A thread touching on just one...just one aspect of the current abhorrent situation Irish Adoptee's find ourselves in.
@JoeBiden is connected to Mayo & Louth.
@BarackObama is connected to Offaly.
JFK had connections to Wexford, Limerick & Cavan.
They are proud of this Irish blood.

I am also proud of my Irish blood.
Very proud!
These US President's have visited Ireland, gone to their ancestral homes, learned of their heritage, connected with their people...their families.
Ireland welcomed them with open arms & extended our famous Céad Mile Fáilte.

It stings when Ireland shows this fearsome pride to the Irish diaspora, our sons & daughters, while simultaneously actively denying Irish adopted citizens of our own identities, our own birth certs & our own background information & our own ancestry.
Ireland reveres some, not all

As an Adoptee there are constant reminders of what I lost...no, had taken from me.

Growing up I resembled nobody. Shared no similar traits. I had no clue about my beginning.
I had no idea of my people, my ancestors, my lineage, my lore or whose blood ran in my veins.

Who I was.

Yesterday as @JoeBiden was being inaugurated, the commentary here spoke of our son of Ireland, a proud Irish American man, who finally after years of personal struggle, reached his ultimate goal.
I congratulate President Biden for what he has achieved after decades of hard work.

But, for me personally as an Adoptee, I was left saddened by what my country exhaults in President's Biden, Obama & Kennedy, it denies to my community.
These men so rightly proud of their Irish blood, ancestry, families & connections should be proud of;
Their lineage.
Their lore.

If only Ireland could offer such a gesture to us Adoptees, a marginalised community in the 21st century.
I too would be proud to visit my homestead, my family graves, my people. Relations who remain unknown to me, could perhaps welcome me with their Céad Mile Fáilte & open arms.

To be denied my family, my connections & my own family name, is my personal struggle.
I'd dearly love to reach my ultimate goal of enjoying my full equality, total inclusion & indeed my information after years...decades of being denied so much, too much by successive governments.

I too would be proud of my own genealogy.
To share similarities, familiarities & to maybe share some traits with another I share blood with, would be immense.
Immense!
Irish people value family names, ancestry, county connections & our history.
That is, those who are "allowed".

I imagine only too well how @JoeBiden will be welcomed, when he has the opportunity to visit his ancestral homeland, he holds so dear.
Ireland will officially bestow upon the US President, all which my country actively, purposefully & inexplicably prevents me from even knowing.

If only all Irish people were "allowed" our birthright.
If only those of us born outside marriage were given our equity.
If only the abject discrimination ceased.
If only government after government gave Adoptees, our autonomy.
If only every Irish person was treated as an equal.