Kiss Me, I’m Irish

Special to FreeRepublic ^ | 14 March 2009 | John Armor (Congressman Billybob)

[DJ MacWoW]

I loved reading your post. My ancestors name was William Hutchinson. I guess he was a real “Hill Billy”. lol

[tflabo]

Sorry BillyBloke.... methinks we be kissin' a this wee lassie instead!

[PotatoHeadMick]

Billy Hutchinson? Ha ha, I’ll tell you what, see tomorrow whenever everyone else is wearing green let me suggest you and your family wear orange it would be a truer reflection of your ancestry.

Buy Webb’s book, make it your St Patrick’s Day tribute to your ancestors, buy dozens of copies for all your family and let them know how you are descended from the true architects and heroes of the United States and all that green beer nonsense is not your idea of being an Irish American.

If after reading the book you want to discuss it further feel free to contact me again.

[jla]

.. in favour of the more recent "victimised" Catholic Irish of the 19th Century...

What do you mean by this?

[Just another Joe]

REAL men wear kilts. ;^)

(and no undies)

[DJ MacWoW]

Thanks!

[CJ Wolf]

[jla]

I am a Scotsman, and will never be Irish!

Irish were in what is now called Scotland long before any other people. So in all likelihood you are blessed with Irish blood running thru your veins. :^)

[Congressman Billybob]

I don't think he was an Indian fighter. I do have reason to believe that my Irish ancestors were Catholics. My immediate family is a mixture of Catholic and Protestant.

John

[LiteKeeper]

Isn’t more correct to refer to them as Celts...from which the Irish and Scots descended?

[seoul62]

To my Late Father in Heaven - a Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Daddy - I love you. If I could ask a favor of fellow Freepers, could you wish my Late Father, a Happy St. Patrick’s Day, thank you. It is hard to keep a straight face tomorrow, songs like: Danny Boy and When Irish Eyes are Smiling make me cry. I hope to visit Ireland one day./Just Asking - seoul62......

[dixiechick2000]

Congressman, I had the wonderful privilege to visit Ireland in August, 2007. Though we stayed in the beautiful Dublin, we took the train on a day trip to Belfast. Our guide joked that as recently as two years before our trip, taking a day trip to Belfast was akin to taking a day trip to Baghdad! It was a trip I’ve always wanted to make as my ancestors hail from that area, and from Londonderry.

To say that the trip was eye opening would be an understatement. Though things had been quiet for a couple of years, there was still the wall that closed at 6 pm every evening. There was, also, still rubble where some buildings had been bombed. Just outside of the train station is the Europa Hotel, the most bombed structure in Europe.

I’m sorry to hear that there has been violence recently. Things were peaceful when I was there, but there was an undercurrent that made me uncomfortable. If they could raise one generation without violence, I think peace could be sustained.

We had lunch at the Crown Bar. I was raised on cheese and pickle sandwiches, but had never seen them on any menu before. I ordered it, and it was delicious! Never did have enough ice, though. ;o)

Thank you for this piece. I very much enjoyed reading it.

seoul62, I’ll be wishing you and your late Da’ a very Happy St. Paddy’s Day!

May the road rise to meet you,
may the wind always be at your back,
may the sun shine warm upon your face,
the rains fall soft upon your fields and,
until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

[Billthedrill]

Happy St. Paddy’s Day, BB! I have Irish on both sides o’ me family (County Clare on one). ‘Tis this time o’ year I’m usually nippin’ a Guinness or two reflectin’ on the ones who came before, their names written in the great family Bible...(hic!)...and there he is, “Paddy McDrill, horse thief”...died of a fall, he did...well, faith and the rope might have had somethin’ to do with it...

[AuntB]

“The original “Irish” in America like your ancestor have largely been written out of the story of the United States in favour of the more recent “victimised” Catholic Irish of the 19th Century”

Indeed. My Irish ancestors were here in the early 1700’s. I may get Webb’s book, sounds interesting.

[jla]

Probably more accurate to use Gaels. I believe the Irish and Scots are basically descended from the same tribes. Just don't try convincing either of that though! LOL

[AuntB]

Irish Blessing

“May the road rise to meet you,
may the wind always be at your back,
may the sun shine warm upon your face,
the rains fall soft upon your fields and,
until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”

That was my mother’s favorite and part of her eulogy. It still hangs today on my wall on a ceramic plaque.

Thanks for posting it,Dixie.

[seoul62]

Thank you very much for your kind post./Just Asking - seoul62.......

[Darren McCarty]

Coming from the Catholic Irish perspective, that was a good book, even though Webb fell off the deep end politically after writing it. A lot of it was borrowed from Albion's Seed, which is another one I recommend. From the Catholic side, I always liked the stories surrounding Archbishop John Hughes and New York. It was different than the more militant culture up in Boston that gives Yanks with last names like mine a bad rep on the other side of the Atlantic.

I do have a wee bit of Scots in me in an otherwise Green bloodline, and I don't know if it was Ulster or Scotland. They were originally Presbeyterians, but converted to Catholicism when one of them married an Catholic Irish woman. They were New York, but the Scots have Kansas roots, so I think it was Ulster. Someone's rolling in his grave with that conversion. It was a scandal from what I know. :)

[Darren McCarty]

all that green beer nonsense is not your idea of being an Irish American.

Green Beer? I wouldn't be caught dead with that....or Bushmills for that matter.

[Congressman Billybob]

Aer Lingus is having a sale on fares, right now.... It is a fine airline, with colleens for stewardesses.

John / Billybob