How Irish are you?

I consider myself to be half Irish. Is this really true? Both my parents were born in Ireland and emigrated to England in the early 1960`s. That makes me Irish right? My parents parents were Irish and as far as I know my great great grand parents were too.

Why then do I feel I need to resist wearing a stupid Irish hat on St Patrick`s Day? I don`t want to go out and listen to the same old Irish folk songs that I used to hate, that now I quite like. Yet if I don`t go out and join in I feel I am missing out that I am not part of the gang. This need to feel part of a group to fit in somewhere is strong still. I want to be around some friends in a bar and relax and share some stories because that is what we do. Now I am older I don`t wish to drink all day. I still like the idea of having some Irish stew or Mum`s bacon and cabbage. I want to mark the day in some way. It is a tradition which I want to keep. I sometimes dream that England will play Ireland in a World Cup final game or Euro final soon. I am Irish right so I want Ireland to win of course !