Once strictly used by people from Ireland to describe people from abroad who claim Irish ancestry, this term has been appropriated by Irish Americans who are tired of green beer, shamrocks in Guinness, and the "everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day" mentality. Plastic paddies can claim no Irish ancestry, have only a superficial knowledge of Irish and Irish-American history, and use St. Patrick's Day as an excuse to drink excessively. They genuinely believe that the Irish in America were lower than slaves, despite ample evidence to the contrary.
by sillymittens March 16, 2025