Yeah, american-bashing is fun, but it’s always funnier when there’s some ground for it 
it’s good to respect and be proud of our ancestors, no matter how far back 
Go away and don’t bother us again…we’re ALL Irish on C&F and that goes for Jerry’s furry assitant as well. :roll:
My impression is that most americans are like 1/8 Irish, 1/8 Spanish, 1/8 Portugese, 1/8 German, 1/8 Scandinavian, 1/8 Native american, and so on, with a bit of mexican, african and asian blood mixed in for good measure. There are some really amazing gene poles. Could that be why americans are so obsessed with dream teams of all sorts, cuz they are a big “dream team” themselves. 
Calleybeg, the cat currently in residence is smallish yellow tabby. And we’ve not figured out yet how to keep it down (though the sofa’s OK - it’s the counters and the TOP of 6-foot-tall bookshelves that bothers us more).
My avatar’s a Canada Lynx - a wildcat that weighs in around 15-20 kg. Assuming I had one sharing my home, I’d be very cautious in trying to get it to do ANYTHING it didn’t want to do. 
I couldn’t find an avatar-sized photo of a bobcat, or I’d have had that instead (the Lynx’s California cousin) - I see bobcats pretty regularly when out hiking.
Here’s a link to photos from the nearby park where we usually hike - I’ve met the photographer several times when hikiing:
http://www.rettner.net/quicksilverflowers/
Look under “Park Critters” to see a bobcat (one I’ve seen myself, when hiking) To tie things in, the photographer is English, living in California, likes Irish music, and currently has a daughter in University in Cork.
Sounds like my family. Our background’s pretty pan-European, with (possibly) a touch of native American. My wife’s Chinese. Brother #1’s wife is part Mexican, part Native American. But brother #2 married a woman who looks like his twin sister, right down to the red hair and freckles. Still, our family get-togethers, especially with extended family, tend to be interesting. Let’s hear it for mongrels!
Hooray for the Green Beer Irish! 
In the U.S., when people speak of being proud of their heritage, many of them are speaking of people that they actually know, or knew. It is often our parents or grandparents who emigrated, many times under adverse circumstances, and who have passed on stories of life in the old country.
My wife’s grandparents, one set from Abruzzi (Italy) and one set from Donegal, told wonderful stories about their childhoods, their moves to the U.S., and the joys and hardships of their lives. They also had some photographs of the places they came from. It’s endlessly fascinating stuff, if you ask me. We’re unlikely to ever experience the kind of adventures they did, because of the way the world has changed. When they got on the boat to America (circa 1910-1920), they must have thought that the chance of ever visiting home again was very slim, and even that further communication with loved ones back home would be very limited. It must have taken a lot of courage.
Just my $.02.
Jim (1/8 Canadian, on my father’s side).
I was born and reared in Dublin, although I was bloody glad to leave there when I did. I’ve been in the US for thirty years and I still can’t honestly say that I’m entirely comfortable in either culture. My American friends say that I’m Irish and my Irish friends and family say I’m a Yank. I plan on visiting some family in Australia next year. I’ll ask them what they think.
Mutt here too, in a big way.
You know it’s funny, living in America one gets really used to seeing lots of different types of people. You can get all combinations of appearance, colors, hair types, etc. So when I went to India the first time, one of the things that was really weird to me and difficult to get used to was being in a place where the people were so racially homogeneous. My husband thought it was funny that I noticed that, since he obviously didn’t, being born there. I suppose people in some other parts of the world see that as normal, but as Americans I think we are really fortunate to have the “mutts” of the world!
I guess this isn’t really an answer to the original question in the topic…it looks like there must not be too many native Irish here compared to the rest of us!
Robin
I recently bought a $2.00 tacky t-shirt that has “Half of me is 90% Irish” printed on it. It certainly elicits goofy smiles from others.
Jef
PS Of course, the truth is it’s only 6.98557%.
I was born in Dublin. Emmigrated to Canada at the age of 2. Went back to Dublin at 7 for a year, then (like the hornpipe) off to California. Haven’t been back since 1978 when I was stationed in Germany (USAF). Hope to go next summer for a giant family reunion.
Now, my dad’s name, Higgins, goes way back, but I found out a couple of years ago that his mother was brought to Ireland in the late 1800s as a baby from Eastern Europe or Russia by a single Jewish mother. Our guess is her husband was killed and she fled. My mom’s family has a French name. My cousin on that side did geneology research and belongs to the Heugonot Society in Ireland. They are decendents of French soldiers who fought for the English, I think in the 1700’s. I believe French officers were given property in Ireland. Now, I hear Dublin is packed with immigrants from all over the world because of job opportunities.
We currently have 6 people from Dublin visiting us for my sister’s wedding which was today. (There was plenty of whistle playing before, during, and after the ceremony- by me. ) My cousin taught some ceili dancing during the reception to Off to California and Six Penny Money (different dances). I took some of the relatives home to my mom’s after the reception and put on a Martin Hayes cd in the car. One of the visitors, a friend of my cousin’s, and a regular ceili dancer told me she’s sat in to hear a kitchen session with Martin Hayes for quite a few years running during Willie Clancy Week.
Tony
Although my direct ancesters emigrated earlier, I have a similar kind of background and my family still has stories about the lives of the early immigrants and the worlds they left behind. I value my old-world heritage just as much as I accept the reality of my own new-world life and upbringing.
In starting this thread, I was just curious to know who actually is Irish and how many of us there are who fit that description, as opposed to the very large numbers of us who have some Irishness in their background.
I certainly don’t denigrate the idea that one may legitmately indentify in part with the culture of one’s parents and grandparents since I do this myself. I don’t think one should carry it to ridiculous extremes either. The person I know who is most impatient with immigrant Irishness is a friend born and raised in Drogheda. Having lived in Australia off and on for about 12 years he no longer regards himself as Irish, a view I find a bit strange. He doesn’t in any way reject the culture though; once when staying with me he flipped through some CDs, picked out a Seamus Ennis and remarked ‘I must listen to this, Seamus used to visit my father frequently when I was growing up.’
How can ye say it don’t count?!! Me great granddaddy, Seamus O’Walden came to Ellis Island during the tater famine, and lived for 8 years in Tammany Hall! He fought bravely for the Yanks in the Civil War of Northern Aggression, and received five purple hearts in 1864! He then bought a prairie schooner, with a bumper sticker which read, “Oregon or Burst,” and headed for the Gold Rush of 1849. He set up a pub which had sessions every night. I was born at one of those sessions!!! In 1893, he moved, into Oklahoma, the way all people who count did, in the Cherokee Strip Land Theft… err… I mean Run. Actually, he snuck in beforehand, as a great hero, and caught a mountain boomer. He thus received the honored nickname “Boomer Sooner.” He founded the University of Oklahoma. 
All my ancestors come from Atlantis.
Cranberry a chara - what happened to your pure juice?
Callybeg (concerned for your general well being and zestiness.)
I totally agree that it doesn’t matter to me (and IMHO, ‘shouldn’t’ matter to anyone) what nationality, race, creed, gender, etc. someone is, as I prefer tto get to know a person as who they are not just what they appear to be, or based on any pre(oftern ‘mis’)conceptions I or others may have.
The “I’m proud to be…” thing only offends me when it carries an implication that to be otherwise is somehow less desirable or accetable… nonsense!
I’m proud of many things in my life, not at all proud of others, and determined not to be limited by either.
My root come completely for Ireland but I’m a Mercun, born in Motown. I learned how much I was American when I lived in Switzerland in the 1970s. I do, however, have Irish citizenship and an Irish passport but really, I still just a Yank.
Mike
Another reason for associating one’s self with a particular heritage is because of surname. That is my case. In my great grandparents 5/8 were born in the US, 1/4 in Ireland, and 1/8 in Canada. It just happens that my great grandfather Kiley or Kiely was Irish. If I go back a few more generations I find a great deal of german and dutch. One reason I search out the information is my belief that we are the sum of all who have gone before. When I visited Ireland I went down on the quay at Cork city. It is impossible for me to describe my feelings knowing that my great grandfather stepped aboard a ship there never to see his native land again. He never forgot it though and he impressed upon my grandfather that he was Irish. My father and I got the same treatment. Many may not care what there family went through in coming here and that is just fine. I want to know who they were and what they did. Keep whistling.
Ron
Made in America.
(With >50% Irish parts) 