Or what celebrating St. Patrick’s Day as an ethnic holiday should teach us.
Thomas Hayden’s “Irish on the Inside” explores what was lost when Irish Americans transitioned into whiteness. A deep connection to a unique form of Catholicism, with echoes of pre-Christian traditions, was severed, along with ties to the land and folkways.
The main thesis of “Irish on the Inside” is that Irish identity in America has been shaped by historical struggles against oppression. This heritage should inspire solidarity with the marginalized rather than assimilation into whiteness.
Our cultural identity should not be reduced to singing Irish drinking songs once a year and wearing green. In fact, the real color of Ireland and St. Patrick is blue. Ironically, it was a Protestant uprising in 1798 that cemented green at the center of Irish identity.
The conventional way of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day distances Irish Americans from their immigrant and radical past and instead encourages assimilation into mainstream American whiteness, at the expense of solidarity with marginalized groups.
The 1798 Rebellion and Its Aftermath:
The United Irishmen was an organization that included both Catholics and Protestants. Founded in 1791 by primarily Protestant radicals in Belfast, it was inspired by the American and French Revolutions. Their goal was to unite Irish people of all religious backgrounds, Catholics, Presbyterians, and some Anglicans under the shared cause of Irish independence and democratic reform.
At the time, Ireland was ruled by the English Anglican protestant Ascendancy, which oppressed both Catholics and dissenting Presbyterians who had migrated from Scotland. While the movement initially sought moderate reform, British repression and the failure of peaceful efforts pushed it toward armed rebellion in 1798. The rebellion failed.
After the 1798 rebellion, the relationship between the Protestant Ascendancy (who controlled Ireland politically and economically) and the Presbyterians (who had been a major part of the rebellion, particularly in Ulster) shifted significantly.
Following the rebellion, the British government and the Ascendancy sought to neutralize Presbyterian dissent. While Presbyterians had historically faced discrimination under the Penal Laws (though not as harsh as Catholics), the government began offering them political and economic incentives, including administrative positions and greater religious toleration. Over time, many Presbyterians moved away from their earlier radicalism and aligned more with the British state. They were co-opted away from radicalism.
The failure of the rebellion also intensified sectarian divisions. The British government, recognizing the potential danger of Catholic-Presbyterian unity, worked to foster Protestant solidarity by emphasizing differences between Presbyterians and Catholics. The growing influence of the Orange Order, a Protestant fraternal organization that became a vehicle for anti-Catholic sentiment, played a key role in driving a wedge between the two groups.
By the mid-19th century, many Presbyterians in Ulster had shifted from being radical republicans to strong supporters of the Union with Britain. This shift laid the foundation for later divisions in Irish politics, where Presbyterians in the north became key supporters of Unionism, while Irish Catholics largely supported nationalist and independence movements.
Don’t let Irish Americans become Ulster Presbyterians:
The journey of Irish Americans into whiteness and the journey of Ulster Presbyterians into Unionism after the 1798 rebellion share striking parallels. Both groups began as outsiders, oppressed by dominant power structures, only to later be co-opted into those same systems in exchange for privileges that distanced them from their former allies.
Over time, Irish Americans have assimilated into whiteness, losing much of our radical and immigrant past in the process. This shift was not inevitable but was encouraged by economic incentives, political opportunities, and social pressures that rewarded distancing from other oppressed communities.
Both transitions(the Irish American journey into whiteness and the Presbyterian journey into Unionism) illustrate how systems of power co-opt resistance movements.
They offer privileges in exchange for allegiance, reshaping identities in ways that reinforce existing hierarchies. This historical pattern should challenge Irish Americans today to reconsider what it means to celebrate our heritage. We should reconnect with the radical roots of our history and seek solidarity.
Recognizing these historical parallels allows us to see that identity is not static. It is shaped by political choices, economic pressures, and historical narratives. The challenge for Irish Americans is to reject the complacency of assimilation and rediscover the deeper meaning of our heritage, one rooted in justice, resistance, and solidarity.
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