Who Are The Black Irish?
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- Marella
- Etain
- colleenmwilliams
- WHOhemp
- MadMax007
- ryanblackirish
- smacvill33
- Rae9381
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» Marella - Back in anthropology class...
"Black Irish" was used to describe someone with blue-black hair, blue eyes, and pale white skin. This phenotype was used as an example of what can happen when populations breed in isolation (like, on islands). Usually, dark hair goes with dark eyes and skin. But, the lecture went, in some regions, the "Black Irish" combo developed and was retained because of endogamy (breeding within the group).FYI ...
I personally find the term interesting because I have ancestors and cousins with this coloring.
-- posted by Marella
» Etain - interesting
It's interesting how many stories surround it all. The Irish have many types of coloring ...all genetic imports. The most overwhelmingly common is dark hair or even more common ..very dark reddish tinged brown, blue eyes, pale skin..however... i think the pale skin thing might come from no sunshine..like EVER..in FOREVER! *L*Leona
-- posted by Etain
» colleenmwilliams - Lol My grandfather's definition
My "Papa" told us that we were black Irish, and said that it meant we had gypsy blood!He also said that long ago our Irish ancestors mixed with Portuguese, Spanish, and Moorish Sailors and that all of that led to us being black Irish...hmm. I have red hair, where do I fit in??? smile, I loved that tale when I was little though, how romantic sailors' and gypsies'lowing in my veins....-- posted by colleenmwilliams
» WHOhemp - Re: Lol My grandfather's definition
Check outhttp://www.darkfiber.com/blackirish/
which gives a much more logical and believable explanation of the term.
-- posted by WHOhemp
» MadMax007 - Black Irish
As it was said above; I was born in Ireland, Derry City to be exact and I had to move to America with my Parents when I was 11. The term Black Irish Had not been known to me until recently. From the studying I have done I beleive that Black Irish is simply the ancient Celt blood that orginated in Central Europe before the Romans. When the Romans encountered the Celts or Keltoi, they described them as being Medium sized black haired and pale skinned, even though they died their hair blond on lime stone for an as yet unkown reason. The reason for their being red and blond haired people I beleive is due to the large numbers of scandinavians and other germanic tribes.Of course this is all due to a somewhat extensive research. Always looking for new insight.
-- posted by MadMax007
» ryanblackirish - Black Irish is present in my family
I would definitely fall under the category of black irish. I have jet black hair and brown eyes and pretty pale skin. Most people say oh your probably Italian and I have a sister with red hair and blue eyes have any of you ever seen that before. It kinda bothers me because eveytime I go somewhere with my sister people are in awe of how we are brother and sister.-- posted by ryanblackirish
» smacvill33 - Black Irish
You folks have missed a few other possible explanations for "Black Irish". They say that the black irish were a mix of Spanish and Irish blood from when the Spanish Armada crashed on the Western seabord of Ireland in 1588. The remaining survivors were said to have stayed in Ireland and intermarried w/Irish women there, creating olive-complected, black-haired, dark-eyed descendents.It is also said the Black Irish are those people who still live in the Caribbean today on an island called Marreats. They are a mix of African and Irish (and indigenous/indian too, I'm sure), exactly like me! to this day, they still have a Celtic accent.
-- posted by smacvill33
» Rae9381 - Black Irish
My family is Black Irish and the story we hear is that before any Gaelics came they were the inhabitants. They were nomads and that is where gypsys come from. Today my family has intermarried with red Irish and Indian but many of them still travel all over the country. I have relatives that have never lived in a house. It said that one red Irish women married into the family and all of her offspring were light skinned and only my grandfather mother and I are light skinned on that side of the family the rest have darker hair and eyes and are more olive skin toned rather than our fair.-- posted by Rae9381
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