Who Are The Black Irish?: Re: Black Irish - American myth

» irish7774 - Re: Black Irish - American myth

In response to Black Irish - American myth posted by Blarni:

Black Irish is not an American invention, though we make speak more about it here. My Father, Grandmother (from Roscommon,Ireland), Uncle, Aunt, Cousin, 2 Brothers and my son all have thick black curly hair (both my father and son have wooly hair), brown eyes, and most have olive skin. My Grandfather (from Ireland also) had blue eyes, black hair and olive skin. Our family name Kerins which means "dark one" as in hair, skin and eyes. The name Doyle also means "dark one", there are a number of Irish surnames that refer to dark hair and eyes. These were initially nicknames, but they are so common that the common presence of dark hair, eyes and skin in Ireland prior to the 14th century is a virtual certainty.

I have read that the "Black Irish" are the descendants of the Danes who invaded Ireland and Scotland, the Danes being dark, where the other Scandinavian invaders were fair. Wherever they genes came from, these darker folks have long been a part of the Irish genetic landscape. Time to go brush my very dark, curly hair.

-- posted by irish7774