Does 'Irish Heritage' mean anything to you?

Hello, folks...

I'd like to gather AH opinions on the meaning/relevance/importance of 'Irish Heritage'.

As far as I can tell, from about Gen Y-ers onwards -- and some Gen X-ers, too -- Irish heritage has lost a load of relevance and is not a central area of interest to many.

As for me, I'm interested more in Irish Catholic heritage and our natural heritage (as in landscapes, rivers, mountains...) than political heritage. However, although I would say that the former two are important to me, I do not necessarily consider them a central part of my life and way of thinking.

I'll leave it up to you guys to describe your own definition of heritage along with your rating of it on the poll (and any other comments you think are relevant to answering the thread title).

Many thanks!

EDIT: The last option in the poll should read 'It's more or less irrelevant...', of course.

Thanks to all who've voted so far: please keep them coming!

Wacker The Attacker

Corned beef and cabbage be jaysus begorrah

Wacker The Attacker

It's the perception of irishness that can be more annoying.

The american " I'm an one eighth irish wack-a-rooney leprechaun" type of nonsense that annoys me.

Isnt nationality more of a mindset than anything else

Pumpkinseeds

I'm part of Generation X, tbh, the whole Irish heritage begosh and begorrah, Irish language, dreary depressing poetry, etc crap means nothing to me, never has done. For me being Irish is an accident of birth, nothing more. I'm not knocking other people's views but being born on an island in the Atlantic isn't really an achievement.

Eugene Norman

I voted middling. I don't trust the deracinated "it don't mean nuttin to me guv" unless you've left and ain't coming back. A cousin of mine who was always like that high tailed it back from Oz pretty soon after going there because of home sickness. Home sickness for a placd he felt no affinity to until he left.

Meanwhile I'm fond of my irish heritage and part english background and both countries are in the top ten. Great to visit. Great history. Good peeps.

Eugene Norman

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

I'm part of Generation X, tbh, the whole Irish heritage begosh and begorrah, Irish language, dreary depressing poetry, etc crap means nothing to me, never has done. For me being Irish is an accident of birth, nothing more. I'm not knocking other people's views but being born on an island in the Atlantic isn't really an achievement.

Being born anywhere isn't an achievement, being uninterested in where you come from is an indication of dullness ( as is using americanised marketing guff about generations).

conorh91

Of course it's important. Its importance isn't overbearing, but it certainly matters.

It matters if you had ancestors who grinded and drudged through life hoping for a better future for their offspring, and eventually you or your grandparents are the generation who saw that alternative way of life finally realized.

To me, being Irish means an awareness of where you came from, which for many of our ancestors, at least somewhere along the line, was poverty and oppression, and even famine in our recent history. The sacrifices those people made deserves to be acknowledged. Not as tokenism, with parades and museums, but in a practical way, by ensuring fairness and freedoms in our own country.

People who rejoice at the gradual erosion of cultures and heritage, and who think we should all be part of one great featureless world where everyone is the same, are as bad as those who would sack museums and desecrate monuments. It's a type of cultural sabotage.

Pumpkinseeds

conorh91 wrote: »

Of course it's important. Its importance isn't overbearing, but it certainly matters.

It matters if you had ancestors who grinded and drudged through life hoping for a better future for their offspring, and eventually you or your grandparents are the generation who saw that alternative way of life finally realized.

To me, being Irish means an awareness of where you came from, which for many of our ancestors, at least somewhere along the line, was poverty and oppression, and even famine in our recent history. The sacrifices those people made deserves to be acknowledged. Not as tokenism, with parades and museums, but in a practical way, by ensuring fairness and freedoms in our own country.

People who rejoice at the gradual erosion of cultures and heritage, and who think we should all be part of one great featureless world where everyone is the same, are as bad as those who would sack museums and desecrate monuments. It's a type of cultural sabotage.

Apart from the upper classes that applies to every generation of every country in the world.

conorh91

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

Apart from the upper classes that applies to every generation of every country in the world.

The specific nature of it doesn't. That's a bit like saying that future generations of Jews shouldn't remember the Holocaust as something central to their identity because the same thing happened the Chinese under the Qing Empire, or to American natives during 16th century acts of genocide in the Americas.

Donkey Oaty

conorh91 wrote: »

To me, being Irish means an awareness of where you came from, which for many of our ancestors, at least somewhere along the line, was poverty and oppression

Jesus Cornflakes on stilts.

Why don't we rename the country "The Self-Pitying Republic of Misery".

brummytom

As an English person with Irish grandparents, the heritage does mean a lot to me. It's hard to describe, but 'Irish Catholics' here, first second or third generation, have a distinct identity. I find I instantly get on with people who've got that heritage, probably due to similar upbringings, the same frames of reference, and similar attitudes.

I once read an article by an English flute player about Traditional Irish music in England. He made the point that many musicians in England may feel the need to try and outdo their Irish counterparts to prove their 'irishness'.

I know a lot's said about the whole 'Irish-Americans' who's great grandad bought a lawn mower off a woman who's brother had been to Ennis, and I don't do the plastic paddy shít of only drinking Guinness at this time of year while wearing big hats, but that connection to Ireland is something I value. There's nothing that annoys me more than 'but you're English, shut up,' many other immigrant groups celebrate where they came from, and I think the irish catholic identity should be embraced.

conorh91

Donkey Oaty wrote: »

Jesus Cornflakes on stilts.

Why don't we rename the country "The Self-Pitying Republic of Misery".

Yeah yeah.

Acknowledging does not being wallowing, it can aim to make sure we have a more positive future. If you bother to read what I said, you'll see the bit where I said our heritage should make us especially passionate about freedom and fairness for everyone.

Donkey Oaty

brummytom wrote: »

As an English person with Irish grandparents, the heritage does mean a lot to me. It's hard to describe, but 'Irish Catholics' here, first second or third generation, have a distinct identity. I find I instantly get on with people who've got that heritage, probably due to similar upbringings, the same frames of reference, and similar attitudes.

I once read an article by an English flute player about Traditional Irish music in England. He made the point that many musicians in England may feel the need to try and outdo their Irish counterparts to prove their 'irishness'.

I know a lot's said about the whole 'Irish-Americans' who's great grandad bought a lawn mower off a woman who's brother had been to Ennis, and I don't do the plastic paddy shít of only drinking Guinness at this time of year while wearing big hats, but that connection to Ireland is something I value. There's nothing that annoys me more than 'but you're English, shut up,' many other immigrant groups celebrate where they came from, and I think the irish catholic identity should be embraced.

Brummytom does not speak with forked tongue.

He has decided what is important to him and runs with it.

Nobody can argue with that.

Donkey Oaty

conorh91 wrote: »

Yeah yeah.

Acknowledging does not being wallowing, it can aim to make sure we have a more positive future. If you bother to read what I said, you'll see the bit where I said our heritage should make us especially passionate about freedom and fairness for everyone.

I read it very carefully, several times, before posting an extremely restrained comment, which will be a source of disappointment to the eavesdropping ghosts of my Irish heroes - and there are many - who agree with my views on mawkish nationalist sentimentality.

LDN_Irish

I saved this to show a friend but I feel it's relevant here:

Iwasfrozen

conorh91 wrote: »

Yeah yeah.

Acknowledging does not being wallowing, it can aim to make sure we have a more positive future. If you bother to read what I said, you'll see the bit where I said our heritage should make us especially passionate about freedom and fairness for everyone.

Everyone is concerned with freedom and fairness but people's definitions of freedom and fairness vary wildly.

Pumpkinseeds

conorh91 wrote: »

The specific nature of it doesn't. That's a bit like saying that future generations of Jews shouldn't remember the Holocaust as something central to their identity because the same thing happened the Chinese under the Qing Empire, or to American natives during 16th century acts of genocide in the Americas.

Nah, you just need to admit that I'm right and you're clutching at straws.

LDN_Irish

LDN_Irish wrote: »

I saved this to show a friend but I feel it's relevant here:

Sorry, I hit post too soon.

I think my point was that it's not relevant at all to me, especially when you're dragging up sun 10 Percentiles to derive your sense of self.

conorh91

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Everyone is concerned with freedom and fairness but people's definitions of freedom and fairness vary wildly.

Not sure what your point is.

We have the democratic institutions to debate, apply and amend our particular vision of those two aspirations.

All I suggest is that, given our recent history, we should be protective of the right to freedom and fairness, even if interpretations will change as society changes.

MRnotlob606

I am an Irish Nationalist.

Adamantium

Watching Game of Thrones and seeing the beautiful landscapes of Northern Ireland has made me realise that there are little to no movies based on Irish Myths and legends and/or real life Irish ancient figures.

It seems like like a goldmine that is waiting to tapped, enough of the existential student films that nobody but yourself gives a **** about, give me a rousing epic.

Donkey Oaty

Adamantium wrote: »

Watching Game of Thrones and seeing the beautiful landscapes of Northern Ireland has made me realise that there are little to no movies based on Irish Myths and legends and/or real life Irish ancient figures.

It seems like like a goldmine that is waiting to tapped, enough of the existential student films that nobody but yourself gives a **** about, give me a rousing epic.

Be careful what you wish for...

Eugene Norman

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

Nah, you just need to admit that I'm right and you're clutching at straws.

Excellent reply. I mean I though when he pointed out that other groups don't forget their history he had you but that erudition and use of historical references is beyond answer.

Of course irelands history is not related to whether you feel allied to the country or not.

Eugene Norman

LDN_Irish wrote: »

Sorry, I hit post too soon.

I think my point was that it's not relevant at all to me, especially when you're dragging up sun 10 Percentiles to derive your sense of self.

Surely people in Ireland -- where this forum is based -- would be more than 8% irish.

LDN_Irish

Eugene Norman wrote: »

Surely people in Ireland -- where this forum is based -- would be more than 8% irish.

A good 70% of me thinks that you're probably right. 15% and the other 15% are conflicted.

Karl Stein

Still an unrepentant Fenian.

Iwasfrozen

conorh91 wrote: »

Not sure what your point is.

We have the democratic institutions to debate, apply and amend our particular vision of those two aspirations.

All I suggest is that, given our recent history, we should be protective of the right to freedom and fairness, even if interpretations will change as society changes.

My point is that given everyone's definition of freedom and fairness is different then compromise is necessary and someone (probably large groups of people) is (are) always going to believe we are failing that aspiration. There is no way to ever achieve that aspiration for everyone.

Eugene Norman

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

My point is that given everyone's definition of freedom and fairness is different then compromise is necessary and someone (probably large groups of people) is (are) always going to believe we are failing that aspiration.

Yes but do you feel irish or not.

Iwasfrozen

My heritage is important to me in the sense it is how I define myself but I believe spending too much time looking behind instead of looking to the future is counter productive.

I obviously care about my parents and have fond (fuzzy) memories of my grandparents but obviously anyone beyond that would be a stranger to me.

Iwasfrozen

Eugene Norman wrote: »

Yes but do you feel irish or not.

I am Irish. I don't feel a nationality. :P