Irish grinches need not apply - Irish in America don’t need to be told how to celebrate their heritage
By: Tom Deignan | Published Thursday, March 22, 2012, 10:45 AM | Updated Thursday, March 22, 2012, 10:45 AM
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| Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne in 'The Quiet Man' |
There are two types of people you hate to come across every St. Patrick’s Day season.
First, of course, is the once-a-year Irishman. You know, the type of guy that doesn’t know the Gate Theatre from Guinness, yet hums a tune about the overalls in Mrs. Murphy’s chowder and tells anyone unlucky enough to be near him all about his Irish roots. And it may be he’s even telling the truth about some of this stuff.
The once-a-year Irishman is up there with a host of other annoying holiday types. Ash Wednesday just passed, so some of you surely came across the folks you rarely see in Mass on any given Sunday, yet are front and center when it’s time to dole out the ashes.
Same thing come Palm Sunday. Ashes and Palms. Which makes them “A & P Catholics.”
We can take some comfort in the fact that the once-a-year Irishman has been thoroughly criticized already. In fact, he is often criticized by another holiday annoyance, a figure who has been the subject of less attention, but is possibly even more obnoxious.
Let’s call them Irish Grinches. You know they type. The kind of person so steeped in authentic Irishness that he has nothing but contempt for St. Patrick’s Day and all of its attendant “Oirish” traditions and customs.
They will sneer at the very mention of The Quiet Man or corned beef. They will probably lecture you on “true” Irish culture, and offer some preachy words about Beckett or Bobby Sands or At Swim-Two-Birds.
Or they may simply wash the green off of their hands entirely.
“I am of Irish descent,” Catherine Poe wrote in a blog entry on The Washington Times web site on March 17. “But I do not mist up on St. Paddy’s Day. ‘Danny Boy’ is maudlin treacle, even on a bagpipe. Corned beef and cabbage is only eatable with lots of mustard.”
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She later adds, “Spare me that hyphenated Irish American stuff. I am an American. We all came here to become Americans and we should have left the hyphens on the boat.”
That’s pretty much what Woodrow Wilson and other staunch patriots said back in the 1910s, decrying the supposed foreign influences caused by the heavy immigration of the late 19th and early 20th century, from Ireland and elsewhere.
It makes you realize that some people put way too much thought into what are and are not appropriate ways to express your Irish heritage.
Yes, there are some things we can all agree on. I should hope that most people find those green hats and T-shirts with references to drink and vomiting quite tasteless.
It’s not that an Irish joke about drinking can’t be funny. But when that is the only thing you link to Irish culture, well, it’s not so much offensive as it is boring and lame.
On the other hand, standing up as a defender of all that is precious and authentic about the Irish can be nearly as obnoxious.
It gets to the point where, though you may consider yourself quite versed and sophisticated when it comes to matters of Irish culture, you are also hesitant to admit a few inconvenient facts.
Such as: I loooooove Irish soda bread. Almost as much as I love a fatty, greasy slab of corn beef!
With or without mustard, thanks very much.
I don’t like them because they are Irish. God knows if they even are. I like these things because they are tasty and, yes, because they are part of a larger tradition.
A fake, false, fabricated tradition? Perhaps. But a tradition nevertheless.
The Irish in America don’t need to be told what they should or shouldn’t be doing to celebrate their heritage.
Yes, an unfortunate consequence of this is the annoying once-a-year Irishman. But the grumpy Irish Grinches who moan about all that is inauthentic about St. Patrick’s Day really aren’t much better. They simply want to seem smarter and more sophisticated than most other Irish people.
And if that makes them happy, more power to them.
Me? Sure, I’ll take a copy of Finnegan’s Wake or At Swim-Two-Birds. But I want some corned beef and soda bread on the side.
(Contact “Sidewalks” at
facebook.com/tomdeignan. Visit
youtube.com to see Tom Deignan discuss the history of “The Irish on Mott Street.”)
16 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.STEVENSTAR | Apr 27, 2012, 10:57 AM EDT
@@@IrelandNorth | Mar 28, 2012, 08:37 AM EDT>>>> THE ONLY REASON THE IRISH GOVERMENT WENT TO AMERICA FOR ST PATRICKS DAY IS FOR FREE HOLIDAYS OVER THE YEARS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE TAX PAYERS ... THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE CURB ON THEM DOING THAT NOW AND YOU WONT SEE SO MANY LAZY YOBS FROM IRISH GOVERMENT SWANNING OFF ON HOLIDAYS TO AMERICA IN THE NEAR FUTURE.. HOW MANY WENT THIS YEAR??? VERY FEW ;)
IrelandNorth | Mar 28, 2012, 08:37 AM EDT
Nothing as uncool to an historically illiterate younger Irish generation as aging Irish-Americans rightfully celebrating their Irishness. The smart alec element here in Ireland are an embarrasement to those of us who are mid-50's Dubliners. Always remember guys, the reason why almost the whole Irish Government collectively decamp to the USA for St. Patrick's Day is because they recognise where the real Irish-Ireland is. For the umpteenth time I will say it. Nationalist Ireland isn't dead and gone or with O'Leary in the grave. It's with Irish-America in The States. Come on the Yanks!
britfether | Mar 24, 2012, 01:37 PM EDT
Here's a bit to think about. Americans are proud of their Irish heritaage and it wells up in some of us only once a year and we go about our business on the other 364 days, often looking for the opportunity to talk and associate as being of Irish Heritage whenever we are lucky enough to be able to talk about it. Not all Irish Americans either have or can afford to take a few weeks to visit Ireland, but myself for one, who has visited it a number of times and been through the whole country, I canot but feel a sense of feeling at home and having those moments remind me of my relatives who came from Cork. I also slip into a slovingly and innapropriate, semi-Irish brogue that I know is unconscious. But after being around it for three or four weeks at a time, I feel that my family background on both sides being Irish, at least gives me the right to try it on for size, even though some may look down on it. I know I don't laugh at any Irishmen that can be found in a few places where I live, trying out a "y'all" from time to time. I just think fo them as being adaptable and congenial, rather than dialiect thieves taking advantage of the native language. The message is, lighten up a bit and help people to feel at home where ever they may be at the time. You may have to bite your tougue a bit, but consider that imitation is the highest form of flattery, even though they may be imitating their Grandfather more than yourself.
Peterman | Mar 24, 2012, 10:29 AM EDT
100% agree. I read the article by Catherine Poe and if she doesn't mist up I have to ask why not? If you forget or don't even know that people came to N.America starving, oppressed, and robbed of everything then I guess the day wouldn't mean anything. Both my parents had a O' last name so I can't get away from my Irish roots even if I wanted such lunacy. Irish Americans, many anyway, are rightfully proud of their roots and their Irish American traditions, I won't take that away from them.
Towngate | Mar 23, 2012, 04:07 PM EDT
Myhomenj. I didn't know budgies had knee-caps!
ancavker | Mar 23, 2012, 12:55 PM EDT
Brian O: Good post, I would only add that Irish music is not only enjoyed by a small core group. It amazes me how many people with absolutely no connection to Ireland love and play the music. Riverdance much as the Irish in Ireland roll their eyes at it's mention as done wonders for the popularity of Irish music and dance
pounder | Mar 23, 2012, 11:29 AM EDT
And then we have Obama, that great and everlasting Irishman,or so he declares,to mask his true identity.And you all fall for it.
joan1954 | Mar 23, 2012, 09:02 AM EDT
I am proud of my heritage but I am an American first whose family has passed customs down. A friend once had a t-shirt made for we which read " American by birth, Irish by descent and Southern by the grace of God." It is the representation of the fact that I am a proud southern-born American of Irish descent.
VonLiebenitz | Mar 22, 2012, 11:04 PM EDT
People are so proud to be Irish .They have suddenly rediscovered their interest in their heritage now that the money has dried up.I know this is far from an original statement but If you had asked someone in the time period from 2001-2005 if they were proud to be Irish they might have said yes but in their mind they would have really seen themselves as a shadowy non entity or a European or in the case of the middle class jocks a kind of failed lesser american.Oh the wonders of a single currency.Now we are all tied to the same sinking ship.Sionara liberty and economic sovereignty hello oblivion.
myhomenj | Mar 22, 2012, 08:31 PM EDT
We had a budgie (bird) when I was a kid in Belfast. My Father taught it to say "God save Ireland, up the Republic " What a great talker it was!!!
nedwardatlarge | Mar 22, 2012, 07:04 PM EDT
I love you also Murph46. You always get it right.
Murph46 | Mar 22, 2012, 03:42 PM EDT
Cherish the love dolleanpatrice remember in spite of the anti Irish Irish(Who say American Irish aren't Irish)that you have the blood of kings and queens (Boru & Maeve)running through,if not your veins,your fertile Irish mind!UP THE IRISH!
dolleanpatrice | Mar 22, 2012, 02:51 PM EDT
i love murph46. once upon a time in this country there were Irish need not apply signs. now there are parades. a stranger said to me St. Patrick's day was yesterday but i see a lot of people wearing green today, when did people start celebrating for two days. i said to him i am Irish every day.
Murph46 | Mar 22, 2012, 10:58 AM EDT
Brian O first St.Patrick's celebration in 1737 parade in 1762 both prior to Bill of Rights,Constitution you and I are in complete agreement.No apologies for our pride,and no one yet has told me Why a St.Patrick's Day parade should be multicultural,nor can they!
BrianO | Mar 22, 2012, 10:10 AM EDT
What's lost on some of the critics is the traditions of the day are what tie us to our roots. Being American I am first and foremost tied to the traditions of my country, the Bill Of Rights, The Constitution. The traditions surrounding St. Paddy's day, reinforce the connections to our heritage, the corned beef dinner being an American Irish tradition, it was a cheap available meat to celebrate the day. Irish music is enjoyed year round by a small core group but explodes for one week a year (my daughter is a session player). What bothers people I think is that the majority of Irish Americans enjoy themselves, they are reminded of their roots, their connections, and the people who sacrificed everything to allow them the chance to be Americans. It is on this note I make no apologies for my pride, American and Irish.
Murph46 | Mar 22, 2012, 10:08 AM EDT
Proud to say Irish by God,American by birth 366 days a year!(leap)