Happy St Patrick's Day
In the 1990 U.S. census, forty-four million people, about 18 percent of the nation, identified themselves as Irish. Such a number is much more than what would be expected given the size of Irish immigration, about five million, along with natural population increase. It reflects that down through the decades the Irish intermarried with other ethnic groups, most often of the same religion. This increased the number of individuals with Irish ancestry. In the census, individuals with such dual (or multiple) ethnic heritages could choose one or the other as their own. And as sociologist Michael Hout said, “Given a choice, people pick Irish.” They choose Irish because of the posi tive traits associated with that group—gregariousness, wit, charm—and because this choice enables them to iden tify vicariously with the underdog and claim as their own the Irish success story.
What is remarkable is that after three hundred years of history and many generations removed from Ireland, mil lions of Americans still choose an Irish ancestry as an essential ingredient of their identity. They have preserved an ethnic heritage that has had a profound influence on the history of the United States. That is the real Irish success story.
J.P. Dolan - The Irish Americans, A History
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Dublin Ireland, St Patrick's Day 2019
Very cool JR.
Top o'the morning to all!
On St Patrick's day everyone can and is Irish for the day.
Happy St. Pats!!
Its truly amazing how the Irish have thrived, considering there were about 600,000 left after the Cromwell depredations.
From those 600,000 there are now about 70 million of Irish descent world wide.
I never claimed to be Irish until I got my DNA analysis results back
See comment 3 please.
I remember sitting on my Grandfather's lap as a wee lad, on many a Sunday afternoon while he waxed nostalgia for West Cork.
The mischievous old fart liked to hug me when he hadn't shaved and he let me sip my first beer, despite my mother's protests bless him.
Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit!