Inside Politics with Hugh Linehan The modern face of Irish America
Mar 9, 2026
Liam Kennedy, director of the Clinton Institute and expert on Irish-American history, outlines how Irish identity in the US has transformed. He talks about changing census meanings and fading institutions. Cultural portrayals, modern pop culture hits, shifting party alignments and the resilience of Irish soft power in Washington are all explored in short, lively conversations.
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Old Community Structures Have Withered
- The old scaffolding of Irish-American identity — Catholic neighbourhoods, county associations, AOH and party loyalty — has largely disappeared.
- Kennedy argues this erosion forces Irishness to become more symbolic and fluid.
Early Hollywood Set Irish Movie Tropes
- Early Hollywood invented enduring Irish tropes: exile, return, and sentimental homeland stories shown in films like The Lad of Old Ireland.
- Kennedy recounts the 12-minute silent film where a man returns from America to save his family from eviction.
Streaming Culture Reconnects Young Irish Americans
- Contemporary Irish popular culture (Derry Girls, Kneecap) reaches young American Irish through streaming and social media, renewing symbolic ties.
- Kennedy found 20-somethings readily reference modern Irish shows as part of their identity.