79.7 per cent of Irish people believe Americans only embrace Irish identity for St Patrick’s Day(Image: Getty)
Irish people are far more likely than Americans to take issue with some of the best-known St Patrick’s Day traditions, according to a new survey.
The biggest flashpoint was the drink known as an “Irish Car Bomb” – a shot of Irish whiskey and cream liqueur dropped into a pint of stout, the study comparing attitudes on both sides of the Atlantic by Casino.org Ireland showed.
The survey found 51.2 per cent of Irish people say the name is offensive, compared with just 24.9 per cent of Americans. That gap was one of several major differences between how Irish people and Americans view St Patrick’s Day traditions, stereotypes and Irish identity.
The survey found Irish respondents were much more likely than Americans to say several popular phrases and traditions are offensive or out of touch.
That included:
58.6 per cent of Irish people saying “St Patty’s Day” is offensive or out of touch, compared with 10 per cent of Americans49.7 per cent of Irish people saying “Top of the mornin’ to ya” is offensive or out of touch, compared with 19.2 per cent of Americans35.4 per cent of Irish people saying drinking an “Irish Car Bomb” is offensive or out of touch, compared with 19.5 per cent of Americans34.8 per cent of Irish people saying wearing kilts is offensive or out of touch, compared with 16.3 per cent of Americans
There were also a few surprises. Americans were actually more likely than Irish people to say some of the more cartoonish traditions are out of touch, including:
Wearing leprechaun outfits – 32.3 per cent in the US vs 23.8 per cent in IrelandFake ginger beards – 30.9 per cent in the US vs 24.9 per cent in IrelandDyeing rivers green – 27.3 per cent in the US vs 19.3 per cent in Ireland
Despite 30.7 million Americans claiming Irish ancestry, our survey suggests St Patrick’s Day now carries far more emotional weight in Ireland than it does in the US. The latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show 30.7 million Americans, or 9.2 per cent of the population, reported Irish ancestry in 2022.
The survey found a huge gap in how important the holiday is to people’s sense of identity. In Ireland:
15.6 per cent said the day is very important to their identity36.1 per cent said it is somewhat important33.1 per cent said it is not very important15.2 per cent said it is not important at all
That’s 51.7 per cent of Irish people who say St Patrick’s Day is important to their identity. In the US, the feeling was far weaker:
4.6 per cent said it is very important12.8 per cent said it is somewhat important28.4 per cent said it is not very important54.2 per cent said it is not important at allOverall, just 17.4 per cent of Americans say St Patrick’s Day is important to their identity.
American respondents were also asked to rate how authentic US-style St Patrick’s Day celebrations are.
On average, they scored them just 4.7 out of 10. And when asked whether US St Patrick’s Day celebrations rely too heavily on stereotypes, 72.7 per cent of Americans said yes or sometimes.
Irish respondents were also asked whether people abroad only embrace Irish identity once a year around St Patrick’s Day. The answer was a clear yes – or at least, often.
36.9 per cent said yes42.8 per cent said sometimes12.8 per cent said no7.4 per cent said not sure
That means 79.7 per cent of Irish people believe people overseas embrace Irish identity at least sometimes just for St Patrick’s Day.
The survey also asked who respondents think St Patrick’s Day belongs to most. Irish respondents were slightly more open than Americans might expect.
In Ireland:
50.8 per cent said it belongs to anyone who wants to celebrate40.3 per cent said it belongs to Ireland8.3 per cent said it belongs to the Irish diaspora0.6 per cent said it belongs to no one
In the US:
43.5 per cent said it belongs to anyone who wants to celebrate39.3 per cent said it belongs to Ireland15.3 per cent said it belongs to the Irish diaspora1.9 per cent said it belongs to no one
So despite the frustration around stereotypes, Irish people were actually more likely than Americans to say anyone should be free to celebrate the day.
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