So, What Does It Mean To Be Irish?

What does it mean to be Irish? I've thought about this question for a few days, and I'm still not sure of an answer. Whenever I try to answer the question, I start to think about stereotypes of the Irish, but I don't believe that those stereotypes answer the question since these stereotypes could describe other cultures as well.

So, I don't know what I would say. It is hard for me to answer that question as very few traditions or customs were passed down in my family, especially when it comes my British ancestry. (I have ancestors from the main areas of the United Kingdom.) So, when I think about Irishness, I think about Irish music, red hair, leprechauns, and whiskey. Obviously, those images do not come close to answering the question. I guess the best way for me to obtain an understanding of Irish culture, I will have look for and read books on the subject.