the Irish famine

I as an Irish person born and raised cannot stand people finding the need to tell me their percent of Irish or English heritage or Irish sir names(that most of the time I've never heard of). I know that it is something to be proud but the fact that your mothers dads dogs sister is Irish does not actually make you Irish. claim Canadian!be proud to be Canadian, It's where you're from. I apologize for my lack of connection to those of you who want to share your history with me but after so many years, to be completely blunt, I just don't care. I believe the culture and traditions of where you grow up defines your nationality and identity, not your great great great grandmother

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Ok

Jul 16, 2017 at 4:27pm

and please warn people when you first meet them that you have this irritation with it so they don't waste their time.

Canadian

Jul 16, 2017 at 4:49pm

You gotta be born in Ireland to be Irish. Not buying it. I know people who don't even know where the island is who are more Irish than you.

I don't think....

Jul 16, 2017 at 5:03pm

a Jewish person would agree with you.

Steller's Jay

Jul 16, 2017 at 5:10pm

I've been told all my life that only First Nations people are truly Canadian: all others are immigrants. So, no, I'm not Canadian. At least I'm still allowed my ancestors, who were British, some of whom were also Irish (which is where I got my Anglicised surname whether you recognise it or not, though I couldn't blame you for not recognizing it) so that's what I am, by default. Now you want to take that from me, too, but I just don't care, so you can deal.

Oh Canada

Jul 16, 2017 at 5:12pm

People are insecure and they need to anchor themselves in something. People need identity. People are tribalists. Canada is bland. There's not a lot of romance in a country like Canada.

been here long?

Jul 16, 2017 at 5:51pm

That's how we Canadians are! We are proud to be Canadian, and we are proud of our ancestries, even when they become so infinitesimally fractional you would need a magnifying glass to see them all on a family tree. When someone tells you about his great-great-grandmother's third cousin twice removed who was born in Galway, it's because he is trying to find commonality with you and form a bond. Sorry our appreciation for your homeland offends you. Perhaps you'd rather be discriminated against, as earlier Irish immigrants to North America were, and prevented from participating freely in Canadian society.
p.s. The word you're looking for is spelled "surname."

Mitch

Jul 16, 2017 at 7:57pm

Good thing you said "Irish".....

Anonymous

Jul 17, 2017 at 1:07am

You needn't have wasted so many words to explain that you're not actually Irish which was quickly made obvious by the fact that you cannot write.

heritage is still a special connection

Jul 17, 2017 at 6:48am

It is a North American thing to do if your family immigrated to Canada or the U.S.A from somewhere (which is everyone unless you are First Nations). I get excited with others when we find out we share the same heritage…it is a small thing…but our roots our what connect us in some way when you've grown up in the north american culture.

On the other hand

Jul 17, 2017 at 12:28pm

Canada has turned its back on its citizens of Irish (and other european) decent so why would they want to be recognized as Canadian?

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