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Chari
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| Posted: March 17 2010 at 7:41pm | IP Logged
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My mom was born an O'Connor...I am third generation American...on my maternal grandfather's side (my grandma takes us to pre-revolutionary war days!)
I have been to Ireland....one of the highlights of my life  ...and an extraordinary gift to me from my grandfather  ...with one month's notice. I was 7.5 months pg with my first baby.
I walked (waddled  ) in St. Patrick's footsteps......and knelt in his kneeprints...and stood on a hill from which he preached.
All those memories just came back to me while I was writing this. 
So..are you Irish? What is your family name? What generation are you?
Maybe you are NOT Irish...but your kids are?!
Happy Saint Patrick's Day to all of you!
Saint Patrick, Pray for us!
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Chari...Take Up & Read
Dh Marty 27yrs...3 lovely maidens: Anne 24, Sarah 20 & Maddelyn 17 and 3 chivalrous sons: Matthew 22, Garrett 16 & Malachy 11
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guitarnan
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| Posted: March 17 2010 at 7:56pm | IP Logged
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Hmmm.
My grandmother loved celebrating her Irish ancestry - we used to bring her shamrocks on this day every year. (I miss doing that...) She was a Dempsey (her mom) and, one generation back, a Byrnes (Limerick town - I have the documents!). Her dad was of Scottish descent, but they were all Catholic, so she doesn't qualify as traditional Scotch-Irish.
By the time you dilute this Irish blood down to me, though, there isn't much left. Still, I make up for it in true affection. I was a high school exchange student in Ireland and have traveled there twice since. My daughter is a champion Irish step dancer. (My husband's grandmother was Scotch-Irish-Canadian, so she gets it from both sides.) My husband and I both love Irish music and have been known to perform it on (a very rare) occasion. He sings, I play guitar.
I can do a brilliant Irish accent, still, from the days when I lived there and hung out on Grafton Street and at the Wesley Rugby Club disco (now called "The Wez"!). This has its drawbacks...in college my Irish-American English composition TA made me do all the read-alouds, every single one, because he had us read Joyce and Yeats and so on...once he realized I had a feel for the poetry of the Irish accent, I was it. Even with bronchitis.
Even now there is Irish music on in the background. My dd's dance teacher is very talented on the button accordion and dd is watching a performance DVD right now. I really and truly could listen to this music 24/7.
I made my dh come with me to Ireland before we were married, to meet my exchange family and see where I'd lived. I didn't think he should marry me without realizing I'd left half my heart there.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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MaryAnne
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| Posted: March 17 2010 at 8:18pm | IP Logged
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My Grandparents on Dad's side were from Ireland... Nana (Annie Higgins) from Kiltimagh in County Mayo and Pop (Bernard Devine aka Bernard Duane) was from Clifden in County Galway.
Mom (Ogast Flannigan or Violet Tarrant) was from Newfoundland prior to confederacy with Canada and was of Irish descent from County Cork but many generations ago.
Tis cool to be Irish 
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amyable
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| Posted: March 17 2010 at 8:34pm | IP Logged
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I think I am. That's about the best I can do!
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Amy
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SusanJ
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| Posted: March 17 2010 at 8:46pm | IP Logged
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My maiden name is O'Connors (yes, with an s). My family is from County Kerry. My grandfather and father are very serious about their Irish heritage but if you do the math I'm actually more German.
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crusermom
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| Posted: March 17 2010 at 9:05pm | IP Logged
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My grandparents were all from Ireland. My Nanny - Brigid O'Hara (from County Mayo) - became a widow at age 30 in NYC with 8 children all under the age of 13. Her husband Thomas was a NYC policeman. Three of her sons became NYC policeman. She raised them all on her own without any help from Uncle Sam. She is my hero.
I have been to Ireland a few times - to see my relatives and to just enjoy it.
It is so beautiful.
I love the Quiet Man - not too far from where my mother's parents were born.
I think I am going to go have a Guinness with my DH!
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Mary
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KC in TX
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| Posted: March 17 2010 at 9:27pm | IP Logged
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My husband's part Irish so that'd make my children a tiny bit Irish.
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KC,
wife to Ben (10/94),
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TxTrish
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| Posted: March 17 2010 at 9:55pm | IP Logged
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My mom's 1/2 - her mother maiden name Kelly.
But she was orphaned with a dozen of her siblings, so not much history known.
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Mary K
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| Posted: March 17 2010 at 10:42pm | IP Logged
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I have 1 Irish ancestor (maternal great grandmother-Callahan). It seems she was so feisty that she changed the pronunciation of my grandmother's married name from a Germanic sounding "Blickvaid" to more Irish sounding "Blickwahdie" (It's Blickwede). You could only use her pronunciation near her, so that became the way everybody said it.
God bless,
Mary-NY
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Erin
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We've been out here for a few generations now. However we were originally from County Cork, Michale Collins is my great, great (maybe another great )uncle and as much as I can piece together I think our branch came out before the uprising.
My mum has always been pretty strong on our Irish heritage but I'm afraid I'm not passing it on as much. Although the Irish Australian poetry of John O'Brien is my favourite and the children and I can recite several poems.
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Erin
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Christine
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I'm a wee bit Irish. My husband is over half Irish (dad's Irish, mom's part Irish). My uncle/godfather was 100% Irish. He was born and raised in Ireland.
All of my lads are named after Irish saints and they do hear me speak with a bit of an Irish brogue occasionally.
My youngest son greeted me this morning saying, "Can I watch St. Patrick? It's St. Patrick's Day." The Quiet Man is also a well-liked movie here. I have enjoyed reading some Irish picture books today. The children really liked Margaret Hodges' Saint Patrick and the Peddler.
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Christine
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4 lads mom
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| Posted: March 18 2010 at 8:08am | IP Logged
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Oh, Chari, I am a day late.....but with a name like 4 lads mom, two of which have red hair....and great grandmother with a name like Ettie Finn....well, here I am!! My husband and I are both almost 50% Irish, so there you go!! I was homesick yesterday, though....back where we are from, it is very, very Irish. St. Patrick’s Day is like a national holiday, there is a several hour parade through downtown.....thousands come, it is so fun!! It is a celebration of all things Catholic and Irish that day. Here....they have their parade the weekend BEFORE St. Patrick’s Day...and only a thousand or so people show up....it is primarily Dutch and Polish here. Oh Well. I got up and whipped out a little elastic waist skirt for Lily made from the cutest St. Patrick’s Day material....way too cute....and she would NOT wear it. Nope, not going to do it!! So...Lily had her Irish goin’ yesterday! Our little spitfire, who is very picky about clothes, choose to wear her green pants instead.
Thanks for letting me ramble...great topic, Chari!!!
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Molly Smith
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| Posted: March 18 2010 at 11:49am | IP Logged
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1/2 Irish here, although we usually drop the "1/2". My mom is full Irish--all of her grandparents came from Ireland. My dad's side is mostly German, but we just overlook that .
Okay, here's the test of a true Irishman: what is the proper response to "Top o' the morning to you"?
Hint: It's not, "Top o' the morning to you, too".
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Molly Smith in VA
Mom to seven beautiful children, ages 1-14
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Teachin'Mine2
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| Posted: March 18 2010 at 11:53am | IP Logged
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And the rest o' the day to yourself.
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mom of one 13yo dd
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sewcrazy
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Another Irish / German split here my parents are both half Irish/half german. But we are several generations her in America.
The surnames of a few generations back: McGillicutty, O'Donohue, Garvey, O'Malley
We were with Gram O'Donohue today, and she was encouraging me to take the kids to Ireland when we can.
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LeeAnn
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dakotamidnight
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| Posted: March 18 2010 at 8:31pm | IP Logged
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We're scots-irish - does that count? Last name is a Mc, and we're got several other Mc's in the family.
I always grew up hearing we were Orange Irish and being told to wear a bit of orange with my green on St. Patrick's Day.
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Donna Marie
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I am a bit...my paternal greats (on one side)were from Ireland...can't remember from where but they had the last name of Carey. My father's mom was a lovely "strawberry blond" Irish Catholic with lots of wonderful women from her past. She kept the faith alive in her kids...gotta love that!
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guitarnan
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| Posted: March 18 2010 at 9:57pm | IP Logged
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When I visited Ulster a few years ago, the locals I met and talked with (that would be everyone I met!) all described themselves as Irish. Of course, many of their ancestors probably did come from Scotland 400 years ago...but they're as Irish as anyone. Ireland is their home and they love it. Scots-Irish counts, IMHO.
This is the hard part about Ireland's Troubles. Everyone who lives in Ireland (Republic and Northern) is truly Irish. They have so much in common. And the differences are still there, passed down faithfully year after year. Our taxi tour of Belfast was a sobering experience.
It's worth taking a few minutes to pray for peace and understanding in Ireland and in all places around the world where several groups claim the same territory as "homeland." We need, now more than ever, peace on Earth and goodwill toward men.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Cherishedheart
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| Posted: March 19 2010 at 8:41am | IP Logged
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We love our Irish heritage.!!!!!!
Well, my Dad was born in County Cork and my name was Kelly until my Mother remarried.
My Mothers mother is Irish and both her parents were too.
So I guess that answers the question.
On Stephen's side thre is a lot as well but I can't remember it
I have always wanted to visit Ireland and now our children want to go there too.
Blessings
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melanie
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We are Scotch-Irish...on my mom's side, the last name was Purvis. I was told at one point we are related, actually, to Robert the Bruce...you know, the cowardly guy from Braveheart who sold out his friends? Not the cool guy Mel Gibson played. hehe...also, that my great-grandparents inherited an actual castle at one point when my grandmother was growing up. They couldn't keep it because they couldn't pay the taxes. They might have been nobility in Scotland, but here we are just po' white trash I guess. My mom knows more about all of that, she researched our family tree and found our tartan and everything. My husband's mother is also Irish. Her maiden name is Amend....not sure if that's Irish or not, or just her married name though now that I think about it.
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Melanie
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: So, who is Irish? Raise your hand.
