Have the wild geese lost more than they gained?

I am 4th generation Irish in America, and had the distinct advantage of being raised knowing it, with my mother's main regret being that neither she nor my father nor my grandparents had any of the Irish to teach us. I know songs & stories, and on meeting expatriate Irish we've always been able to get on. I also always knew to keep my mouth shut about the Troubles despite having relatives in Belfast, being that we are here and have no business spouting off about things we have no experience of. So, I suppose my question is, with all the ridiculousness about to happen on Friday, do most Irish here in America have any idea what being Irish is about? I'd love to hear some answers from anyone currently in Ireland or expatriate as well.