A remark by a lawyer in Orlando, Florida, that to the Irish drinking and driving is "not a big deal" has met with an angry response from Irish-American groups.
The comment was made in a court case in which Dollar Rent-A-Car is being sued for negligence by two children of Ms Carmel Elizabeth Cunningham. She was killed in a drink-driving crash in 1998 while a passenger in a car rented by her boyfriend, Mr Sean McGrath.
The lawyer for the children, Mr John Stemberger, said the company should have known Mr McGrath was likely to drink and that alcohol consumption was a major part of Irish life.
"Anyone who has studied Ireland knows it's just a fact. To the Irish, drinking and driving is not a big deal", he said.
Mr Ben Briscoe, former lord mayor of Dublin, called the remark "racist and absurd".
The Pioneer Association said the accusation did not add up - over 30 per cent of the adult Irish population did not drink at all.
Ms Kathleen Reineke, past president of the local Irish-American Club, said the lawsuit was rampant with stereotypes.
"If that is true, you shouldn't rent to Germans either; they're in the beer gardens. And the Italians too; they do it," she said.
Mr McGrath is not named in the civil suit, which was filed in Orange Circuit Court.
Mr Peyton Hodges, representing the rental company, called the case ludicrous.
Mr Stemberger later said he was going to file an amendment to the lawsuit, dropping the Irish references. "I deeply regret any offence or any potential misunderstanding as a result of this lawsuit," he said.
Mr Patsy McGlone, an SDLP councillor in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, said "this is ridiculous. My God, we are talking about bringing a case on generalities; it doesn't seem to me to be a strong basis for a case."
The Pioneer Association is to mark its 100th anniversary in Dublin on Sunday. Up to 40,000 people and 25 bands are expected to attend.