Irish that don't accept Irish Americans have a lot of nerve

tizi123

Last night I was walking around Dublin and I bump into a couple local lads. We say hello, how are ya? To say the least, our conversation led me to revealing that I am Irish American.

The lad responded and said to me, that's bull****, you're not Irish, you're American. I was a little taken aback by the comment but I responded by saying yes unfortunately we were one of many families that were forced to leave. And then he crossed the line...He said if they were patriots they would have stayed and fought for the cause...

The goddamn nerve. And it's not just him, but I have noticed this common thread of resentment and ignorance in many working class Irish toward Irish Americans.

To all of you who think like this I say this...

You are really playing with fire.

If it wasn't for the barrels of money, ships of guns, and Irish american support not just during the rising but for the past 100 years you would be still living in the smallest backwater province of the british empire. The goddamn nerve.

My family immigrated to america in the 1930's and my grandfather fought in the IRA under Michael Collins, we didn't all leave prior to the rising and so what if they did? We probably spent thousands of years on this island and a 100 in america and all of a sudden we are not Irish?

What's even more laughable is that I have noticed that any time an American or foreign celebrity claims Irish heritage you quickly claim them as being one of your own, yet the average tourist isn't?

I could go on and on, but i believe i made my point.

tizi123

tizi123 wrote: »

If it wasn't for the barrels of money, ships of guns, and Irish american support not just during the rising but for the past 100 years you would be still living in the smallest backwater province of the british empire. The goddamn nerve.

I could go on and on, but i believe i made my point.

Typical American attitude........

Joking.
But seriously OP, calm down. Maybe we don't understand the constant need of Americans to be something else. Always 'something else' American.

I was actually born in England, to Irish parents, I have one English grandparent, I don't call myself ' English Irish'
Just be American.

Tabnabs

Born and raised in Ireland to mixed nationality parents, have dual citizenship, but still call myself Irish. You need to move on OP, you're American (as your passport rightly points out).

Carlos Orange

tizi123 wrote: »

If it wasn't for the barrels of money, ships of guns, and Irish american support not just during the rising but for the past 100 years you would be still living in the smallest backwater province of the british empire. The goddamn nerve.

Can't imagine why people don't welcome you with open arms.

tizi123

Americans identify as 'something else' American for many reasons. ex: african american, irish, italian american.

It's because when we arrived we were kicked down, pushed aside and **** on. Each new immigrant group became the lowest of the low and were not accepted by the natives nor other immigrant groups. So each culture clung to each other. The irish had it particularly bad because their was no structure when they arrived. They built the first catholic churches and schools and basic infrastructure that the italian and german, polish catholics would have the opportunity to go to when they arrived years later. But when the Irish came, their was nothing. And so Irish americans are really proud of that.

Immigrants in america, irish ones especially, never felt at "home". And in their mind Ireland itself became a sort of myth, a heavenly place, that was talked about and boasted about from generation to generation. It may sound funny and i admit that it may be, but to be honest their is probably more resentment against the british from irish americans than irish today because of the fact that clinging on the history has been held on to with such importance.

So when irish americans come to visit their homeland, the land of their ancestors and get pushed away, after generations of struggling to be accepted in america, wow, sucks to be an immigrant!

tizi123

Tabnabs wrote: »

Born and raised in Ireland to mixed nationality parents, have dual citizenship, but still call myself Irish. You need to move on OP, you're American (as your passport rightly points out).

I have an Irish passport, and have been a citizen since the day that I was born. And by the way, I never disputed that I wasn't american, I said i was Irish American.

tizi123

psinno wrote: »

Can't imagine why people don't welcome you with open arms.

This is just a truthful reaction to not being accepted in the first place, so mind your tongue birdbrain.

beazee

tizi123 wrote: »

sucks to be an immigrant!

Your grandfather was.

You're born there - you're American of Irish heritage.
But that doesn't make your Irish. Unless you speak gaelic.

NIMAN

Don't judge us all on a couple of guys you met in the street, they don't represent the entire nation.

I think you'll find most people will welcome most tourists, no matter where they are from.

You say this guy said your family ran away and didnt fight for the cause? This makes it sound like he was a bit of a clueless IRA head to be honest. Most families left Ireland solely for economic reasons and nothing to do with wars.

Stone Deaf 4evr

tizi123 wrote: »

Americans identify as 'something else' American for many reasons. ex: african american, irish, italian american.


So when irish americans come to visit their homeland, the land of their ancestors and get pushed away, after generations of struggling to be accepted in america, wow, sucks to be an immigrant!

Over react much?

I dunno what you were exactly expecting the random dude you bumped into to do? dance a jig of happiness that the long departed had returned to the ould sod?

(it probably didn't help that the guy you met seems like a moron also).

gctest50

tizi123 wrote: »

This is just a truthful reaction to not being accepted in the first place, so mind your tongue birdbrain.

Why ? whatcha gonna do about it ?

run away again ?

we were one of many families that ran away

FunLover18

tizi123 wrote:

It's because when we arrived we were kicked down, pushed aside and **** on.

Not agreeing/disagreeing with you OP or accusing you of anything but you must see the irony in an imigrant to America complaining about being kicked down, pushed aside and sh!t on.

I actually do agree with your point earlier on about the Irish being quick to dismiss Irish American tourists but will jump on the opportunity to call the likes of Obama Irish.

NIMAN

I suspect this is a wind-up.

An American tourist in Ireland knows about Boards, sets up and account to moan about a random comment made on the streets????

no.8

gctest50 wrote:

Why ? whatcha gonna do about it ?

Embarrassment. You can't seem to grasp his perspective in the slightest, so just make snidey remarks to bring the conversation down to schoolyard level. Try harder

Refresh

Just sounds like you met some ignorant people that's all. They are in every country.

Most Irish love American's and other visitors, but not one's who think that they are more Irish than the one's still here, or that we would be a backwater province without them.

RGM

NIMAN wrote: »

I suspect this is a wind-up.

An American tourist in Ireland knows about Boards, sets up and account to moan about a random comment made on the streets????

And calls someone "birdbrain?"

tizi123

tizi123 wrote:

This is just a truthful reaction to not being accepted in the first place, so mind your tongue birdbrain.

Birdbrain? Haha ffs.

tizi123

I appreciate many of the comments and yes i do hope it was just the perspective of some ignorant folk.

It seems many of you are not liking what i said about Ireland not being what it is today if it hadn't been for the support of the Irish Americans in the past 100 years.

Who do you think your number one visitor is apart from the UK? Americans, why? Irish Americans. And the truth is, with the money poured in tourism alone Ireland has benefited beyond greatly. It's not about me throwing it up to your face, its about respecting that. Have some respect.

And by the way, I decided to write this on boards.ie because i have been living in Ireland for a few years now.

eviltwin

I don't see what the difference is between American and Irish American other than it tells something of your heritage. It's not something you tend to see anywhere else. I don't see anyone in my area for example describe themselves as Irish-Nigerian or Irish-Polish, they are Irish.

I respect your family history OP but I think it's fair to say most people would consider you American first and foremost. It's probably not meant in a negative way.

beazee

tizi123 wrote: »

Who do you think your number one visitor is apart from the UK?

Em... Canadians?


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland#Statistics

Letree

I've seen it much worse in Scotland. If you don't have a Scottish accent then forget about being accepted as Scottish by many over there. Its particularly bad for English people claiming to be Scottish.

I recognise the Irish heritage of Americans, Scottish, English and Aussie etc who still hold onto their Irish identity. Not all people do. But don't be angry because you met a few a'holes.

gctest50

tizi123 wrote: »

..........

To all of you who think like this I say this...

You are really playing with fire.........

If yer that good you'd be out fighting ISIS

but ...... ran away again and went to ground here :

tizi123 wrote: »

And by the way, I decided to write this on boards.ie because i have been living in Ireland for a few years now.

Manach

MOD NOTE
Please keep this discussion civil as a user has already been carded.

You were born in America and spent your formative years there. Kinda sounds like you are an American so. Yeah, you may have relatives who were Irish but YOU are American

endacl

OP is not from Dublin. Ergo, OP is a culshie.

G'wan outta dat OP, with yer big auld culshie potato head on ya!

Speedwell

I'm an American (first and last generation, heh) and the last common ancestor between me and anyone of actual Irish heritage probably hadn't made it completely down from the trees yet. Even the leprechauns don't care around here whether I want to play the bodhrán, attempt to pronounce Irish street signs, serve champ with my bacon, or have an opinion about the Pope. I'm just the local Yank married to an Irish guy and nobody gives me any hell for it. But then again I make no effort to pretend to be Irish. When I get my citizenship, then I will consider myself an Irish citizen, but I'm not going to be anything but a Jewish chick with a mongrel blend of Hungarian, Belarusian, and Italian heritage. And you know what? That's fine. I'm good and people like me.

El_Duderino 09

tizi123 wrote:

To all of you who think like this I say this... You are really playing with fire.

You should have said that to the lads last night.

Playing with fire how exactly?

tizi123 wrote:

Who do you think your number one visitor is apart from the UK? Americans, why? Irish Americans. And the truth is, with the money poured in tourism alone Ireland has benefited beyond greatly. It's not about me throwing it up to your face, its about respecting that. Have some respect.

How should we show you our respect and eternal gratitude?

P_1

Different perspectives OP. There isn't really the same focus put on a person's ancestry outside of the main emigrant nations (US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) as there would be inside the nations themselves.

You would put more emphasis on being Irish-American whereas somebody in Ireland would simply view you as American.

tizi123

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

You should have said that to the lads last night.

Playing with fire how exactly?



How should we show you our respect and eternal gratitude?

NOT showing disrespect would be a start!

tizi123

Speedwell wrote: »

I'm an American (first and last generation, heh) and the last common ancestor between me and anyone of actual Irish heritage probably hadn't made it completely down from the trees yet. Even the leprechauns don't care around here whether I want to play the bodhrán, attempt to pronounce Irish street signs, serve champ with my bacon, or have an opinion about the Pope. I'm just the local Yank married to an Irish guy and nobody gives me any hell for it. But then again I make no effort to pretend to be Irish. When I get my citizenship, then I will consider myself an Irish citizen, but I'm not going to be anything but a Jewish chick with a mongrel blend of Hungarian, Belarusian, and Italian heritage. And you know what? That's fine. I'm good and people like me.

I am sorry, but i am really having a hard time understanding what your point is, or what your story has to do with my story? You are clearly not offended for not being seen as Irish. And why would you be? You don't have a drop of irish blood, and you are not even a citizen, and you dont have any emotional bond to the history or heritage. Have you read what I have been trying to explain as to why the Irish American is so proud and is easily offended when he comes here? I guess not..peace

El_Duderino 09

tizi123 wrote:

NOT showing disrespect would be a start!

Sure. That's fair. I've been told by a couple of Irish Americans that they're Irish. I have smiled politely and tried not to engage them on that topic. It's kind of like a white fella with dreadlocks telling you that being black is a state of mind.

Those fellas were rude but what do you actually want though?