If ye be Irish, ye need ta read this

[jswordy]

I'm not, but there's Scots-Irish on my wife's side. It's a good read, and the comments are as well done. So be about it, then...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/09/o...-morning.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&smid=fb-share

 

[Pumpkinman]

Very nice, although I'm 100% Sicilian, I am married to an Irish woman and deal with her very much Irish mother.....lmao. Great people.

 

[jswordy]

Coming from an Italian family myself, I am sure you can more than hold your own!

 

[Rocky]

My heritage is Italian on both sides and so is my bride's. I remember growing up that there were remnants of the Italian-Irish "conflict" which varied in intensity from grudging acceptance to outright hatred. I had an Uncle on my Mother's side who married an Irish girl and for a time they were outcasts from both families! My Aunt Veronica was a sweetheart and I could never understand the hostility. My Father's theory, in very simple terms and I believe he was correct, was that it all had to do with language. The large Italian and Irish immigrations occurred at roughly the same time in the late 1800's. In looking for work, the Italians became mainly laborers while the Irish, who had the major advantage of speaking English, became the foremen. Also, many became police and firemen for the reason that they could speak to the British lords (Rockwell, Mellon, Rockefeller, Westinghouse, Morgan, Carnegie, Ford, etc.) who ran the Country. This set up a natural pecking order with the Irish over the Italians which led to conflict. Strange that two cultures that had so much in common (strong family unit, religion, humor, etc.) lost so much time and opportunity in getting better acquainted.

 

[TahunaJR]

I am half Swedish and half Sicilian. Due to family that was near, we were raised primarily Italian. My wife is 100% Italian. We certainly have our Italian vs Sicilian "discussions" when it comes to a lot of issues. Things such as traditions, foods and recipes. Our children have learned how to balance things out by doing things such as asking for dishes from my wife in her way or from me in my version. For example, my wife grew up calling sauce "gravy" and we grew up calling it "sugo". At the dinner table the kids would request sugo if it was near me or gravy if it was near my wife!

Joe

 

[Kleftiwallah]

Red to the mast, British to the last.

Me Dad was from London and me Mam came from Carlisle (350 miles apart). I was born north of Hadrians Wall but South of the Scottish Border.

With relatives from Torpenhow (pronounced Trepannah) If you research the word Tor (hill) Pen (hill) How (also hill) curious ain't it! ? ! ?



Cheers, Tony.

 

[JohnT]

A very close friend of mine is 100% Irish. He was born in county cork and came to the US at age 7. He returned to Ireland and (in the process of attending his father's funeral) met his wife and married her.

Long story short, my wife and I went to Ireland as a honeymoon trip and to also see my friend get married. We stayed with his family and got the real feel for the place. After observing the country for two weeks outside the confines of a guided tour, I have come to the following conclusions...

1) Pictures do not do the place justice. The only thing more brilliant then the Irish countryside is the hearts and minds of the Irish people.

2) The Irish put up with a lot... and I mean a LOT!. Between the tax rates, poor economy (at the time), and heavily beurocratic government, the Irish have to put up with a lot. Give them a break.

3) The Irish constantly fight stigma. So many folks that have never been to Ireland have an almost romantic belief in Ireland as an old world / backwards country. Look folks, they are tried of it. They have TVs, Cars, and can read. The Irish are just as modern and cosmopolitan as we Americans and (in lots of ways) even more. I like what one person said to me, "If you want to visit the Quiet Man, rent the tape!".

4) The Irish put up with Irish Americans! The one thing that most Irish hate is being trapped in a conversation with an Irish-American. In the words of one person I spoke to, "I am so sick of hearing about how some American had a dog with a flea that was Irish and thinks he is my brother.

Another guy I met stopped me in the middle of a conversation we were having. He said.. "Let me get this straight.. Your under 50, You are sober, and you have no Irish blood in you??? ... Are ye sure you are a Yank???". This made us both laugh. When I explained that I was only here to see his beautiful country, he could not do enough for us. Once word of this got out, we were treated like celebrities.

After all of this, I realized that I was just as bad as a "Hungarian-American". I have no idea the cause, but it seems that we Gen-1 folks try to cling to that which have never known. Perhaps it is because our parents romanticized about the old country so much.

Folks, I am a big believer in heritage. That is mostly the reason for my winemaking. I, however, don't kid myself on who I am. I am an American who's parents came from other countries. Although I have rather close relatives in Hungary, and I have been there several times, I do not pretend to be one of them.

I guess all I am saying is this.. As an American, you can't go home again.