Letters

Letters from Irish Voice readers

Letters

July 3, 2008

Dating Story Drivel

I AM only an occasional reader of the Irish Voice, but this is the second time in the last year and a half that I have had the misfortune of stumbling upon articles saturated with drivel about the supposed differences between Irish and (Irish) American males.

At least the former article, written by April Drew on the occasion of Valentine’s Day 2007, made a pretense at real journalism by interviewing actual women and providing direct quotes.

All American men were presented as fawning romantics, ready to shower their Irish beauties with time, attention, affection and wedding proposals, whereas every Irish lad was made out to be fun, carefree and adventurous, but hard to pin down. The generalizations were mildly infuriating, but harmless.

The latest piece by Mary O’Brien, however, is a whole other species of tripe (“On Dating Irish vs. Irish American, June 18-24). Spawned out of the hype surrounding the Sex and City film, but devoid of either the wit of a Carrie Bradshaw or the wisdom of a Molly Bloom, it plagiarizes some of the conclusions of the Drew article while purporting to base its own findings on “an informal study conducted by a group of single females.”

And Ms. O’Brien’s original insight — Irish-American men (ignorant braggarts and unrepentant alcoholics all, apparently) are excessively proud of their Irish heritage, but know absolutely nothing about it. (Very original portrait . . . NOT!)

Perhaps when James T. Farrell or Jimmy Breslin were writing their novels, such a representation of culturally impoverished Irish Americans may have been more accurate, but not today. Who does Ms. O’Brien imagine drives the multi-million dollar Irish culture industry in New York, which includes everything from Pogues tours, to the Film Fleadh, to the success of Irish playwrights like Martin McDonagh and Conor McPherson on Broadway, to the explosion of Irish studies programs at American universities like Fordham and NYU? Certainly, Irish American men must be playing some role!

But the very edition of the Irish Voice in which this article was printed proves the point better than my letter. For, on the very page facing Ms. O’Brien’s piece was Tom Deignan’s insightful column on the publishing history of James Joyce’s Ulysses in America.

Deignan’s “Sidewalks” columns consistently demonstrate a sophisticated knowledge of the history of the Irish in both Ireland and America, and like the work of Joyce, the columns highlight, in a much more accessible form no doubt, that the history of the Irish, wherever they may have scattered, is a complex and ongoing one that cannot be reduced to stereotypes or essentialist caricatures.

Furthermore, the edition also includes a long, heartfelt memorial for Tim Russert, described by Niall O’Dowd as “more than just a proud Irish American . . . a deeply informed, thoughtful one.” I can think of no more exemplary Irish American man, and no better example to demonstrate the foolishness of Ms. O’Brien’s article, than Russert.

And finally, some advice for the author and her friends regarding their efforts to meet interesting men without “ethnic peccadilloes” — there’s a whole city out there ladies, so wander off the reservation in Woodlawn some time, and you just might be surprised at what you find.

Stephen Butler
Woodside, New York

God Bless Both Nations

I WAS deeply saddened by Robert O’Sullivan’s letter, “Foolish Americans,” in last week’s issue. He seems determined to paint the U.S. as a nation of terrible people who condone every kind of crime in its foreign policy. His letter was a bitter diatribe against Americans.

I was raised by parents from Co. Clare who came to the U.S. as young people. They worked hard all their lives, bought a home and raised a family. They loved Ireland and taught us to do the same.

I grew up on stories of Biddy Early and the Black and Tans. They were so proud of their great heritage.

At the same time, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Flag Day and Labor Day were times when they proudly flew the Stars and Stripes from our second floor window. They were most grateful for the land to which they had immigrated to, and would not allow a bad word said against it.

They did not have to hate and divide. They loved the land from where they had come and the new nation to whose citizenship they were proud to hold.

When I visit my family in Ireland, I never hear them speak a bad word about the States. They feel a bond with the U.S. that they experience with no other nation. They may not agree with all national decisions, but they respect a nation that has done so much for the world.

I suspect it is the elitist class of Ireland that nurtures a bitterness toward America. They have lost touch with their own people.

I do not agree with every decision that our nation has made either its domestic policy or in foreign affairs. Yet, I feel that the U.S. is still beacon of hope to so many people throughout the world.

O’Sullivan lists the many failures of the U.S. in world affairs. He fails to mention that the people of South Korea are so very grateful to the young boys who gave their lives in the harshest winter conditions of the Korean War.

Would there be an Irish peace accord without the influence of the U.S. and President Clinton? So many victims of the terrible Irish Famine made a new start in America.

I think if it were not for the brave men of the U.S. who landed on the beaches of Normandy, I think that Mr. O’Sullivan might have been writing his letter in German.

I say God Bless Ireland and God Bless America.

Patrick O’Dea
Brooklyn, New York

Go Home, Students!

I WAS completely disgusted by last week’s cover story about young Irish tourists crying for jobs and accommodation while in New York for their summer vacation.

Does anyone realize that the unemployment rate here in New York alone was at 5.1% just in April, and a total of 80,000 jobs were lost this past February? Can anyone say the word recession?

Well, guess what folks? As much as we try to deny that, it is true.

Therefore, this is not the time for Irish students to come visit and work in New York, as there is not even enough jobs for the state’s own citizens. This is not a time to kvetch and moan about not being able to work and make money for excessive drinking on the weekend!

On the matter of accommodation, many homeowners are hesitant to rent to students as they are here for such a short period of time and then return home, leaving the homeowner to re-advertise their property. It is an arduous process and one that can be side stepped and avoided.

In this day and age of high prices and low compensation, traveling to New York is a luxury, and many people cannot afford luxuries anymore. So my advice to these “kids” looking for a summer of fun in New York, is stay at home and leave the jobs to the people who need them!

Any available jobs should be for the people of New York who are trying to put food in their children’s mouths and clothes on their backs.

I find it very offensive that the Irish Voice would put a story such as this on its front cover. It must have been a slow news week!

Lisa Keegan
Bronx, New York

The S Word

OVER the years, I’ve employed words like brilliant (frequently), provocative, dull (hardly ever), incisive (often), mediocre (rarely) and dull (almost never)in describing to friends Irish Voice articles.

Never — until the June 18-24 issue — have I seen fit to characterize an Irish Voice article as stupid. “Tiger, Galvin Are No Heroes” by Cathal Dervan merits the use of the “S” word.

I urge you to ensure that future issues of the Irish Voice carry no such articles. Some heavy editing is required.

Ireland forever.

James V. Dolson
Springfield, Virginia

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