Why do these two areas feel connected to Americans? We can start with the language: English. When you visit Scotland and Ireland and hear local English, you might think it is a foreign language. Both can be heavily accented to our ears. Some areas are influenced by Gaelic and some by England’s English. Posh accents like those of Ewan McGregor or Sean Connery are familiar to movie buffs. Connery is especially known to us from James Bond.
We are family. 5 million Americans have Scottish ancestry; the Scottish diaspora remains connected via church, culture, and the many societies we see in parades. If you went to parochial school, you wore a Scottish tartan skirt.
In Ireland, accents are a tad easier for us. They are also sing song-y and soft. 30 million Americans have Irish ancestry; and we hear the accent from the many first and second generation Irish who live here. Moreover Irish students and seasonal workers enjoy a special visa program to enter and work in the US. Again film helps with the accent: Pierce Brosnan, Liam Neeson….
More than family, the Irish dominate our President’s ancestry. 35 of our 46 presidents have Scot’s Irish ancestry. These presidents include George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. According to genealogists, Barack Obama’s ancestry can be traced back to William the Lion who ruled Scotland from 1165 to 1214. (Source scotland.org).
Americans trust their investments in both of these countries. That means locals you meet while traveling are familiar from working with us. 25% of all foreign investment in Scotland is from American companies; similarly there are 950 US subsidiaries in Ireland employing 10% of the people. Americans regularly study in Scotland; and if into literature, Ireland.
Probably the glue that ties us most together is we share many of the same values. We belong to the same international organizations, honor the same democratic laws and work together in peace-keeping units.
Americans are known as ‘friendly and spendy’. As soon as your American or Canadian accent is heard, you will get a welcoming smile followed by “My company, my friend, my brother, sister lives/works/studied in the US.
So if you want to visit areas where you will be smiled at, join our October Scotland and Ireland trip. Visit our other tours at https://www.thewomenstravelgroup.com/tours/ Feel free to call us Monday-Friday 9-5 Eastern Summer Time. We call right back.
