The Trip of a Lifetime: Archaeology, Tourism, and Irish-American Identity

Summary

In America, millions of people claim Irish ancestry and celebrate their heritage in myriad ways. Many actively embrace the identity of Irish-American generations after their family members became U.S. citizens in the aftermath of the famine and socio-political turmoil of the mid-19th to early 20th century. Over the past two decades, the tourism industry in Ireland has flourished with Americans among the most numerous visitors each year. Several of the top destinations are those connected to the famine and ensuing Irish diaspora, events which continue to play crucial roles in the creation of Irish-American identity. Within Ireland, the era of the famine has seen relatively little archaeological excavation and analysis in part due to 20th century distaste for colonial topics. Irish national identity, in contrast, draws heavily from the Early Medieval period and the Iron Age, which have seen tremendous archaeological work and historical study. Thus, in archaeology and in the perceptions of identity, the time of the famine is somewhat disconnected from the rest of Irish history and prehistory. This paper examines the role of archaeology, nationalism, and tourism in the construction of Irish and Irish-American identity.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• Proper ID Required: Difficulties in Discerning Past Identities

Keywords

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