Americans will often call themselves Irish, then get called out for not actually practising Irish culture

Not really.

If you do not have an Irish passport or citizenship, then you are not Irish.

If you have a US passport or citizenship, then you are American.

It's all very simple. But countries throughout Europe and indeed the world can't quote wrap our heads around why Americans have to be "something" American.

Irish, Dutch, Italian, Japanese, even as far as African.. whatever... It doesn't make sense.

You're not any of these things. You're American. That is all that anybody outside of the US sees Americans as.

There's no bad feelings either way, but it just doesn't make sense to anyone outside the US as to why your people need to split themselves into groups and tell stories to yourselves from where your ancestors came from hundreds of years ago.

I think as a country, the US is old enough now that you guys can stop all that.

Italian American? Nope. Just American. "But I'm Irish" oh OK, are you an Irish citizen? "no but my great great..." Nope. Just American.