What it means to be Irish

THE global Irish community are getting ready to celebrate St Patrick's Day, but at home history repeats itself as the economic recession, mass unemployment and emigration have returned. The day is celebrated around the world as the day to be Irish, but what does that really mean? The UL Collective asks eight local Limerick Irish politicians, church leaders, sports personalities and "new" Irish emigrants about what being Irish really means to them.








By Kieran Foley, Jason Kennedy, Jean O’Donovan, Janna Murphy, Kelly Moran, David Kelly, Niall Kelly


Padraig Connelly, Former mayor of Galway

“It’s important to celebrate our Irishness, the best of Irish culture. This needs to be expressed in a public way,” he said.

However, he believes the festival has been marred of late by the consumption of alcohol.

“The Irish culture seems to be to celebrate something with alcohol. We need to get away from that. We need to celebrate with colour, with art, show off our cities, towns,” he said.

He believes groups and participants in parades do a good job, but some people need to be more involved. “Many lack cohesion and co-ordination. We need to get more businesses on board. Many don’t show themselves off.”

“They celebrate way better abroad,” he said. “ I’ve been to America, they put us to shame. They are so professional, so Irish.”


Bernie Whelan, the London Irish Women’s Centre.

The organisation participated in London’s "Go Green" parade, which was held yesterday. They decorated bicycle rickshaws and also held a stall in Trafalgar Square where they had their own products on display, such as books and green pashminas.

“I think the women got a lot out of it,” said Ms Whelan.

St Patrick's Day is still an important festival to be celebrated as Ms Whelan believes the Irish community in London is more isolated than ever before. “Being Irish isn’t as recognisable anymore. It’s second generation now, they have assimilated.”

The centre is involved in lots of other activites including helping specific disadvantaged groups.“We do lots of work with members of the Irish travelling community in London, and we give them councilling and welfare advice."

Ms Whelan believes it's very important that Irish people can see others from their native country. She believes St Patrick’s Day has become a multi-cultural event, but is still essentially Irish.


Deirdre Clune, Fine Gael TD

"Being Irish to me I suppose is a sense of a long family tradition. All my family is Irish, going back generations, my grandparents and my great grandparents. I think there is a sense of family and belonging. I suppose it’s like being part of a team if you could use that word. Yeah, I’m very proud of my heritage."


Henry Healy, Barck Obama’s 8th cousin
“For me, being Irish is about the sense of pride in our culture and our history and honouring the people who fought to make this country what it is today. This St. Patrick’s Day, I’ll be helping to organise the local parade. Like I do every year.”


Michael Noonan Fine Gael TD
“St Patrick’s Day means more to those abroad I think than it does to those at home. I will be in Limerick for the parade, I always go to the military mass in Sarsfield Barracks, and then on to the parade. Every nation has their own feeling of pride. There is a strong cultural feeling in Ireland”.


Dan Lynch, Chairman Portumna GAA Club
“The GAA is very much part of the community. It brings a sense of being and togetherness. With the local parish and county behind us, it shows it is not all about doom and gloom. Winning the All-Ireland Club Hurling Final brings great pride to those loyal supporters at home and abroad. Their support is something very special and the players know and respect that. The GAA has a very special place in Irish identity.
“The wide space in Croke Park will suit us, there will be gaps and opportunities for goals. It’s a 50/50 game, but our experience should stand to us. A mistake could be costly. Our lads will play with pride and passion, and that is what it is all about,” he added.


Siobhan O’Connor, Doras Lumni
Doras Lumni, is a non profit organisation operating in Limerick for the past ten years. Their aim is to protect the rights and culture of immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers.
Siobhan O Connor, advocacy campaigns officer would like Ireland to be more open and inclusive, skin colour and culture shouldn’t matter. “There are no limits on what it is to be Irish,” she said.

Sophie Lee Fadlallah and her mother Bridget now live between Morocco and Ireland. Bridget had to convert to Islam to marry a man from Morocco.
“With me being Catholic and my mother Muslim I don’t think religion matters in Irish culture these days. I think being Irish is more of an attitude than a culture, we don’t really have many things that re distinct about us as a nation anymore,” she said.

In the days leading up to St. Patrick’s Day debate is ongoing in Limerick city on whether traditional Catholic-oriented public drinking laws should be bended to allow rugby fans celebrate in pubs on Good Friday, April 2nd.
Last Monday members of the Gardaí and Limerick publicans met to discuss a possible relaxation of the laws on the day which, traditionally, fasting, which includes abstaining from meat and alcohol has been observed for decades.
In a country more secular now than ever, the question remains, should Ireland still hold onto its traditional Catholic laws? This is particularly important today given that we now live in a multicultural society.

Fr Gabriel, Franciscan Friars of Moyross
“In a country that’s been historically Catholic since the evangelisation of the church, it’s hard to separate any definition of term ‘Irish’ from religion. I don’t agree with rugby fans going to the pub after the match”. Observing Good Friday is now losing its meaning, it’s become a day disconnected from prayer, fasting or focusing on higher things”.