Don’t ask me why, but during the last two months of my senior year of college, two guys from Sweden lived alongside my other roommates in our house. As bizarre as it was, I actually didn’t have a problem with it. They were cool and fun to hang out with. While we had many memories going out to bars and sitting around the fire listening to music, one that is burned in my memory is a silly argument they had with one of my roommates.
My friend happened to mention that “he was Italian,” and the Swedes took issue with it. “No, you’re American,” they said. They talked past each other for what felt like a long time and it became comical. It made me think about how it is a distinctly American thing for some people to identify with whatever country their ancestors came from even if they were born and raised in the middle of New Hampshire. This definitely applies to me. I’ve always felt a sense of Irish identity even though I’m from Massachusetts.
Although the more time goes on, the more I would agree with the Swedes. It’s like, no, you’re not Irish…because you weren’t born in Ireland. You’re American. You don’t hear people in France saying they’re German just because their great-grandfather was from Berlin. Perhaps this is reflective of America’s unique status as a radically diverse place that has always attracted immigrants from all over the world.
However, while first and foremost I am, of course, an American, I still believe there are aspects of my predominantly Irish ancestral background that are reflected in myself and my family that I want to highlight because I think anyone can benefit from embracing more of it.
When I think of people with Irish roots there are three particular traits that come to mind: telling jokes, sharing stories, and what I would call making merry. Of course you could say these are general traits that apply to all peoples, but when I think about my family and the swaths of people with Irish roots I knew growing up, it seems they display an exceptional level of humor, possess an extra amount of crazy stories and, more than anything, love being around people at parties and all sorts of get-togethers.
Just think about the way in which Saint Patrick’s Day stands above other holidays in how much of a party it is. It seems to me that the Irish spirit is one of wild story maximization and defiant laughter. Defiant because life can be hard and an infinity of mysteries is assaulting us at all moments, but we still have a great time anyway.
