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People saying they are Irish - when they clearly aren't!

24567

Comments

  • #32
    MrStuffins
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,426 ✭✭✭✭MrStuffins


    Tiocfaidh Armani wrote: »
    Well said, we're such an ignorant nation.

    The Americans are so proud of their country

    You might wanna take a leaf from their book their sonny.


  • #33
    sensibleken
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,650 ✭✭✭sensibleken


    These peoples ancestors were forced to leave Ireland most likely due to starvation and oppression, risk the journey where many never saw the other side or died shortly after arriving, all so their kids and descendents would have a better life.

    These Irish Americans remember that risk and sacrifice and honour it by keeping their heritage alive. Who the hell are you to say they have no right to it. We are only in Ireland now because our ancestors were luckier than they were.


  • #34
    Tiocfaidh Armani
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,335 ✭✭✭Tiocfaidh Armani


    StephenHendry wrote: »
    ray houghtons dad is from donegal , so he could he had the choice to play for either scotland or us. i would class him as irish, andy townsend and john aldridge had parents,grand parents who were irish. barack obama , we regard him as irish in that his ancestors were traced back to moneygall

    People can have dual-nationality as well, it's not as black and white as some say. My son was born in Scotland but he's been raised Irish and has an Irish passport.


  • #35
    MrStuffins
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,426 ✭✭✭✭MrStuffins


    Tiocfaidh Armani wrote: »
    No not really with anybody with half a brain and who has been to America.

    So, what you're essentially saying is, all Americans are liars!

    Firs you say irish people are all ignorant and now this?

    I don't think that's entirely fair sir! it's actually kinda racialist!


  • #36
    orourkeda
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,918 ✭✭✭✭orourkeda


    Korvanica wrote: »
    This is one of my pet peeves

    So many people (mainly Americans) that I have met say this because their great great great grandmother was half Irish!

    You are NOT Irish, yes you have Irish ancestors but that does not make you Irish!

    Fair enough some people are proud of their ancestory but a lot of them take it way to far...

    I was in the US in the summer and i swear every 3rd person said they were some part Irish... one lad who has never been to Ireland says so, his great grandmother was Half Irish. All he did was talk about Ireland and hating the English for the 800 years (seriously? noone cares about that anymore) , and everything he ever posts on Facebook is about Ireland etc... (His most recent post was in irish and badly translated from English with an online translator - thats what spurred this post)

    My ancestors (waaay back) come from France, but I don't go around telling everyone im Part French or French-Irish!

    Neither would I


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  • #37
    biko
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 81,217 ✭✭✭✭biko


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QHYFXDGf4Y


  • #38
    stovelid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,252 ✭✭✭✭stovelid


    I was born in England to Irish parents and moved here when I was 12. Living here 28 years now.

    If I asked to define my nationality, I would definitely say Irish but I certainly wouldn't lose any sleep if anybody thought I wasn't.

    To be fair, I do find it a little strange when people - like Americans - define themselves as being from some European country when only their 3rd or 4th generation ancestors are, but I guess you need to see it in the context of American identity.


  • #39
    TheZohanS
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,581 ✭✭✭✭TheZohanS


    Korvanica wrote: »
    This is one of my pet peeves

    So many people (mainly Americans) that I have met say this because their great great great grandmother was half Irish!

    You are NOT Irish, yes you have Irish ancestors but that does not make you Irish!

    Fair enough some people are proud of their ancestory but a lot of them take it way to far...

    I was in the US in the summer and i swear every 3rd person said they were some part Irish... one lad who has never been to Ireland says so, his great grandmother was Half Irish. All he did was talk about Ireland and hating the English for the 800 years (seriously? noone cares about that anymore) , and everything he ever posts on Facebook is about Ireland etc... (His most recent post was in irish and badly translated from English with an online translator - thats what spurred this post)

    My ancestors (waaay back) come from France, but I don't go around telling everyone im Part French or French-Irish!

    Well be janey and be jingo! Top o`the mornin' to ya! 'tis a grand soft day, are you after me lucky charms?

    I've never been to the motherland but I'd consider myself Irish.*

    *might be lies


  • #40
    MrStuffins
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,426 ✭✭✭✭MrStuffins


    TheZohan wrote: »
    Well be janey and be jingo! Top o`the mornin' to ya! 'tis a grand soft day, are you after me lucky charms?

    I've never been to the motherland but I'd consider myself Irish.

    Why did you start Australian?


  • #41
    Brendog
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,976 ✭✭✭Brendog


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  • #42
    MrJoeSoap
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,117 ✭✭✭✭MrJoeSoap


    Korvanica wrote: »
    This is one of my pet peeves

    So many people (mainly Americans) that I have met say this because their great great great grandmother was half Irish!

    You are NOT Irish, yes you have Irish ancestors but that does not make you Irish!

    Fair enough some people are proud of their ancestory but a lot of them take it way to far...

    I was in the US in the summer and i swear every 3rd person said they were some part Irish... one lad who has never been to Ireland says so, his great grandmother was Half Irish. All he did was talk about Ireland and hating the English for the 800 years (seriously? noone cares about that anymore) , and everything he ever posts on Facebook is about Ireland etc... (His most recent post was in irish and badly translated from English with an online translator - thats what spurred this post)

    My ancestors (waaay back) come from France, but I don't go around telling everyone im Part French or French-Irish!

    Over a million people left this country during the famine, not by choice, but to survive. The vast majority of these went west. Do you think they'd be happy to think that six/seven/eight generations down the line their ancestors are proud to claim their Irish roots?

    Too right they would.


  • #43
    Korvanica
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,992 ✭✭✭Korvanica


    Yea fair enough it is somewhat complimentary when people say they're Irish.

    But my view on it has been somewhat ruined by this one idiot. If you met him you might think the same.

    If he'd left it at - "My ancestors were Irish, so im Irish-American" it'd have been grand...


  • #44
    kupus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,151 ✭✭✭kupus


    Op you're getting your knickers in a twist over nothing, and frankly it was the j1 students who used to come to America that was embarrassing for the paddies that were there already.
    Never came in on a monday or friday, tue wed & thur come in but usually late....and still expected to be paid top dollar.
    If an Irish American wants to say he's Irish good for him, remember there is 50 million Irish-American in USA, a huge potential market that is there for any entrepreneurial guy to cater to. Its lucky we have that opportunity cos a lot of other countries dont.


  • #45
    Electric Sheep
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,113 ✭✭✭Electric Sheep


    Korvanica wrote: »
    This is one of my pet peeves

    So many people (mainly Americans) that I have met say this because their great great great grandmother was half Irish!

    You are NOT Irish, yes you have Irish ancestors but that does not make you Irish!

    Fair enough some people are proud of their ancestory but a lot of them take it way to far...

    I was in the US in the summer and i swear every 3rd person said they were some part Irish... one lad who has never been to Ireland says so, his great grandmother was Half Irish. All he did was talk about Ireland and hating the English for the 800 years (seriously? noone cares about that anymore) , and everything he ever posts on Facebook is about Ireland etc... (His most recent post was in irish and badly translated from English with an online translator - thats what spurred this post)

    My ancestors (waaay back) come from France, but I don't go around telling everyone im Part French or French-Irish!

    You should realise that when people mention their Irish ancestors, they are just making small talk and trying to find some common ground with you, not trying to claim Irish nationality.


  • #46
    Tiocfaidh Armani
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,335 ✭✭✭Tiocfaidh Armani


    MrStuffins wrote: »
    So, what you're essentially saying is, all Americans are liars!

    Firs you say irish people are all ignorant and now this?

    I don't think that's entirely fair sir! it's actually kinda racialist!

    You talk gibberish and for that reason I'm ignoring you.


  • #47
    Gazmantoo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19 ✭Gazmantoo


    I find it funny too that so many Americans call themselves Irish even though they've never been here...particularly their own president only stopped for a Guiness and is clearly of African decent!!! :D
    I was born in Wales and although I have lived in Ireland for 12 years I'll always call myself Welsh. We Welsh have that anti-English banter too but we don't really mean it and in fact, the one of my female friends that I love and respect the most happens to be English and lives near London.
    Here's another point though. A distant relative of mine recently managed to trace our family line back all the way to William The Conqueror, who of course invaded England in 1066 but hailed from France. So as I am the Great Grandson of William the Conquer 33 times removed, does that actually make me French!?...Sacre bleu, I hope not! :eek:
    Wait there must be a way out of this, I'm sure he must have had an ancestor somewhere who hailed from Bavaria...tha'll do me!, as soon as I can find the link I'll be returning to my homeland of Bavaria to stake a claim as heir to the throne and all it's lavish trappings...:)


  • #48
    jackie1974
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 486 ✭✭jackie1974


    In America every second person is part Irish because we were fruitful, multiplied, filled the earth and conquered it. We like to make lotsa babies, then those babies have babies and wherever they are in the world they are entitled to their heritage.


  • #49
    SV
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,534 ✭✭✭SV


    Used to always claim to be Irish. Trying to get rid of that now, have an Irish accent and passport but wasn't born here so there is hope :)

    I don't understand why people want to be Irish anymore. I did but I was a child.


  • #50
    al28283
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,062 ✭✭✭al28283


    One thing I hate is when Irish Americans celeberate St. Patty's Day


  • #51
    Trader1991
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 194 ✭✭Trader1991


    I worked in London last summer and I lived in an Irish community. I think they have every right to be proud of their Irish heritage.
    They seemed a lot prouder than most actual Irish people I meet.


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  • #52
    leggit
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 936 ✭✭✭leggit


    al28283 wrote: »
    One thing I hate is when Irish Americans celeberate St. Patty's Day

    I don't care about people saying they're Irish but Saint "Pattys" day really grinds my gears!


  • #53
    lcrcboy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 562 ✭✭✭lcrcboy


    Korvanica wrote: »
    This is one of my pet peeves

    So many people (mainly Americans) that I have met say this because their great great great grandmother was half Irish!

    You are NOT Irish, yes you have Irish ancestors but that does not make you Irish!

    Fair enough some people are proud of their ancestory but a lot of them take it way to far...

    I was in the US in the summer and i swear every 3rd person said they were some part Irish... one lad who has never been to Ireland says so, his great grandmother was Half Irish. All he did was talk about Ireland and hating the English for the 800 years (seriously? noone cares about that anymore) , and everything he ever posts on Facebook is about Ireland etc... (His most recent post was in irish and badly translated from English with an online translator - thats what spurred this post)

    My ancestors (waaay back) come from France, but I don't go around telling everyone im Part French or French-Irish!

    Why do you care so much... I think its a good thing, let them think they are Irish the more money for us when they come here on holiday to visit the "old country" the more Irish tacky tourist stuff they buy, we should be incouraging it from them and even more so now with the way the economy is. The more likely we get sorted with jobs when we have people heading to the States or other areas like Oz.

    Plus they are a very young nation with most people with ancestors that were immigrants, and its there own personal view what does it matter to you.. why would you car so much.


  • #54
    TheZohanS
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,581 ✭✭✭✭TheZohanS


    MrStuffins wrote: »
    Why did you start Australian?

    We all have to start somewhere. :(


  • #55
    Galtee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 577 ✭✭✭Galtee


    To be honest I don't really care who calls themselves Irish or any other nationality for that matter. Nationality is a fluke anyway. If someones day is made a little brighter because they assoicate themselves with a particular Country then the best of luck to them.


  • #56
    al28283
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,062 ✭✭✭al28283


    Tiocfaidh Armani wrote: »
    Can I just inform people when Americans say they're Irish, they're not saying they're Irish. It's their heritage they're talking about not their nationality. Some ignorant people out there.

    yea, i think most people understand that.


  • #57
    LordSutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,076 ✭✭✭✭LordSutch


    Korvanica wrote: »
    So many people (mainly Americans) that I have met say this because their great great great grandmother was half Irish!

    You are NOT Irish, yes you have Irish ancestors but that does not make you Irish!

    I agree with you 100%, it is amusing when you dig a little and they say "ah well my great Grandmother was half Irish" which begs the question, what about all the other ancestry? what about the grandad who was Polish, or the father who was half Spanish, or all the other nationalities thrown in the mix! It does always seem to be the Irish ancestor who gets the credit. If I followed the American example of tracing my lineage back several generations I could call myself Anglo/French/Scots, but then I guess that if we all did that then none of us would be truly Irish :))


  • #58
    Electric Sheep
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,113 ✭✭✭Electric Sheep


    al28283 wrote: »
    yea, i think most people understand that.
    But not the OP, apparently.


  • #59
    Gazmantoo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19 ✭Gazmantoo


    Here's another point, I can understand people still want to call themselves Irish, but I can't understand why people still want to call themselves 'catholic'...! Why would anyone with any shame still want to be associated with such a disgusting religion when it harbors so many paedophiles???


  • #60
    MrStuffins
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,426 ✭✭✭✭MrStuffins


    Gazmantoo wrote: »
    Here's another point, I can understand people still want to call themselves Irish, but I can't understand why people still want to call themselves 'catholic'...! Why would anyone with any shame still want to be associated with such a disgusting religion when it harbors so many paedophiles???

    You're in the wrong thread!


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  • #61
    Tiocfaidh Armani
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,335 ✭✭✭Tiocfaidh Armani


    LordSutch wrote: »
    I agree with you 100%, it is amusing when you dig a little and they say "ah well my great Grandmother was half Irish" which begs the question, what about all the other ancestry? what about the grandad who was Polish, or the father who was half Spanish, or all the other nationalities thrown in the mix! It does always seem to be the Irish ancestor who gets the credit. If I followed the American example of tracing my lineage back several generations I could call myself Anglo/French/Scots, but then I guess that if we all did that then none of us would be truly Irish :))

    America is pretty much a new country though compared to us, it's nation made up completely of descendants of immigrants (except a tiny minority) so it's not really the same, is it?
    Here's another point, I can understand people still want to call themselves Irish, but I can't understand why people still want to call themselves 'catholic'...! Why would anyone with any shame still want to be associated with such a disgusting religion when it harbors so many paedophiles???

    The religion itself doesn't harbour anything.


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