2. Irish Americans in the United States today are
at an advantage compared to the general
population. They have a higher per capita
household income than average. They have a
better chance of graduating high school and
obtaining a bachelors degree. Massachusetts
has the highest percentage of Irish American
population twice the national average
3. Irish Americans were not always in the
position that they are in today. When their
immigration first started to the United States
in mass in the 1840’s as a result of the
potato famine in Ireland they were looked
upon as inferior and ignorant. They were
often employed as servants and had little to
no chance of prosperity. They were looked
down upon because of their Catholic religion
by those of the Protestant faith.
5. Any hair color
May or may not have an alcohol problem
May or may not have a quick temper
Full range of the intelligence scale
Any religion
Many different occupations
6. Children were often unschooled and forced to
work in factories prior to educational reforms
Currently have an advantage in the educational
system
92% have a high school diploma
32% have a bachelors degree or higher
40% in employed in management positions
7. Once the Irish population in our country were
considered below the level of slaves on the
social and intellectual level. Now they have all
the rights and opportunities that they did not
have and have excelled with a higher per
capita income and graduation rate than the
majority of the United States population.
There are currently 36.9 million Irish
Americans compared to 4.5 million actual
Irish whom live in Ireland.
8. Pay attention to the cultural experience of
students
Be cognizant of the differences in
demographics
Recognize differences as valuable
Do not change your expectations
Educate yourself about Irish American culture
and history
Don’t give in to stereotypes
9. To sum it up you should expect the same of
all of your students. It is important to
recognize differences when you come across
them. You need to take these differences in
nationality and educate yourself about what
they mean. Irish are not a culture of Ignorant
Catholic drunks. Rather they are a culture
that has risen from the bottom levels of
society to a place where they are successful
and looked up to in many areas.
10. Bill Clinton
Barack Obama
Bruce Springsteen
Bing Crosby
Derek Jeter
Frank McCourt
Grace Kelly
John Kennedy
Britney Spears
