A subculture in America that still practices aspects of the culture that their Irish ancestors brought over hundreds of years ago. Different from the actual Irish since Irish-Americans culturally are more similar to the 1800's Irish than modern Irish. Comparable to Italian-Americans, Jewish-American, Polish-American and Asian-Americans. The whole Irish-American subculture was generated back in the 1800's when Irish Catholic immigrants faced adversity from the White Protestants already in America so they bonded together in neighborhoods and retained their heritage. This is why St. Patrick's Day is a giant celebration in cities like Chicago, Boston, and New York. A lot of people claim they are Irish-American like a lot of people try to claim they are Italian-American/Polish-American, just because they are boring typical white Americans whose genealogy traces back to England or Germany.
My cousin Kevin is a typical Irish-American. Friendly, hard working, and visits Ireland at least once a year.
by yoyoyokn November 3, 2008
People who are loyal to America and Ireland at the same time,people who are hard workers,tough as nails,fun-loving,church goers who I support 115%!
John Fitzgerald Kennedy,people who survived the harsh criticism from other people who weren't Irish,great people with traditional Irish names like Fitzgerald,Fitzpatrick,Fitzsimmons and O'Reilly,and people who care about the U.S. of A. and the Emerald Isle!
The Irish-American is a great American!
The Irish-American is a great American!
by Fred Benson April 11, 2007
Unlike in Ireland, where one can be easliy defined as Irish, defing someone as American is inaccurate seeing as the country is roughly a hundred times bigger. Because America is so large, we actually have to specify what blood we've got in us when talking to each other. And there is no prouder blood to claim than Irish blood,(one could maybe argue Italian), because they had to put up with a lot of crap and prejudice(not nearly as much as the blacks, but a close second)
1.)Blacks and Irish need not apply
2.)Real Paddy: You're American
Irish-American: I'm Irish-American, America's a big fuckin country.
Paddy: You don't count, you're a yank, a wanabe.
Irish-American: My grandparents were born in Ireland, I think that gives me some big fuckin ties to it, you elitist douche.
Paddy: Feck off
2.)Real Paddy: You're American
Irish-American: I'm Irish-American, America's a big fuckin country.
Paddy: You don't count, you're a yank, a wanabe.
Irish-American: My grandparents were born in Ireland, I think that gives me some big fuckin ties to it, you elitist douche.
Paddy: Feck off
by Collinf December 20, 2006
An American whose Irish ancestor(s) had the balls and sense to leave a impoverished, theocratic, and otherwise rainy shithole of a country unlike the the descendants of the pussies who stayed. (see Irish)
by Bull McCabe May 2, 2006
An American-American whose Great Great Great Grandmother's cousin once wore a green skirt and drank a pint of Guinness.
I spoke to an Irish-American (from Boston of course) and took great pleasure in telling him that my great-grandfather was Irish and involved in the Easter Uprising. It was true, he was Head of his Lodge in the Orange Order and became a section commander in the Black and Tans. He defended his Dublin against the Fenian insurrectionists (note: rising against the lawful government during wartime is punishable by death in most countries) and personally shot some of them.
by fubarderby June 22, 2005
A person in the US whose distant relatives were smart enough and industrious enough to escape a dull and drunken land for a better life.
Irish-American, John O'Riley, has his great-great-great-grandfather to thank for everything good in his life and not having to live the cursed existance of his slow-witted distant cousins, of sitting on their asses all day drinking, smoking and complaining.
by Robert Murphy March 27, 2007
An individual born in America who is Irish on both sides for every generation back to the last family member born in Ireland.
I find it offensive that some of the "Irish - I was born here" are so hostile to Irish-Americans.
My family - whose names are Hughes, Rooney, Mullin, O'Brien, Daugherty, McMannus, among others - all left County Monaghan, Ireland in April of 1847 when they were put off the land by and English landowner and told to take the offered passage and go to British North America (Canada) or go to the poorhouse and starve with the other million people who died.
It's not like they left Ireland by choice. They were forced out, those who were able to stay in Ireland and keep body and soul together through the An Gorta Mor, who maybe had a decent landlord or owned a little land of their own - should be grateful to God that they didn't have to suffer the passage on the coffin ship my family came to Canada on.
I am the 4th generation not born in Ireland, but I am probably a lot more Irish than some born there. No English blood flows through my viens. I don't tell people I am Irish, I tell them I am American of Irish ancestry.
I find it offensive that some of the "Irish - I was born here" are so hostile to Irish-Americans.
My family - whose names are Hughes, Rooney, Mullin, O'Brien, Daugherty, McMannus, among others - all left County Monaghan, Ireland in April of 1847 when they were put off the land by and English landowner and told to take the offered passage and go to British North America (Canada) or go to the poorhouse and starve with the other million people who died.
It's not like they left Ireland by choice. They were forced out, those who were able to stay in Ireland and keep body and soul together through the An Gorta Mor, who maybe had a decent landlord or owned a little land of their own - should be grateful to God that they didn't have to suffer the passage on the coffin ship my family came to Canada on.
I am the 4th generation not born in Ireland, but I am probably a lot more Irish than some born there. No English blood flows through my viens. I don't tell people I am Irish, I tell them I am American of Irish ancestry.
by Sadhbh Sinead March 20, 2009