An Irish-American History Lesson

Here's a link to a story that appeared last year on St. Patrick's Day. Author Thomas Fleming relates his experience in America with an IRA man during the late '40's that prompted him to consider his hyphenated, Irish-American status.

My interest in the story does not lie with IRA issues, but with Fleming's pat realization of his synthesized self. I'm afraid I don't know more about him than what is offered in the article, and Ialso don't know what synthesis is capable of occuring unless you have some real connection with another self, beyond last name, or relative. Lines like:

"At the same time we hope our children and grandchildren will experience the tremor of emotion many of us still feel when we read those lines by William Butler Yeats:

I am of Ireland...
The Holy Land of Ireland."

are exactly the kind of thing that can drive and Irishmen batty. Tremor of emotion from what, exactly, if the hyphen is the extent of your experience?

Please don't drink a green beer tomorrow.

Crankily yours . . .