I've had a lifetime to contemplate my Irish ancestry. Yes, my father's parents came over from County Sligo and County Leitrim over 100 years ago while my mother's side can be traced to both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Glenn is my mother's maiden name. I'm about as Irish as you can get. While I'm proud of what my ancestors had to go through to allow me to live a better life, I find the Irish experience to be a lesson in humility too. From the Vikings of the Middle Ages to the horrible British administration during the 1850s Potato Famine, conquest and occupation have taken their toll on the Emerald Isle. As with many people repeatedly conquered by bigger neighbors, the Irish have coped in positive ways such as their special sense of humor and through darker means exemplified by alcohol abuse and religious strife. Beyond all its varying degrees of ethnic stereotypes and debates over who should be allowed to march in a St. Patrick's Day parade, this day should represent hope and triumph over historic adversity for any nationality.
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