What does being Irish mean?

Answer 1

It comes from the Middle English Ireland, which in turn is from the Old English Írland/Íraland: Íras, the Irish. The Indo-European root is Iveriú which appears in Greek as Ierné, Latin as I(u)verna/Juberna>Hibernia and in Old Irish as Ériu.

There was also a goddess named Ériu but the country is not necessarily named

after her.

(2k3r021)

.................................................................................................................

Ireland is named after ÉRIU who was the queen of the Tuatha Dé Danaan. She was killed at the battle of Tailtiú by Suirge. At this battle the Milesians defeated the Tuatha dé Danann and gained supremacy over Ireland. Ériu's dying wish was that the country be named after her and it was. This of course is a mythical distortion of the more prosaic truth of conquest. There are two other names for Ireland, Fódhla and Banba. Éire (or Ériu) represented the geographical or earthy sense. The other two symbolise Ireland in its warrior and spiritual senses respectively.

Ériu means "regular traveller" and for this and other reasons it is thought that she is a Sun Goddess. As far as I know she was not "worshipped" as such, as is claimed below.

....................................................................................................................

Ire+land.

Ire: I think it's an anglicisation (pronouncing a foreign language word as best you can in English) of Éire (pronounced AIR-ih), who I think was a pagan god worshipped in prechristian times.

land: English word

therefore

Ireland: Land of Goddess Éire/Land where Éire is worshipped/Éire's Land/Éire's Dominion etc

Answer 2

It means that the target of the adjective came from Ireland, presumably.

However, this answer does not factor into account stereotypes, cultural differences, political issues, or physical traits that may accompany said coming from Ireland. If it is this you are after, you may want to find an Irish person and ask them personally.