More Irish than the Irish themselves
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"More Irish than the Irish themselves" (Latin: Hiberniores Hibernis ipsis) was a phrase used in the Middle Ages to describe the phenomenon whereby foreigners who came to Ireland attached to invasion forces tended to be subsumed into Irish social and cultural society, adopted the Irish language, Irish culture, style of dress and a wholesale identification with all things Irish. These forces were generally associated with Richard "Strongbow" de Clare, Hugh de Lacy, and Gilbert de Angulo. The first family to be thus recognised was the de Angulo, known as Mac Coisdeala (i.e. Gilbert, son of Jocelyn) the name which was given to his descendants in Connacht. It was rendered into English as MacCostello, which in time became Costello.[1]
While this phenomenon was associated with earlier invaders, and particularly with the post-12th century English and Norman settlers who became known as the Old English, it was not associated with later arrivals from the seventeenth century onwards.
The phrase is also used in a mildly derogatory sense by the Irish living in Ireland to describe Irish-Americans or residents of other nations who have some degree of Irish heritage, who exhibit their Irish nationalism, especially on visits to the "old country". Such people are also sometimes known as "Plastic Paddies" by residents of Ireland. One of the reasons given for this is the belief that, even if these visitors are of exclusively Irish lineage, their claims are pointless because, if anything, Ireland, like the United Kingdom and most English-speaking nations, has emulated US culture and behaviour for decades. Another reason given is that Irish culture does have significant differences from Irish-American culture, and that knowing one culture doesn't mean someone knows, or is a part of, both cultures. Some feel that it is cultural appropriation for those who are not part of Irish culture to claim they are "Irish".
[edit] Notes
- ^ Originally Mag Oisdealbhaigh as in classical Irish the initial vowel changed the c into a g, for example: Mag Aonghusa is now Mac Aonghusa, Mag Uidhir is now Mac Uidhir.
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