Expert: Kevin Irwin - 8/11/2001

Question
Where does the stereotype of a drunken Irishman come from?  Why has it persisted?

Answer
I'm not quite sure where the stereotype comes from.  I tried to do a web search for the answer but didn't get very far.  I do have a couple of theories, though.
First, the British never did like the Irish, especially after they tried to take over Ireland, namely by getting rid of the Irish altogether and planting good proper British Protestants over there.  Most stereotypes arise as a way to dehumanize a certain sect in order to make it seem more acceptable to hate them or whatnot.  Most of human slavery is the result of the slave owners viewing their slaves as less than human and therefore rationalizing their enslavement.  So, perhaps the Brits started the stereotype.
Second, when the Irish came in huge waves to America in the late 19th century, most of the people already here didn't like them (because they would take their jobs or whatnot.  Some shops even put up signs "Irish need not apply").  So, any number of groups in America might have been responsible for starting the stereotype.
Of course, I would be biased to say all this without admitting that, indeed, some Irish were drunkards.  However, every culture has their fair share, so I don't imagine that the Irish were any worse off than any other group.  However, I did find this on the internet:
http://artemis.austinc.edu/acad/english/jlincecum/eire.html
5. Drink. The brawling, drunken Irishman is just as oversimplified a stereotype as the loud, vulgar Texan. Nevertheless, it is true that the consumption of alcohol per capita is higher in Eire than in America or Europe. By one estimate, 10% of all personal spending in Ireland is for alcoholic beverages. Certainly the pub is an important social institution, quite different from the bars in this country.
Some of the greatest scenes in Irish lit. have centered around drinking, which is rarely a major theme but often a secondary one that produces some good writing. On the other hand, drinking has been a source of untimely dissipation for several Irish writers. Notice how often pub scenes are important in the movies and books we will study. The point is that Irish social life centers around the pub, which is where many people do their entertaining of friends and family. Watch for scenes in the movies and books that reflect the Irish attitude toward drinking and socializing in the pub.
The pub does indeed play a big role in Irish life, but no more than in British life or in other cultures.  The Irish did have their whiskey, which they were quite fond of.  Perhaps it was due to the bleakness of Irish life throughout much of history.  Not only did the British come over and oppress them for centuries, but the land they lived on was not terribly good and they had the various potato famines to deal with (particularly the big one during 1845-1849).

However, having said all of this, there is a large percentage of Irish people today (and historically) that are teetotallers (that is, they don't drink at all).  I've heard upwards of 30% of the population falls into this category.  Perhaps this is due to people giving up the drink after alcoholism or whatnot has ravaged their family.

And of course, perhaps the myth is self-perpetuated by the Irish themselves (or at least, Irish-Americans).  In most cases it seems pretty harmless, so I think the stereotype just continues merrily along.  Some people might be offended by it, but I think most people just take it in stride.  And, the Irish are well-known comedians and love to be self-deprecating, so I think a lot of jokes told by the Irish themselves play on this stereotype.  Although like any stereotype, the myth of the drunken Irishman can be damaging, I don't think you'll see the stereotype go away anytime soon.  This is due to a number of reasons, but mainly due to the fact that the Irish and people of Irish extraction as a whole don't seem to be terribly bothered about it.

Sorry I couldn't give you some actual facts about the origin, but hopefully some of the above info helps.