MovieChat Forums > The Devil's Own (1997) Discussion > Why do Americans refer to themselves as ...

Why do Americans refer to themselves as Irish?

posted 13 years ago by AngelRedhead
21 replies | jump to latest

Please explain? If you're born in America you are American unless you were born in Ireland & emigrated then you could call yourselves Irish. In the UK if you have American parents but were born in Wales for example you are Welsh with American parents. In America you also refer to Italian-Americans, in the UK the Italian families who have children in the UK are British children.
By the way, I'm Welsh, and I've never heard the term Welsh-American in the USA, are you not proud of your Welsh roots? Sames goes for Scotland, not heard the term Scottish-American either!
Please explain? Why are you so proud of being called Irish-American & Itaian-American but you have nothing to do with Wales & Scotland???

"I cannot live without my life! I cannot die without my soul".... Heathcliff

[–] dddmi7-1 12 years ago

I'm the first born grandson of Floyd "Mac" McCarthy from County Kilkenny Ireland. And I'm just as Irish as any other man laying claim to such.

[–] Starwarsfan777 10 years ago

Lol no you're not.

[–] odshooter22 11 years ago

People call themselves Irish or Italian because it helps give an identification to yourself in the most diverse nation in the world. When people ask, "what's your heritage" or "what's your background" I've heard plenty of individuals reply with "I'm Scottish". I've never heard Welsh though, maybe they were just a smaller group that immigrated here. For myself I respond to the heritage question as "I'm Italian, German, and English." I've gotten flack from my family in Italy about it. And my wife is from Italy, born and raised, and her family loves to poke fun that I'm the American even if my last name is Italian, I lived in Italy for over a year, I speak the language, and I have relatives over there. To some it's just a nationality, to others it's an ethic, cultural, genetic lineage to be proud of.

[–] coolaree 10 years ago

I dunno why the Americans do it but I find it pretty weird as well.

The modern day "Irish-Americans" in particular probably have the most tenuous connection back to the "old country". What do they do, drink Guinness and tattoo Celtic Crosses, how authentic and in touch with their ancestry...
their rich unique history is just that, now their just as white and privileged now as the WASPs that once despised them.

[–] gobboling 10 years ago

What difference does it make what people call themselves?! People can say whatever they want.

[–] CoinBiter 9 years ago

It is a bit odd, though. One of my parents was brought up in another country and of an ethnic descent which is uncommon in my home country. I'd never refer to myself as anything other than English or British, though. In my view to do otherwise would be strange in the extreme - I'm the nationality where I was brought up/educated.

I see that some Americans have a different view, and I can see why given the history, but it does strike many of us non-Americans as being a bit odd, so please forgive our curiosity 

I think I could eat one of Bellamy's meat pies

[–] odshooter22 8 years ago

For those who have trouble understanding, Americans are generally speaking to ethnicity, not nationality. It's not that difficult of a concept really.