming Irish ancestry thinks?!

WindSock

Dudess wrote: »

I was giving it as a sample of something that's yawnsomely trotted out by those with an inferiority complex over and over and over and over 'round these parts...

Whatever...Dudess has the painters in!

Biggins

Sykk wrote: »

So why do Americans want to be Irish?

A small percentage a number of years back (from the era of terrorist "Carlos" onwards) wanted to be Irish from a security point of view alone.
Those with Irish passports used to be safer than those with American passports if they were kidnapped, held hostage on a plane or otherwise at risk security-wise.

owenc

Dudess wrote: »

Wow, you know what every single American claiming Irish ancestry thinks?!

Yes because when you talk to them about the troubles they blame the unionists and praise the ira!:mad:

Lux23

Because its slightly better than being Italian.

moonpurple

WindSock wrote: »

Whatever...Dudess has the painters in!

is that a code for something? I don't follow

youllneverknow

because they are of irish ancestry does not make them irish. have they a birth cert from ireland, have they a passport, can they find ireland on the map, can they speak irish no i dont think they can do that.

because there great great great granda was irish doesnt make them irish

soundbyte

In a bar in Mexico ...

American girl overhears me talking.

Her: Hey, you're Irish.

Me: I am to be shuuure.

Her: I'm Irish too.

Me: Ya, whereabouts are you from?

Her: Iowa.

Dudess

owenc wrote: »

Yes because when you talk to them about the troubles they blame the unionists and praise the ira!:mad:

Wow, you've met every single American claiming Irish ancestry ever?! :eek:

Snowie

welll a lot of rish did go over there, i think its do with lack of there own history/culture....

moonpurple

WindSock wrote: »

Whatever...Dudess has the painters in!

are you redecorating dudess?

Speak Now

It's probably a lot easier for an American to claim Irish descent than native american Indian descent :pac:

danbohan

owenc wrote: »

Yes because when you talk to them about the troubles they blame the unionists and praise the ira!:mad:

yes , its one area of history that americans have got correct !!!. maybe they do it because they have a inbuilt sense of justice and like to oppose biggoted prehistoric and rasist ideas you spout on a regular basis ??

owenc

Snow-Monkey wrote: »

welll a lot of rish did go over there, i think its do with lack of there own history/culture....

and apparently germans are the most common ancestry to have their, but i don't see many claiming to have german ancestry.

owenc

danbohan wrote: »

yes , its one area of history that americans have got correct !!!. maybe they do it because they have a inbuilt sense of justice and like to oppose biggoted prehistoric and rasist ideas you spout on a regular basis ??

YOUR EVIL! how dare you praise that horrible organisation!:mad:

stovelid

To mod feedforward?

recylingbin

Because they're not from D4.

Snowie

owenc wrote: »

and apparently germans are the most common ancestry to have their, but i don't see many claiming to have german ancestry.

thats true, but i beleave a lot of irish, moved there in the famon so thats were my post came from....

admiralofthefleet

i was watching wife swap last week (the girlfriends idea, not mine) and there was an american bint that loved her irish roots, she was embarrasing. she was showing the crew around the house at the start and showed them a failte sign, she said to them 'this means welcome and is pronounced felt'. i shuddered

CrackisWhack

Identity Crisis!