How To Keep Irish Culture In Your Life

Thousands of Americans, whose families originated in many other nations of the world, have made genealogy one of the most popular pursuits for cultural connections. A private researcher can spend thousands of hours and dollars tracing family roots back to nations of origin.
Irish Americans find that the huge influx of Irish into the U.S. over more than a century presents special challenges when tracing families back to the Irish county or town of origin.

Starting with immediate family and local churchs, property and tax records often turns up surprises. One of the great advantages of this research in the U.S. is the availability of census records that date back more than a century. Records from entry points, such as Ellis Island, were meticulously kept and are still available. The Internet has been the primary engine in sparking this kind of research and much help can be found there as well as connecting with others doing similar research.
Some non-Irish, with an interest in the contributions or rise of the Irish in their area, can use these same methods for enjoyment, scholarly works, as gifts to an Irish American friend, or, in the case of some writers, a complete set of stories and characters on which to base fiction pieces or films such as The Gangs of New York.
Be warned that this research is very addicting and time consuming, but the rewards in wonder, education and imagination are great. Every Irish name has stories from Ireland and throughout the world. Here is an example: the Prime Minister of Spain, who supported Columbus’ desire to explore the New World, was a direct descendant of an Irish earl who fled to Spain to avoid the British. The current chief of that branch of that Irish clan is an elderly priest in Spain. When he passes away it is likely that the title will fall to an American.
For more information or to start your search: visit www.ancestry.com.

Irish and Irish American artistic contributions are immeasurable, yet an interested individual who chooses to study an Irish author, actor, director or artist will find rewarding connections to other Irish, Irish American, and American artists.
Oscar Wilde found adventure and peril while touring the Wild West of the 19th century and used that influence in his writing. American poet Ezra Pound was a great friend and supporter of James Joyce, who in turn influenced works by fellow exile T.S. Elliot.
One can often find clubs or websites devoted to specific authors which contain links leading to new information about the author’s life, work and friends. There are often amazing connections. Did Hornpipe’s own Jim McAuley pen any of his own works during a fortnight stay in the cottage of the late great Brendan Behan?
While the Irish film industry seems to have come into its own in the past 15 years, the effect of Ireland and its people on American movies started in the days of silent films, when many an Irish immigrant Anglicized his or her name just to get into the movies.
By the middle of the 20th century Irish director John Ford, and Irish American Michael Marion Morrison (aka John Wayne), and a pantheon of character actors like Victor McLaughlin and Barry Fitzgerald, paved the way for the likes of Peter O’Toole and Richard Harris. They made their mark in international cinema—one that still continues. Today Colin Farrell and others are top tier movie stars and link the progression of old and new movie greats to create fabulous movies and unending entertainment.
Modern Irish artists started to gain recognition outside their native land during the Impressionists rise to pre-eminence in the late 19th century. Many a lad from a flush family went to study art in Paris and came home to produce works that pre-cursed the paint, sculpting and craft explosion now emanating from Ireland. One could spend a lot of time becoming an expert on any one of these art forms. Many people are drawn to studying the incredible illumination art of ancient documents, especially the Book of Kells. It is no understatement to say that Irish monks saved western civilization with their work during the Dark Ages. During that time the men labored in Irish monasteries etching the pages of the Book of Kells and copying other sacred documents.

Now here is a limitless endeavor with opportunities for all. Many people are content to collect old and new Irish crystal and Belleek, linens and wools, clothing, jewelry and similar collectibles.  These enormous, valuable and educational collections are everywhere. Look up any of these on the Internet and you may find something that draws your interest.
A couple of other collecting objects that mark the connection between Ireland and her U.S. children refers to activities of the new Irish immigrants. More than a century ago, no proper east coast home, with pretensions of becoming upper class, would have been caught without a plethora of lace doilies, curtains, table covers, bed covers, tea cozies or other functional lace pieces that often came directly from the needles of Irish women who made extra money from their labors.
Collectors say that one can often tell the county and town of the person who created a lace piece, just by its design, stitching and knotting styles. Some patterns were so prized they were often kept secret within a family or village.
An even rarer collection consists of items used by the Irish to defend themselves against the British landlord’s tyranny or the anti-Irish gangs in the New World. From incredibly steel-hard clubs and walking sticks to pikes and hand-hewn knives and guns, it is the sort of collection that shows the immigrant Irish, at home and in the U.S., accepted no mistreatment without fighting back. One collection in Ireland is made up solely of weapons obtained form the U.S. and Europe and used in the Irish Free State Civil War.
These are only a few ideas for nurturing your Irish connection and may lead to some activity or study that foster your love of the cultural in all its aspects.

By Ed O’Donnell