suspire

I am sure I'm not the only one who has encountered this, so I thought I'd bring it up here as it is both amusing and puzzling to me.

Why is it that when I tell people I'm going to Ireland, the first thing they ask me is "Oh, are you Irish?"? When I went to England, people didn't say, "Oh, are you British?" When I went to Australia, people didn't ask, "Oh, are you Australian?" So why do they ask this about Ireland? Has anyone else encountered this? It just seems odd to me! I'm going because I want to visit Ireland - isn't that obvious?!

And no: Not one drop of Irish blood.

FainaAgain

I've heard something even funnier.

Somebody learned I'm going to Switzerland, and the reaction was: "Why? I was there, have no desire to go there again. Strange, why Switzerland?"

natjgc

I have. A few years ago I took my daughter to Ireland on a tour and many people asked me why I was going there. I'm not Irish but I always wanted to see Ireland. It is by the way an extremely beautiful country-
40 shades of green they say and it's true. Have a great time. natjgc

wojazz3

I get that too, but then again, my name begins with O'. Perhaps it is a pretty safe question because a pretty good percentage of Americans have a bit of Irish ancestry (on St Patrick's Day about 98.47625%). You make an interesting point though and it seems to be very true.

The other end of that are the American's that visit Ireland and ask their B&B host (or anyone elee who will listen) "I'm an O'Brien. Can you tell me where my family is from?"

Bill

Marlie

People ask you if you are of Irish decent because so many people came here from Ireland during the 19th century.


America also had a big influx of imigrants from other countries as well, but probably not to the same level as the Irish. During the potato famine several million Irish people moved to the U.S.



Are you sure your not part Irish?

bob_brown

Irish ancestry. I have a little; my wife has 50%, at least. I told my son that I thought it amusing that his house was on Kilkenny Way in Cobb County, GA.

We are also a large percentage Welsh.
We felt at home in both places, particularly in Ireland after we got out of the tour bus and started seeing the people. (The cocoon of a big, canned tour is absolutely stultifying to me - totally and completely. One rides through the place being visited, and sees it not.)

Wales is equally fascinating.

Clifton

No, not a drop for me either. All my grandparents were 3rd generation American but still spoke German. On the other hand, my wife's mom was born in Ireland and although she lives in Australia now, she's never taken citizenship there. My wife carries an Irish passport and has cousins still in the Dublin area.

So who decided we should go to Ireland first? Me. Just seemed like a magical place to me and I think it satisfied that feeling. While my wife likes it too, where does she most want to go in Europe? Germany. Go figure.

suspire

Marlie - yes, I'm sure there's no Irish in me! At least, not in this lifetime. In this lifetime, I'm almost pure Swiss, and what's not Swiss is Dutch. And yet have I gone to Switzerland or Holland yet? No! I really need to get my travel on!

Marlie

Hi Suspire,

I am not of Irish decent either, but my husband is. Just got back from Ireland.

I'm 1/4 Norwegian. We went to Norway a couple of years ago and saw the house where my grandfather was born. Pretty exciting.

I think another reason people are asking, is because so many people are intersted in genealogy right now, and searching for family roots.

Anyway, Have a great trip!! Ireland is amazing.

Robbyn

Leona

It's funny - I was asked the very same question prior to my trip to Ireland last year, by several people! And no one has ever asked me that relative to the other foreign locales I have visited.

People of all backgrounds seem to be drawn to Ireland. I know that it was my absolute dream trip and it was even better than I dreamed it would be. I would go back in a heartbeat!

So all you Irish and wannabee's, just go and have a great time. You just can't help it!

Timlin

Gosh that's true! I've never thought about the fact that no one ever asked if we were Finnish or Swedish or French.....too funny.

When we went to Ireland I gave orders that we were NEVER to mention the fact that my family came from Ireland. We were tracing the 5 counties my family came from but we never mentioned that fact to anyone but the Priest at the Churches or the gal at the research office.

I think the Irish must be soooo tired of the "my Grandmother came from here before the before".......

It really is a wonderful country and the quiet easy going people are a special bonus.

yesiree100

I get that all the time both here and in Ireland (I'm on my eighth trip over and I'm not Irish...however, I'm in a relationship with someone who is Irish).

On the flipside, people in Ireland have asked me questions like "Oh, we have relations in Pittsburg (or Boston or Phoenix or Muncie)...the Connors...maybe you've heard of the family?" It always makes me chuckle to think I might know the Connors of New Jersey....then again, one day it could happen.

suspire

yesiree - ha! I live in Seattle, and once someone asked me if I knew so-and-so in Spokane - a good 6 hours drive away! Cracked me up!

allisonm

On one of our trips to Ireland, we sat in Mac's Pub in Bunratty with some local folks. My husband's great grandparents on his father's side were all from Ireland and we talked about that a bit. Then I was asked about my Irish ancestry. I don't claim any (I think I am probably more French and German - a mutt, really), but said somewhere along the line some very distant ancestors with the name McGann came over and dropped the Mc to become Gann. So I was advised that they most likely came from Dundalk since there are many McGanns there. I think the Irish enjoy the ancestry search at least as much as we do!

What gets me is when friends or acquaintances hear we are taking another trip to Ireland. "Why are you going back there?" or "Haven't you been there enough yet?" "Don't you want to go somewhere else?" Well, because we love it, no we haven't been there enough, and yes, we like to (and do) try other places but we are always called back there somehow..

JOHNOD

June 21 will be our 9th trip to Ireland and I cannot wait. I am lucky in that my name is O'Driscoll and I know where my great grandfather was born and doubly lucky in that each year, the last full weekend in June in Baltimore which is just south of Skibbereen we have the O'Driscoll Clan festival. We have a clan chieftan and three days great craic. I will go every year that I am able. I think that more than any american people the Irish and the Italians Know where they are from and have a strong bond with "old country". I known that when I get to Baltimore thish N.J. boy feel like he has come home. Have fun