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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Irish"horrified" by Irish Americans on St.Pat's claims Trina Vargo of US-Ireland Alliance -- Irish "laugh at the Yanks" she says as she seeks funds

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Irish"horrified" by Irish Americans on St.Pat's claims Trina Vargo of US-Ireland Alliance -- Irish "laugh at the Yanks" she says as she seeks funds

Posted on Thursday, March 22, 2012 at 08:15 AM

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Enda Kenny and Barack Obama

Irish leader Enda Kenny has been slammed for giving President Barack Obama a certificate of Irishness at the White House on Tuesday night by Trina Vargo, head of US Ireland Alliance.

The alliance is funded in large part by the Irish taxpayer, which sends 12 students a year to Ireland on Mitchell Scholarship programs.

“The shop in Shannon Airport must have been out of leprechaun dolls and chunks of the auld sod,” Vargo wrote.

Kenny serves on the honorary board of the organization.

She also stated Irish Americans "horrified" Irish people during the St.Patrick’s period and that Irish people were secretly laughing at them.

The organization is down to receive $20 million in matching funding from hard-pressed Irish taxpayers over the next few years and Vargo is currently circulating a congressional petition seeking to have the American taxpayer pay an additional $5 million in order to trigger more Irish taxpayer money.

Former senator George Mitchell is lobbying members on Capitol Hill strongly for the money.

Staffers for one leading Irish American politician on Capitol Hill has strongly criticized the manner in which Mitchell has gone about lobbying directly for the funds .

“George Mitchell is a hero of the peace process but he is damaging his reputation strong arming politicians on this” one irate staffer stated.

Kenny presented the certificate to Obama, who has Irish roots, as the center piece of his remarks at an event attended by 300 leading Irish Americans and praised the role of Irish Americans in helping Ireland over the generations.

Vargo however, stated that Irish Americans were a disgrace. “ During this week it is always people from Ireland and Northern Ireland who tell me how horrified they are by the shamrockery, and they’re right, it’s embarrassing. "
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"The Irish are just so grateful for the attention that they grit their teeth, take it, and then laugh at the Yanks at the end of the night. Ireland gives us what they think we want and clearly some still do.”

Questions have long been asked about the Mitchell Scholarship funding by Irish American groups give the director's strong antipathy to Irish American organizations..

In addition, there seems little evidence that any of the scholars contribute back to Ireland as was long the contention of the organization.

Vargo's salary funded by Irish and American taxpayers is $175,000 and she also hosts a glitzy Hollywood event her organization splashed out a total of $1.2 million on over five years.

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Smyrnian | Feb 14, 2013, 02:18 PM EST

Steven - Different, yes. Very different? No. Not at all. They have way more in common than they have differences. I know this after being here a few years.

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nidonnabain | Apr 05, 2012, 08:24 AM EDT

I travel in continental Europe extensively. It is amazing to me, how many highly educated continental Europeans do not know that Ireland ever had a language of its own, as only one example of their lack of knowledge about any Ireland separate from Britain. I don't like, nor did my parents like, St. Patrick's Day hideousness. However, it doesn't represent Irish Americans at this point in time. I think Varga et al would be better to spend their time considering why the Oulde Sod has not even proudly transmitted its culture to the rest of Europe than to get high-and-mighty about Americans.

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Killy524 | Apr 04, 2012, 09:12 PM EDT

I'll have to think about her comments when I see all of the irish products exported from Ireland into America that have shamrocks all over it. Won't be buying a bit of it EVER!! Belleek China with the shamrocks all over it....I will be sure to tell ALL of my AMERICAN family not to buy a thing that is imported from Ireland, especially if it has a shamrock on it!!

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STEVENSTAR | Mar 29, 2012, 07:31 PM EDT

@@ancavker | Mar 28, 2012, 12:04 PM EDT>>>> Sorry but i didnt say i was TRYING TO BE ENGLISH I merely stated that in Europe and geographically speaking the Irish are very similar to the Welsh, English and Scottish more so then other countries in Europe say for example the French Or Spanish !!.... Irish people on the other hand are totally different culture to Americans different in how we speak think our humor everything is totally different.. Unles you have been to Ireland you may not recognise that.. but thats how it is,, nothing wrong with Americans but we are very different thats all.. same as Americans are different to Jpanese.. or Dutch people thats all i was saying..But i adree with what this woman Vargo said because she is correct in my point of view

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ancavker | Mar 28, 2012, 12:04 PM EDT

STEVEN: How come so many Irish try to be English??? Oh wait you answered that question, because your cultures are the same, right? No actually you gave up yours and copied theirs, as you consider theirs to be better. Or if you are not copying theirs you try to be American. So it is OK for you to copy and ape the English and Americans, but Irish-Americans cannot identify with Irish culture. You guys get to write the rules I guess? By the way lots of Irish- Americans are only one or two generations removed from Ireland. If you knew America, at all you would understand that in many parts of the country syaing oen is Irish, ro Italian or Polish, is a matter of self-identifying; it does nto mae one any less American. Before you criticize me, I am Irish born, living in America, and I go home (yes we still call Ireland home) almost every year. So I know far more about Ireland than you would have learned in your three trips to America.

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STEVENSTAR | Mar 27, 2012, 03:06 PM EDT

@@@@@@@oldboreen | Mar 22, 2012, 11:18 AM EDT Greetings STEVENSTAR! Re your post 22 March-I note that you appear to make no distinction between ethnicity and nationality.How very odd! I therefore assume, that you infer that the two to be one and the same thing.So for example-just for the sake of argument-Take two Irish born parents living in say,Lithuania.Their child is born in that country. He/she is therefore, of Lithuanian NATIONALITY. Agreed?? Good! Now clarify please, is that child ETHNICALLY Lithuanian, ie, of the Lithuanian/Baltic group of races? I don't know about anyone else on this site, but I eagerly await clarification. I WAS BORN IN IRELAND IM IRISH IF YOU WERE BORN IN AMERICAN YOUR AMERICAN .. IF YOUR GREAT GRANNY MOVED TO AMERICA A 100 YEARS AGO YOUR STILL AMERICAN... NOT IRISH ... IM SORRY BUT OVER HERE WE ARE NOT SO 'OBSESSED' WITH TRYING TO BE ANOTHER NATIONALITY BUT OUR OWN... '' ITS VERY LAUGHABLE AT THE AMOUNT OF AMERICAN TRYING TO BE IRISH ... BY THE WAY YES I HAVE BEEN TO AMERICA 3 TIMES, MY EX IS AMERICAN AND ALL I CAN SAY THE CULTURES THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE ARE THOUSANDS OF MILES APART .. IM NOT DATING AN ENGLISHMAN AND IS THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME.. AS OUR CULTURES ARE THE SAME ... UNLIKE MY STINT WITH THE AMERICAN .. ..

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STEVENSTAR | Mar 27, 2012, 02:57 PM EDT

IM 'TRUE. IRISH IE I WAS BORN IN IRELAND I LIVE HERE AND I STILL LIVE HERE .......... TAKE IT FROM ME THIS WOMAN IS SO RIGHT WHAT SHE SAID... FOR THOSE THAT FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE SORRY .. BUT SHE SPEAKS THE TRUTH,.

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irishcop025 | Mar 26, 2012, 06:53 PM EDT

I have to agree with what I read. I have been going to Ireland since I was a child back in the 60's. The "Yanks" were always made fun of and the brunt of many jokes. The Yanks money however was alwys welcome though.

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esatdigiwank | Mar 26, 2012, 08:16 AM EDT

G.Dillon:"You will see countless jobs--decent jobs, honorable jobs--being done by Africans, Asians,Eastern Europeans and ... Jobs like hotel receptionist, barman, cook, waiter/waitress,..sales assistant" etc. >>>Indeed, customer service jobs that a one-trick pony like Mick the Plasterer or Ned the Blocklayer does not have the inter-personal acumen for! But for the Irish that u speak of being too stupid to do this or that, you fail to recall that the can-do spirit has been bought off by handsome, lavish weekly welfare payments so that the Soldiers of Infamy could stay in power for so long. Or are you the one who is closer to Timbuctu than me? >>>Oh purleese, i realise all of what you say. I frequently use the Airport. Please don't tell me what I already know! And please Don't Assume that I am unaware of what you know!>> Also, you have point-blank not acknowledged my valid points prior, but you don't because you are Myopic to valid contributions from Others >>>I'll use whatever name I like - that is not to say that usernames I use elsewhere are vulgar. Don't Insult Me by inferring I am blind or deaf - I may refer to you henceforth with some epithet that others here address you with.

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DanOLoingsigh | Mar 25, 2012, 02:34 PM EDT

Nice one, Dr T...Should've spotted that one!!!

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ciaradexy | Mar 25, 2012, 09:28 AM EDT

Dont shoot the messenger folks!

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DrTrelawney | Mar 25, 2012, 09:20 AM EDT

Bunkerhill says: "she is going to notify the newly formed Irish Defamation League" Hang on, is there really a body called the "Irish Defamation League"? Do they have meetings where they sit around telling anti-Irish jokes. Somebody should inform the red-faced busy bodies at the Irish Anti-Defamation Federation. They may then put a terrifying note on their shoddy website.

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timbobdennehy | Mar 24, 2012, 08:54 PM EDT

from what i get in the news the irish are ready for american investment,tell that to all the people who were shafted by dell.

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bunkerhill | Mar 24, 2012, 04:46 PM EDT

Like Trina Vargas I am not Irish although I really like them. My wife is Irish and she is going to notify the newly formed Irish Defamation League about Vargas and see if she can be replaced with someone more suitable. My wife is especially upset as she thinks Enda Kenny is so handsome, polished, has such a nice smile and a dimple in his chin. I, myself, am all those things although I don't have a dimple in my chin. From my point of view the Irish and their diapora are great people.

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pilib04 | Mar 24, 2012, 12:28 PM EDT

There needs to be an independent audit of the money she receives and it needs to be published in Irish and Irish American newspapers. If she is a 501c3 organization it should be available to the public, by law!

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