Proud Irish Heritage
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Irish and proud!
How the Irish influenced the world.
We can be really proud of how Irish people have made a difference all around the world.
Their work takes diverse and innovative forms and has had an impact on many levels.
We may be a small nation, but the Irish have produced more than its fair share of significant inventions and discoveries.
Here are some examples of how the Irish have made a difference
We got the world moving
Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company was the son of an Irish immigrant. He transformed the world with his low price automobile which allowed most people to own one.
To produce the car efficiently he organised his workers in an assembly line, This has became the benchmark for mass production methods around the world.
We transformed Agriculture
Harry Ferguson, from Northern Ireland, a bicycle repair man with a genius for mechanical inventions, invented the modern tractor.
Ferguson formed his own motor business in 1911, and during World War 1 began to sell tractors to Irish farmers accustomed to horse-drawn ploughs.
We gave the world color
John Joly was born in Co. Offaly, Ireland. In 1894 he invented a system of colour photography and today It is widely accepted that he is responsible for the first practical method of colour photography.
He also invented the meldometer, a device used to measure the melting points of mineral.
We gave the world flavored crisps
Murphy owned the well-known Irish company Tayto. Murphy also created salt and vinegar, and barbecue flavor crisps.
We showed the world the Oceans
John Philip Holland a school teacher, emigrated to Boston in 1872. Many years later Holland won a competition run by the US Naval Department to design and build submarines. Holland’s first prototype sank on its very first voyage, but he didn’t give up.
Finally, after successful trials, the US Navy purchased the ‘Holland VII’, its first submarine.
We gave the world Bacon Rashers
Bacon was previously cured by soaking huge portions of meat in brine. Denny used dry salt instead of brine and instead of chunks, he used long flat pieces of meat.
Today bacon nowadays is considered an essential for a hearty “full Irish” breakfast.
We freed the world from pain
Francis Rynd, a Dublin doctor, performed the world’s first subcutaneous injection with his homemade hypodermic syringe.
Rynd had been treating a woman who had pain in her face for years and was taking morphine pills without relief. Rynd decided to place the morphine directly under her skin and near the nerves. He created the hypodermic syringe.
We gave the world Milk Chocolate
Sloane travelled a lot and first experienced cacao while in Jamaica. He thought it a bit bitter so after experimenting with it he tried it with milk. It was first sold as a medicinal elixir and sold as ‘Sir Hans Sloane Milk Chocolate’
We invented Perforated Stamps
Before that, people had to cut stamps individually from a sheet, which was very time consuming, costly and error prone.
In 1848 Archer patented his perforation machine -an arrangement pins enabled the top and sides of each stamp across the row to be perforated in a single operation.
Become part of the Irish Story
So many of the Irish we are proud of and that inspire us may not have been born in Ireland but in their hearts and ours they are 100% Irish. They often publicly announce pride in their Irish Heritage.
You too can become part of the Irish story by passing on our Irish Heritage, Culture and Traditions. You can show your pride in being part of this global Irish family by sharing your stories, your parents and grandparents stories of Ireland and their journeys and experiences.
The Proud Irish Certificate is one way to display and pass on our Heritage to future generations. It is a document that declares your and their interest in their Irish background.
This beautifully crafted Certificate will be passed on from one generation to the next ensuring the memory of our ancestors and the legacy they bequeathed us will continue long into the future.
“’This is not the land of my birth, but it is the land for which I hold the greatest affection’”
John F Kennedy
Irish American Presidents
A whopping 23 of the 46 American Presidents so far has had strong Irish roots. Each were very proud of their Irish background and how it influenced their lives.
From Andrew Jackson (7th President) born in 1767 only two years after his parents emigrated from Antrim to Joe Biden (46th President), the Irish diaspora punch well above their weight in terms of political clout across the Atlantic!
Some of these include:
Barack Obama of the “Moneygall Obamas’; The Bush family ancestors came from Ireland as did Ronald Regans’, his ancestral village being Ballyporeen in county Tipperary.
Arguably the most well known (and well-loved) US President, John F Kennedy also has the strongest Irish lineage, with all four of his grandparents hailing from Ireland.
President Joe Biden, the 46th President is hugely proud of his Irish roots. He constantly quotes Irish poets and authors, in particular his favourite Seamus Heaney.
He visited Ireland in 2016 during his tenure as vice president during the Obama administration. Paying an emotional visit to his ancestral home, he praised the true Irish welcome he had received and reflected on the lessons his Irish roots had afforded him.
Music that inspires the world
Music and story telling are very important to the Irish – they were often the only forms of entertainment in the evenings before the arrival of electricity.
Being Irish you can be immensely proud of the way our small country, and descendants of Irish immigrants have had a huge impact on music around the world.
Musicians, bands and composers have been influenced and inspired by the sounds of traditional Irish folk music throughout the centuries. Its lyrical dance tunes, jigs, reels and hornpipes with rousing rebel songs and story-telling ballads makes the music appealing to a worldwide audiences.
Irish emigration, particularly in the nineteenth century to America where waves of Irish emigrants have had a huge effect on the evolution of music, including fusing with blues and jazz. This in turn had an impact on the advent of rock and roll.
Some highlights of how Irish music and its people inspires and influences the music world.
We gave the world U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin, formed in 1976. They are regarded as one of the biggest rock bands in the world.
U2 are extravagantly proud of their Irishness wherever they go and it means a lot to them.
Without the Irish there would have been no Beatles
Most of The Beatles also had Irish roots. Paul McCartney and George Harrison had Irish grandparents on their mothers’ sides, while John Lennon had Irish great-grandparents on his father’s side.
When the band played Dublin in 1963, Lennon declared, “We’re all Irish!”
Cilla Black
Another famous singer and friend of The Beatles – also came from Irish descent. In fact, every one of her great-grandparents was Irish..
David Bowie
David Bowie had Irish great-grandparents who emigrated to Manchester.
It is said that his later work had some inspiration from Irish melodies.
“DAVID BOWIE enjoyed a real affinity with Irish audiences and loved playing to crowds over in the Emerald Isle.” says a close friend of the artist.
We gave the world the Aran Sweater
In the early 1960s, The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem were established among the leading performers of the folk music revival in the USA. They emerged in the hip Greenwich Village folk scene famously wore Aran jumpers on the Ed Sullivan Show. The Aran Sweater became a major fashion item.
We influenced Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan spent a lot of time watching the The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem perform and studying their singing style.
Once The Clancys were thinking of recording an album of Dylan’s songs using Irish arrangements.
Clancy asked him if he would mind. Dylan looked at him in surprise and said: “You still don’t get it do you? You’re my heroes man, you’re my heroes.”
The man in Black - Loved Green!
Irish music had a huge influence on another iconic figurehead of American music, Johnny Cash. Ireland held a “special place” in Johnny Cash’s heart, says the singer-songwriter’s son John Carter Cash.
He also famously dedicated a whole album to his love of Ireland.
Bruce Springstein "The Boss" Loves Ireland
Bruce Springsteen may have been Born in the USA – but his ancestors emigrated from Ireland in 1853.
Springsteen went to the Catholic St Rose of Lima School, where he was taught by Irish nuns. It had a lasting impact on him and his music.
In 2012 Bruce Springsteen released ‘Wrecking Ball’ an album he says is heavily influenced by Irish/Celtic folk influences.
Johnny Lydon
Johnny Lydon, lead singer of the Sex Pistols, had Irish parents.
On Summer holidays he used to visit his mother’s family in Cork.
His autobiography Rotten: No blacks, no Irish, no dogs describes how his Irishness helped fuel his creative output.
The Smiths
The Smiths were a leading British Rock band in the 80’s. All four members of the Manchester band are second generation Irish.
Irish music and ballads inspired guitarist Johnny Marr to write one of their best-known songs ‘Please, please, please, let me get what I want’. He says his Irish background was a big influence to him and his music.
Dusty Springfield
Originally christened Mary O’Brien, Dusty Springfield was one of the greatest soul singers of the 1960s and ‘70s. Her mother came from an Irish family, originally from Tralee, County Kerry. The family was raised with a love of music and musical performance.
Toward the end of her life when she was suffering from breast cancer, Springfield insisted on returning “home” to Ireland. Later, after she passed, her brother scattered her ashes along the Cliffs of Moher, her favorite place in the world.
Kurt Cobain
Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain’s work was influenced by his Irish roots, say his family.
His ancestors had emigrated to the United States from Carrickmore, Co Tyrone, in 1875.
Kurt, who died three days before Nirvana were due to play Dublin’s RDS Arena, was said to have enjoyed a special affinity with Ireland.
Inspire the next Generation of Irish music and heritage with:
The Proud Irish Heritage Certificate
The Irish people, never forgetting their history makes them amongst the most generous and caring in the world.
What makes us really proud to be Irish is that it is not only the famous that have earned the world’s respect – but it is also the ordinary people.
Whether it is in our DNA or our Irish background – generation after generation continues to make every Irish person, no matter where in the world, extremely proud of being part of this global Irish Family!
In July 1985 Live Aid benefit concert took place. The event was organised by Irish musician Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia.
Named the “global jukebox”, the event took place in Wembley arena London and JFK stadium Philadelphia and several other venues around the world.
It attracted an audience of 1.9 billion people from 150 nations across the world.
Dozens of acts including: The Who, Queen, U2, Phil Collins, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd performed the marathon music event to raise funds for Ethiopian relief.
Ireland gave the most donations per capita, despite being in the midst of a serious economic recession at the time.
Worldwide donations amounted to €50 million with €7 million coming from Ireland.
It is thought that the huge Irish response was as a result of Ireland’s history. Ireland suffered a Great Famine (1845-1849) that killed millions and millions more had to emigrate.
Maybe it is in their Irish DNA that they felt a great affinity with those that are suffering the same as their own ancestors did.
“I feel extremely privileged to be an Irish man at this point because Ireland more than any country in the entire world… they have shown the rest of the world what it is possible to do.”
Bob Geldof, Live Aid
“From Ireland, 170 years later, the favour is returned!”
One of the many anonymous Irish donors on an American natives tribe funding relief page
Ordinary Irish people remembering those that helped our ancestors.
During the Great Irish Famine relief came from a rather unexpected source. The Choctaw Nation, a native American Tribe, provided $170, which would be roughly $5,000 today, of relief aid to the Irish during the famine.
The struggles experienced by the Irish were familiar to the tribal nation; just 16 years earlier, while being forced to move west on the “Trail of Tears” had lost thousands of their own people to starvation and disease.
The Choctaws learned of the Irish potato famine and “a great empathy was felt when they heard such a similar tale coming from across the ocean.”
The generosity left a lasting mark on Ireland.
Now over 170 years later and the Covid-19 worldwide pandemic is sweeping across the world. It is particularly hard on many Native American tribes that are on the fringes of normal American life. A Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund was set up by the tribes themselves to help supply clean water, food and health supplies.
The original target was $2 million, which took seven weeks to reach. Then it began to rise sharply and the fund managers were at first confused. Vanessa Tullie, a fund organiser,, started noticing the influx of donations from Ireland and said, ‘Hey, is our account being hacked?’”
But then they started looking into it, and reading the comments that accompanied the donations such as “Ireland remembers”, and “Thanks for 170 years ago” realised it was something else, something good.
Suddenly the donations surged to surpass $3 million within 24 hours, as the campaign went viral in Ireland. And continued to rise over the coming days and weeks.
In total ordinary Irish people, at home and abroad donated over $3 million to the fund. Along with their donations, many contributors shared sweet messages referencing the gift, including several simply saying “Ireland remembers” and “From Ireland” and “170 years later, the favour is returned!”.
Pass on your Love of Irish Culture and Heritage with
The Proud Irish Heritage Certificate
Proud Irish Heritage Certificates
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