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Like a lot of Americans, I claim an Irish ancestry, although according to my mother (dad was the Irishman) i'm a Euro mix of Irish, English, German, French, with a little Native American tossed in. I'm curious if there's any Irish or Americans of Irish decent on the forum.
I'm also curious as to what regard the Irish & Ireland are held by you folks living in the UK/Europe/Australia et al.
Top 'o the morning to ya. :jester-new:
I got a few Irish mates in the army and they are all sound lads, like a drink and a laugh and the ones I have met are very friendly.
Might go for tour of Ireland on my motorbike next Summer :cool:
Over 100 years ago they were considered scum of the earth and the English were racist towards them fortunately the Jews and the Blacks came to take their place. :)
Yeah the Paddies were treated very badly years ago,poor fuckers, both my parents were Irish,but i was born in the U.K. so i am a plastic Paddy :)
Great People they are, some great Friends Ive made over there, Love em.
My ancestry is Scots-Irish, English, Irish, & French....I'm a real mutt ;)
The Irish are not hated by anyone these days, the world's lovable drunks!
Some people will have you think that all Irish are a bunch of alcohol guzzling buffoons, but the rumbling conflict in Northern Ireland suggests otherwise. Ireland has a range of different people, personalities and individuals same as anywhere else, its just the fact that so many people claim irish ancestry means that they can find friends almost anywhere.
To be such a small Island, Ireland and the Irish have made a huge/amazing impact on the world. At least 25% of the population in America & Australia claim an Irish ancestry, that's a lot of people, just in those 2 countries, an estimated 80 million worldwide.Quote:
Originally Posted by superheavyrhun
The Irish were also considered scum when they migrated to America, most during the potato famine.Quote:
Originally Posted by Master
It wasn't a "famine"........correct British forum members???Quote:
Originally Posted by Mars_axThe Irish were also considered scum when they migrated to America, most during the potato famine.Quote:
Originally Posted by Master
my dad is from dublin
his brother is a part of the travelling community here in England :)
I sometimes tell people who notice that I have an Irish sounding last name, that i'm at least 50% Irish, and 50% German, English, French and Native American. I had a 100% chance of becoming an alcoholic before I turned 18. ;)
I'm mostly Swedish, Irish, English, Nordic, and I have a little bit of everything.
I have a black ancestor. His name was Slave. Poor boy. ;D
I think the famine led to a lot of the migration and the racism and stereotyping they faced was disgusting. The IRA bombing also alienated them as a community. They are the biggest ethnic minority in England.Quote:
Originally Posted by El KabongIt wasn't a "famine"........correct British forum members???Quote:
Originally Posted by Mars_axThe Irish were also considered scum when they migrated to America, most during the potato famine.Quote:
Originally Posted by Master
Quote:
Originally Posted by El Kabong
Mine is exactly the same.
Ive been reading a bit on the IRA lately and the original one from back in the early days in the 1900's and it seems the largest mistake was in 1920s in regards British action.
I can see why people backed the IRA back in that time.
Im against its actions and always have been, but there is always two sides to every story:
Ireland 1848 to 1922 > The Black and TansThe Black and Tans as a subject still arouses controversy in Ireland. The Black and Tans were mostly former soldiers brought into Ireland by the government in London after 1918 to assist the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) in their work.
For a number of years, the RIC had been a target for the IRB and then the IRA. RIC barracks were frequently attacked and members of the RIC were murdered. Therefore, recruitment to the RIC started to be hit and the RIC found it difficult to carry out its duties effectively, especially in the remote rural areas of southern Ireland. Never knowing if you were going to be the next target did a great deal to undermine morale in the RIC.
In 1919, the British government advertised for men who were willing to "face a rough and dangerous task". Many former British army soldiers had come back from Western Europe and did not find a land fit for heroes. They came back to unemployment and few firms needed men whose primary skill was fighting in war. Therefore, there were plenty of ex-servicemen who were willing to reply to the government’s advert. For many the sole attraction was not political or national pride – it was simply money. The men got paid ten shillings a day. They got three months training before being sent to Ireland. The first unit arrived in Ireland in March 1920.
Once in Ireland it quickly became apparent that there were not enough uniforms for all those who had joined up. Therefore they wore a mixture of uniforms – some military, some RIC. This mixture gave them the appearance of being in khaki and dark police uniform. As a result, these men got the nickname "Black and Tans", and it stuck. Some say that the nickname came from a pack of hunting hounds known as the 'Black and Tans'.
The Black and Tans did not act as a supplement to the RIC. Though some men were experienced in trench warfare, they lacked the self-discipline that would have been found in the Western Front. Many Black and Tan units all but terrorised local communities. Community policing was the preserve of the RIC. For the Black and Tans, their primary task was to make Ireland "hell for the rebels to live in". Over 8000 Black and Tans went to Ireland and while they found it difficult to cope with men who used classic guerrilla tactics against them, those who lived in areas where the Black and Tans were based, paid the price.
The attitude of the Black and Tans is best summed up by one of their divisional commanders:
"If a police barracks is burned or if the barracks already occupied is not suitable, then the best house in the locality is to be commandeered, the occupants thrown into the gutter. Let them die there – the more the merrier. Should the order ("Hands Up") not be immediately obeyed, shoot and shoot with effect. If the persons approaching (a patrol) carry their hands in their pockets, or are in any way suspicious-looking, shoot them down. You may make mistakes occasionally and innocent persons may be shot, but that cannot be helped, and you are bound to get the right parties some time. The more you shoot, the better I will like you, and I assure you no policeman will get into trouble for shooting any man."The most infamous attack on the public came in November 1920. Many people had packed into Croke Park, Dublin, to watch a football match. In retaliation for the murder of fourteen undercover detectives by the IRA, the Black and Tans opened fire on the crowd, killing twelve people. In retaliation for this attack, eighteen members of the ‘Auxies’ (a separate part of the Black and Tans) were killed in Kilmichael, County Cork. The ‘Auxies’ took their revenge for this by burning down the centre of Cork and parading around after this event with burnt cork in their caps. Violence, it appeared, only led to even more violence on both sides.
Lt. Col. Smyth, June 1920
The Black and Tans were not regular troops. There were many examples of them shooting indiscriminately at civilians as opposed to republican guerrillas. Creameries were also destroyed by the Black and Tans – almost as a way of economically punishing those who may have been helping the IRA. Those experienced in trench warfare fighting a seen enemy, were of little use in Ireland. The Black and Tans were so poorly disciplined and trained for Ireland that their casualty rate was far higher than could have been imagined when the government first advertised for them. The government in Westminster quickly realised that they were a liability as even public opinion in mainland Britain was appalled by a lot of what they did.
What did the Black and Tans achieve? They served no purpose for the British government as they simply failed to stop what the IRA was doing. However, they did succeed in getting the republican cause a great deal of civilian support simply because of their acts – people may not have joined the IRA, but they were supporters of it and gave what financial help they could to the movement. The Black and Tans were pulled out of Ireland in ignominy.
This a fucking great song by the way..
The words are all below the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCnGD...RUMlwVDA1Zp7JS
That's a good song, I listen to Irish/Celtic music on the Internet, there's a wide variety to listen to. I find that Quaffing back some good Irish whiskey or a few pints of Guinness while listening puts you in touch with your Irish ancestors. ;)
I enjoy a few pints of Guinness and a drop or two of Bushmills from time to time, and I am finding Irishness that must have rubbed off through contact as I have no genetics to boast of!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mars_ax
My Sir name starts with the initials McC and the full name is usually associated with being either Irish, Scottish or Scot/Irish. My father always claimed that our last name was from a 100% Irish linage, as did his father, so I gotta believe it must be true.Quote:
Originally Posted by superheavyrhunI enjoy a few pints of Guinness and a drop or two of Bushmills from time to time, and I am finding Irishness that must have rubbed off through contact as I have no genetics to boast of!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mars_ax
In any event, my wife and I, most identify with just being an American, followed by being ethnically Irish, English, German and French, with a dash of Native American. (Heinz 57) I'm not sure I like the French genealogy, but it's there, and there's not much I can do about it. Frenchie snuck in there somewhere. :cwm35:
I class myself as English.
But am very proud to have an Irish heritage.
My mother was born here but her brothers and sisters were all born in Ireland.
I have family still in Ireland
They moved here nearly 50-60 years ago.
That makes me half Irish, and yes my grandma said feck all the bloody time.
And when I was younger I ate potatoes nearly every day :)
My grandfather on my fathers side was from Portsmouth, but I have a very Irish sounding surname, so you never know I could be even more Irish than I think.
It is all a bit romantic to think that Irish heritage places you firmly in the place of the oppressed underdog with all the Celtic sentimentalism that goes with it. While I can understand your pride Mars in your Irish ancestry, I think Andre's post is a good example of where in a genuine effort to balance the argument the truth becomes a little obscured.
The song posted speaks of coming out and fighting like a man, something people backing the republican cause clearly did not do during the IRA's extended bombing campaign against civilians on British Soil. I can remember public bins being removed in London so extensive and real was the threat. Even reducing the great famine to a Potato famine engineered by the English is an oversimplification of what happened. The Irish landlords and the Catholic Church were also to blame and yet are rarely mentioned.
I live on the border of Cornwall where a few still insist to not be part of England and have more in common with the Irish and Welsh. Needless to say most of these were born in England in places like Swindon and just like the idea of being somehow more authentic and rootsy by claiming they are Celts. The fact is the English came from the same Celtic tribes as the Welsh, Scottish and Irish with equal measures of French Norman, Viking/Scandinavian and Roman ancestry.
My Grandmother on my fathers side was an Irish Romany Gypsy who married my Grandpop a Polish Jew who came to England and joined the RAF to fight in the war. My Other Grandparents were both Westcountry English and my Parents English. I am interested and proud of my ancestry but equally proud of being an Englishman with all that my country has given the world.
Beanz, the older i've gotten the more I appreciate my Irish/English, European heritage, and i'm proud to say it's where I come from. Even though i'm an American, I still feel a close bond with my ancestry and the distant relatives still living in those countries. - A Band of Brothers as it were...Quote:
Originally Posted by Greenbeanz
Cheers
Tyson has some Irish in him, his middle name is Gerald, short for Fitzgerald. Fitz is a common nick name as well. The Irish get around everywhere.
Yes the original IRA and the reason behind their public backing through the mismanagement of the black tans is a far cry from the murderous revengeful pitiless bunch the IRA became.Quote:
Originally Posted by Greenbeanz
I was born in England too by the way, with Maclannens for great grand parents.
Still its a great folk song with an amazing :-\ (is that a mandolin) lead break in the middle.
Three dead bodies turn up at the mortuary, all with very big smiles
on their faces. The coroner calls the police to tell them his results after
the examination.
"First body: Frenchman, 60, died of heart failure whilst making
love to his mistress. Hence the enormous smile, Inspector", says the Coroner.
"Second body: "Scotsman, 25, won a thousand pounds on the lottery,
spent it all on whisky. Died of alcohol poisoning, hence the smile."
The Inspector asked, "What of the third body?"
"Ah," says the coroner, "this is the most unusual one. Paddy from
Belfast, 30, struck by lightning."
"Why is he smiling then?" inquires the Inspector.
"Thought he was having his picture taken."
Racist.Quote:
Originally Posted by Master
I've reported you to the mod board.
I was going to write that this is an example of racist jokes perpetuated by racists who stereotyped Irish people as fools and idiots. :)
Thats something I've noticed out on site,what the Irish and Australians have in common is they dont get all uptight if you joke about them or their countrymen and usually join in the laughter knowing its all in fun and were al a pack of mongrels anyway ;D.
Most of us here in the States are mongrels for sure, ye old melting pot. It's fun to think that I have Irish ancesters, but my "ethnicity" is so mixed, it's hard to get real serious about being "Irish". I do believe however, that if I ever visited Ireland, i'd fit right in and have a blast there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre
As for Irish jokes, you should hear some of the flack I take for being from Texas. ;)
I e-mailed a copy of this to my wife and daughter, they thought it was hilarious.Quote:
Originally Posted by Master
BTW Andre, I also sent them the Youtube link for the Gaelic tune by Karen Matheson, great song.
It's funny because Texas has a great tradition of thinking originally and has great international conventions in Film etc that testify to this. The drummer in my old band went go Texas to jam and meet up with a couple of guys who pretty much wrote the book on writing music for computer games and electronic media. He was blown away by how broad the music scene there was and loved the place, couldn't recommend it enough.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mars_axMost of us here in the States are mongrels for sure, ye old melting pot. It's fun to think that I have Irish ancesters, but my "ethnicity" is so mixed, it's hard to get real serious about being "Irish". I do believe however, that if I ever visited Ireland, i'd fit right in and have a blast there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre
As for Irish jokes, you should hear some of the flack I take for being from Texas. ;)
Texas is a huge State, by residents,the state is generally divided into North Texas, East Texas, Central Texas, South Texas, West Texas, thus the saying "Everything is bigger in Texas". The biggest critics of the State are people who don't live here, and have no idea what the State is really like.Quote:
Originally Posted by GreenbeanzIt's funny because Texas has a great tradition of thinking originally and has great international conventions in Film etc that testify to this. The drummer in my old band went go Texas to jam and meet up with a couple of guys who pretty much wrote the book on writing music for computer games and electronic media. He was blown away by how broad the music scene there was and loved the place, couldn't recommend it enough.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mars_axMost of us here in the States are mongrels for sure, ye old melting pot. It's fun to think that I have Irish ancesters, but my "ethnicity" is so mixed, it's hard to get real serious about being "Irish". I do believe however, that if I ever visited Ireland, i'd fit right in and have a blast there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre
As for Irish jokes, you should hear some of the flack I take for being from Texas. ;)
The name 'Texas', based on the Caddo (Native American) word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in East Texas. (near where I live) For the most part you won't find a friendlier group of people then us "Texans", or as my wife likes to say: "we aren't being friendly, just nosy." ;)
OK so a Brit, an Irishman, and a Scot are at a pub and are having a pint. The Brit notices a fly in his pint and says "Barkeep this is filthy and I will not touch this drink!"....The Irishman notices a fly in his pint, he dips his fingers in the glass and tosses out the bug and then sips his beer. The Scot notices a fly in his pint and turns beet red....his fingers tremble with rage as he picks the fly out of his beer, holds the fly up to his face and says "ALRIGHT SPIT IT OUT YA BASTARD!"
....sorry, in hindsight that seems neither funny nor has a punchline about the Irish, oh well
A Scot is a Brit.Quote:
Originally Posted by El Kabong
Sorry, "an Englishman"Quote:
Originally Posted by GreenbeanzA Scot is a Brit.Quote:
Originally Posted by El Kabong
We have some classic "An American, A Texan and a Yank go into a bar" jokes over here, so the confusion is understandable.Quote:
Originally Posted by El KabongSorry, "an Englishman"Quote:
Originally Posted by GreenbeanzA Scot is a Brit.Quote:
Originally Posted by El Kabong
In my area Texans & Yankees are very different....American is kind of the catch all though.Quote:
Originally Posted by superheavyrhunWe have some classic "An American, A Texan and a Yank go into a bar" jokes over here, so the confusion is understandable.Quote:
Originally Posted by El KabongSorry, "an Englishman"Quote:
Originally Posted by GreenbeanzA Scot is a Brit.Quote:
Originally Posted by El Kabong
It is a stereotype that the Scots are drunks and very tight with their money, so good joke.
Quote:
Originally Posted by superheavyrhunWe have some classic "An American, A Texan and a Yank go into a bar" jokes over here, so the confusion is understandable.Quote:
Originally Posted by El KabongSorry, "an Englishman"Quote:
Originally Posted by GreenbeanzA Scot is a Brit.Quote:
Originally Posted by El Kabong
I can't breathe, I'm laughing so hard.