Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Just had my corned beef and cabbage and I have no Irish ancestry. It is definitely an Irish American started thing,at least the customs we have here are. Irish people came here, adapted some ideas, foods, etc to life here amalgam. Those adapted ideas got passed down from generation to generation and it's origins got forgotten. I grew up in New England with people whose Irish Grandma celebrated it, so their mother did and in turn they did.
When I was around 10, in 1980, we used to visit and elderly Irish woman who came to the USA through Ellis Island. She came over in around 1920. She celebrated St Patricks day with what was available and common here. Her daughter followed those traditions, and I assume her grandchildren or even great grandchildren do today.
It's tradition ,thats all ,and it's very very common in New England . It's no different that the "Italian" customs that are really a hybrid of old world and new world. I don't think it's a coincidence that both of these groups are heavily Catholic and big on tradition
Here is a nice article about the evolution of corned beef and cabbage.
No, you're an American if you were born/raised in America. If you were born and raised in Ireland, then you're actually Irish.
Sorry to break it to you but if you visit or even live Ireland and you tell an Irishman that you're Irish, they'll definitely not think of you as one of them. They'll consider you a "yank".
Does it really affect you that he consider himself Irish?
It doesn't bother me that people who have Irish ancestry acknowledge that ancestry. I'd be more insulted if they didn't although everyone is free to do as they choose.
Everyone knows that Americans who say they are Irish are talking about their ancestry anyway.
It's a cultural thing. As a nation of immigrants we all do that here though. We tend to refer to our ancestry that way. I'm a MacDonald ,people will say" oh your Scottish" and I will say yes, but my Scottish ancestors came here via Nova Scotia , along with having German and English ancestry. People here know that I am refering to my ancestry. When I am in Boston and someone says they are Irish, I know they mean by ancestry. When my ex calls himself Polish, I know he is talking about ancestry. It's totally different from my born and raised Welsh friend who lives in London. When he says "I'm welsh" I know he means he was born and raised there. In America, if someone said they were Welsh, I'm assuming they mean by ancestry , unless they sound like Matthew Rhys. It's all about context
Those in America saying they are Irish are NOT claiming to be born and raised there. It means grandma or great grandpa immigrated here.
I wasn't able to partake in any of the festivities this year but last year I recieved a document and the corresponding Medalion that designated me as Irish which I presume was likely issued by the local Irish Consulate that was temporarily operating out of Paddy's Irish Pub here in town and does not appear to contain any expiration date, so yes...I am indeed Irish and dam proud of it!
And I really have no idea why. America is not Ireland.
There are more Americans of Irish decent than that of all current citizens of Ireland.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
