Much like African-American or Asian-American, Irish-Americans are Americans who are of Irish heritage.
Why doesn't Uncle Sam kiss Irish-Americans' asses like he does African-Americans? I mean, c'mon, Irish-Americans are so much sexier!
by Micheal f'ing Collins, biotches! April 25, 2005
Get the Irish-Americanmug. Irish Americans are people descended from Irish immigrants to North America. Originally highly discriminated against by resident Americans. Though the initial discrimination has faded considerably over the past couple hundred years, many people native to the United Kingdom hold an intense bias against these people insisting they are not Irish, due to their being accustomed to the label not as a culture or ethnicity, but as a nationality.
It should be known that Irish Americans do not consider themselves to be Irish nationals, but instead as descendants from the natives of Ireland, most of whom are known to have emigrated from Ireland during the Great Potato Famines.
Those living in the United Kingdom, and at times Ireland, tend to react dismissively of these people's acceptance of their heritage.
In some way, this is a form of racism against the group, in an attempt to deny them their cultural and ethnic origins (let's face it, Irish ancestry is still a form of racial ancestry, and anyone who would be as quick to deny it ought be equally willing to deny the ancestry of anyone from any other national ancestry).
Though many neglect the history of their people and attest to their heritage out of ignorance there are many who maintain an informed perspective of their history as a people. It is unfortunate, however, that people react so negatively to the acceptance of a cultural origin.
It should be known that Irish Americans do not consider themselves to be Irish nationals, but instead as descendants from the natives of Ireland, most of whom are known to have emigrated from Ireland during the Great Potato Famines.
Those living in the United Kingdom, and at times Ireland, tend to react dismissively of these people's acceptance of their heritage.
In some way, this is a form of racism against the group, in an attempt to deny them their cultural and ethnic origins (let's face it, Irish ancestry is still a form of racial ancestry, and anyone who would be as quick to deny it ought be equally willing to deny the ancestry of anyone from any other national ancestry).
Though many neglect the history of their people and attest to their heritage out of ignorance there are many who maintain an informed perspective of their history as a people. It is unfortunate, however, that people react so negatively to the acceptance of a cultural origin.
"I'm Irish American."
"You you aren't, you git, you're just American."
"And Americans are a mismatch of different ethnic and cultural origins culminating in the form of not one culture, but many, among which are Irish Americans."
"NUH UH!"
"You you aren't, you git, you're just American."
"And Americans are a mismatch of different ethnic and cultural origins culminating in the form of not one culture, but many, among which are Irish Americans."
"NUH UH!"
by Seanomoric April 20, 2008
Get the Irish Americanmug. Our brothers and sisters from across the water. Endured great hardships in the US, sent money home to help the motherland and reproduced like rabbits.
1. Individual with Irish heritage living in the US.
2. Irish individuals who become Irish Americans through naturalization.
2. Irish individuals who become Irish Americans through naturalization.
by Oisin Gallagher October 21, 2010
Get the Irish Americansmug. A person born in America that is of Irish descent. Despite what others seem to think, an Irish-American person may have not been to Ireland, but this does not deny the existence of Irish in their blood. Millions of Irish immigrants fled to America even until the 1930's and settled thus creating families and spreading their blood lines. If ones' great grandparents or such came from Ireland, does that Irish blood not carry on to them even though they happened to born in America? Someone could easily have Irish parents and be born in Russia, or anywhere for that matter, but they are are still Irish no matter what country they happen enter the world into.
These are just a few great Irish-Americans. Ronald Reagan, James Cagney, Errol Flynn, Frank & Malachy McCourt, and many other greats.
by Rachel McVay March 31, 2007
Get the Irish-Americanmug. Irish person: yea im from Ireland
'Irish American' person: OMG my moms, grandmas, sisters, dads uncle, half brothers, step dads, sister in laws, moms second husbands sisters son is half Irish!! Isn't that crazy i'm like totally part Irish!!
Irish person:.....no.
'Irish American' person: OMG my moms, grandmas, sisters, dads uncle, half brothers, step dads, sister in laws, moms second husbands sisters son is half Irish!! Isn't that crazy i'm like totally part Irish!!
Irish person:.....no.
by imirishyourenot June 1, 2011
Get the irish americanmug. 1)Americans whose distant ancestors came from Ireland. Many contries built by immigration use hyphens to denote cultural ties, such as Canada, US, England and Australia. Mainly American, they nonetheless retain the physical and cultural characteristics of Ireland (dark or red hair, pale and thin) and are identified as Irish by the general population and sometimes suffer discrimination due to these physical traits.
2)Americans whose parents are Irish
3)Americans born in the US but raised in Ireland, see Frank McCourt,writer; Aidan Quinn,actor ; Eamon DeValera, patriot and first president of Ireland
4)The people who raised cash and weapons so that the Irish war of Independence could be fought. Without Irish American support there would be no Republic of Ireland
2)Americans whose parents are Irish
3)Americans born in the US but raised in Ireland, see Frank McCourt,writer; Aidan Quinn,actor ; Eamon DeValera, patriot and first president of Ireland
4)The people who raised cash and weapons so that the Irish war of Independence could be fought. Without Irish American support there would be no Republic of Ireland
Some Irish claim that Irish-Americans are not Irish at all, but they always lay claim the famous ones, such as Eugene O'Neill and Frank McCourt as their talents are so "Irish".
by NYC Ginger August 11, 2007
Get the Irish-Americanmug. An American who clings to a false Irish hyphenated identity in an effort to dilute his/her annoying, ignorant American one. They are known as 'Plastic Paddies'. They have never set foot on Irish soil, don't know any Irish people and call Irish (i.e. Gaeilge) 'Gaelic' e.g. ''OMG speak some gaelic!''. They believe they are Irish because their grandfather's grandmother lived next to a woman whose postman was from Dublin. Incidentally, Dublin is the only Irish city they're aware of, unless they're one of the elite few who know of ''Galloway'' (i.e. Galway, pronounced Gawl-way) or Cob - H (i.e. Cobh, pronounced cove). A real Irish person is born in Ireland and grows up there and would never compromise their identity by adding 'American' onto the latter end of their title of nationality (even if s/he moved to the U.S. and lived there indefinitely). Unless you have an Irish passport, don't call yourself Irish...even if your fifth cousin's brother-in-law's dog lived in Kerry!
by CogsKB July 26, 2011
Get the Irish-Americanmug.