Irish Americans are not Plastic Paddies?

I never thought I would live this long but for once I have found an article in the New York based Irish Central that I actually agree with.

The Irish approach to their diaspora is “old fashioned and condescending” and needs updating, Notre Dame Professor Kevin Whelan told a panel at the Galway Arts Festival today. Professor Whelan is the director of the Notre Dame campus in Dublin and a noted historian. His remarks were quoted in The Irish Times. He said it was utterly wrong to view Irish Americans as “plastic Paddys” who lacked knowledge about Ireland. “In fact our knowledge of Irish America is equally limited. We are totally disinterested and incurious about their lives. We need to broaden our view and have a much more generous version of what an Irish identity might mean,” Prof Whelan said.

As an Irish Expat living in London Professor Whelan's remarks are spot on - particularly his observation that the Irish in the small island are utterly incurious about the reality of the life of the Irish abroad. Indeed they are, it is always when are you going to visit Ireland, are you going to retire to Ireland, jeez why would you want to go anywhere else isn't this the greatest place (well no, actually!), etc; etc;??

Part of this lack of curiosity is entirely wilful as Ireland, with its stifling control mechanisms and mind-sets, has dumped its "social problems" which includes the abused, those who want to have a say in their fertility or sexuality or those who want to have a fair economic chance in life not dependent on Nepotism, inheritance or corruption on other countries. 

The thought occurred to me watching the St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York that what Irish America was actually celebrating was being Irish but not in Ireland? They had the best of both world's; a strong ethnic identity and culture but without the BS and excess baggage which meant they and, more importantly, their children had proper life chances.

Here is the full article in Irish Central, a New York based Irish American web paper.

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/-Irish-Americans-are-not-plastic-paddies-says-Notre-Dame-professor-216137971.html?c=n

Here are my impressions of New York on St. Paddy’s Day

http://daithaic.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/new-york-new-york-part-1.html

Here is my Blog about the Irish Famine Exhibition in New York - An Gorta Mór – Ireland’s Great Hunger.

http://daithaic.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/gorta-mor-irelands-great-hunger.html