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Of course, I defer to you when it comes to the Irish language and its correct spelling. Wikipedia is usually a source of good information, but since it's user-edited, it's not always correct.
I loved Newgrange, and found it fascinating. I'm surprised that people hear so much about Stonehenge and the pyramids, yet Newgrange is not nearly as well known.
I would love nothing more than to come back to visit. I absolutely loved Ireland - everything I encountered. It was one of those rare trips where everything was perfect, and we didn't have a single bad day. Of course, we got lost every day, but we viewed getting lost as another opportunity to meet locals. Everyone to a person was very pleasant and always willing to help.
We flew into Shannon, went as far north as Galway, then back down to Killarney and the Ring of Kerry, then to Waterford, and on to Dublin - with many stops in between - then made our way back to Shannon. We climbed to the top of Blarney Castle - but didn't kiss the stone. Even though Blarney may be considered touristy to some, I loved that the castle itself wasn't restored.
We attended the banquet at Bunratty Castle, after our B&B host said that he and some friends usually made an annual visit during the off season. We figured if it was good enough for him, then we might enjoy it, and we did. However, my favorite memories of the trip are of the people we met. I do hope to get back someday.
I think she was referring to herself as Irish-American. Just as a person could refer to themselves as Nigerian-Irish. Hope that helps.
Thanks Carbondated. I'm not trying to be snarky, but I guess I've just never understood the "I'm a whatever hyphen American". For instance Irish-American. Unless you currently holds a passport in Ireland and one in the US, for my money you're an American whether you like it or not.
A lot of American's Irish relatives came to the US during times like the potato famine. If I were Irish, I'm not sure I'd feel kinship with someone who's relative abandoned my country when times were rough 100 years ago.
Unless I'm mistaken, it seems like this is a phenomenon specific to Americans.
If I were Irish, I'm not sure I'd feel kinship with someone who's relative abandoned my country when times were rough 100 years ago.
I'm not Irish, or Irish-American even, but if I were, I think I'd find that pretty offensive. It wasn't a matter of abandoning your country when times were rough. It was a matter of survival. People were starving, and they did what they had to do to survive.
I'm not Irish, or Irish-American even, but if I were, I think I'd find that pretty offensive. It wasn't a matter of abandoning your country when times were rough. It was a matter of survival. People were starving, and they did what they had to do to survive.
I'm sure in many cases survival was a factor but I think it's wrong to deny also the good sensibility of seeing a good opportunity and taking it as well (that of immigrating to a rapidly developing country with low immigration requirements and lots of promise). However, many Irish decided to tough it out, starving and all. It would be really wrong to think those people had it easy after the others left-- some couldn't afford to leave. It's those folks who I think would (and should) be offended at modern-day Americans claiming kinship. Modern-day Americans-- who've never suffered such dire conditions, I might add --can feel offended at my statement above, but I question who really deserves to feel offended?
I'll add that my great-grandparents split Ireland when the going got tough, because they could. They were smart-- they made tons more money in the US than they would've running their lace factory in Dublin. Today I don't pretend to belong to any sort of Ex-Irish club nor do I practice the hyphenation game (partly because my lineage, like most Americans, is a wide variety of other stuff). That's just me and my opinion of course, YMMV. I do apologize for offending you, however.
Thanks Carbondated. I'm not trying to be snarky, but I guess I've just never understood the "I'm a whatever hyphen American". For instance Irish-American. Unless you currently holds a passport in Ireland and one in the US, for my money you're an American whether you like it or not.
A lot of American's Irish relatives came to the US during times like the potato famine. If I were Irish, I'm not sure I'd feel kinship with someone who's relative abandoned my country when times were rough 100 years ago.
Unless I'm mistaken, it seems like this is a phenomenon specific to Americans.
The hyphenated nationality definition is not a new phenomenon at all and has never been solely American.
Take for example, German-Russians.
250+years ago Germans emigrated to Russia. They maintained their language and customs in Russia until the Stalin era. They defined themselves as German-Russians and to this day, their ancestors consider themselves German-Russians.
There are many other examples, too numerous to list here.
I think some people need a sense of connection to their roots. Just like traditions and customs, there is a certain comfort gained from it. Both my parents are immigrants from different countries, but I do not call myself Irish-American or anything else. I do not, however, have a problem with anyone defining themselves as Arab-American, Lebanese-English, Nigerian-Irish, American-Greek or anything else.
Hope that helps.
Last edited by Carbondated; 10-08-2007 at 06:46 AM..
The hyphenated nationality definition is not a new phenomenon at all and has never been solely American.
Take for example, German-Russians.
250+years ago Germans emigrated to Russia.
Thanks again. I had a talk about this very subject with some friends today who pointed out that I was mixing the idea of hyphenated lineage (or ancestry) with hyphenated nationality. Of course the two are different.
Take for instance Japanese-Americans. From a lineage standpoint I guess I can understand wanting to specify your ancestry, especially if you aren't keen on people confusing you with Chinese-Americans.
However, from a nationality standpoint, you'd still be an American, like it or not. Except in the case of dual passport holders: my son holds a Japanese passport and a US passport, so by that definition he really is a "Japanese-American" (or conversely: "American-Japanese"!).
I'm not very keen on multi-culturalism in general, but mostly because the jury is essentially still out on whether or not it works. In Europe, early attempts at multi-culturalism seems to have only caused ethnic division instead and the growing backlash of intolerance that we see today. For modern-day American citizens who wish to use their lineage (or branch of lineage) to define their place in American society (e.g. such non-nationalistic definitions as "Jewish-American", "Muslim-American" or "Christian-American"), I find the hyphenated thing to be very divisive.
All that aside, I still question the pride that a lot of white Americans, who are several generations removed from their immigrant ancestors and at this point usually a large mix of many other immigrant nationalities, sometimes boisterously proclaim ("Kiss me! I'm Irish!"). But, hey, that's just me and my issue.
Of course, I defer to you when it comes to the Irish language and its correct spelling. Wikipedia is usually a source of good information, but since it's user-edited, it's not always correct.
I loved Newgrange, and found it fascinating. I'm surprised that people hear so much about Stonehenge and the pyramids, yet Newgrange is not nearly as well known.
Thank you Claire. Later I'm going to log in to Wikipedia and see if they'll allow me to edit the meaning and spelling of that lady's tattoo.
You just have to come here for the Spring solictice (sp?) and be in chamber of Newgrange just as the first ray of sunshine penetrates the chamber and surrounds you with golden light. It's absolutely beautiful.
I can't believe what I've seen in a post further down!
Have you any knowledge of the North??
Have been to Ireland as has my children...last trip by my son Sean was to the North ( he has friends in Belfast he met while they were working here in the US)
Said I should really see it and poke around my ancestral homeplace of Tyrone.
I refer to the "Potato Famine" as the "Irish Genocide".
In my mind the Holocaust will always be synonymous the Jews/Artists/Defenders who were tortured and murdered. But that is neither here nor there.....
My mom's family stayed in Ireland, but those years were never talked about. In fact, it would have been in bad taste to mention anything about those years to my Granny or any of my old relatives. It was a terribly sad time for those who left and those who were left behind period.
If the OP is into history, or perhaps her ancestors did leave Ireland during those years then she would really enjoy the west coast of Ireland. I believe there is the National Famine Museum in County Mayo. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think there are other memorial / history sites in Sligo and Donegal.
njake By all means visit Tyrone. It is a large county, and within a quick drive to some spectacular ocean vistas.
Last edited by Carbondated; 10-08-2007 at 11:27 AM..
I refer to the "Potato Famine" as the "Irish Genocide".
In my mind the Holocaust will always be synonymous the Jews/Artists/Defenders who were tortured and murdered. But that is neither here nor there.....
If the OP is into history, or perhaps her ancestors did leave Ireland during those years then she would really enjoy the west coast of Ireland. I believe there is the National Famine Museum in County Mayo. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think there are other memorial / history sites in Sligo and Donegal.
njake By all means visit Tyrone. It is a large county, and within a quick drive to some spectacular ocean vistas.
Thanks!!! My one grandmother was from Mayo, the rest Tyrone so I may stop in Mayo as well
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It is a large county, and within a quick drive to some spectacular ocean vistas.
