Black Irish is a traditional term believed to have originated in the United States that commonly ascribes to a dark brown or black hair phenotype appearing in Caucasian persons of Irish descent. This can be distinguished in contrast to the (lighter) brown, blond or red hair color variant, the latter stereotypically perceived by many to solely personify the look of typical Irish folk. The term itself is rather ambiguous and not frequently used in everyday conversation. As such, the description of those it depicts has been known to vary to a degree in that some have differing views on which physical characteristics (e.g., dark hair, brown eyes, medium skin tone or dark hair, blue eyes, pale skin tone) best define the appearance of the so-called Black Irish.^[1] The word tradition comes from the Latin word traditio which means to hand down or to hand over. ... Man with black hair indian girl with black hair Black hair is the darkest and most common color of human hair. ... Individuals in the mollusk species Donax variabilis show diverse coloration and patterning in their phenotypes. ... The 4th edition of Meyers Konversationslexikon (1885-1890) shows the Caucasian race (in blue) as comprising Aryans, Semites and Hamites. The Caucasian race (sometimes called the Caucasoid race) is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as, relating to a broad division of humankind covering peoples from Europe, the Middle East... The Irish are a European ethnic group who originated in Ireland, in north western Europe. ... A woman with brown hair Brown hair is characterised by very high levels of the dark pigment eumelanin and lower levels of the pale pigment phaeomelanin. ... Naturally blond hair. ... Female with red hair Male with red hair Red hair (also referred to as auburn, ginger, or titian) varies from a deep red through to bright copper. ...

Inspired by a myth that claims the darker features to be of Iberian derivation,^[2] some have looked to science for answers, often citing genetic studies pertaining to those with Irish (and/or British) ancestry. This is seen as a means of determining what genotypic and environmental factors have contributed to the divergence between the more or less prevalent types found among Irish people. The Lady of Baza, made by Iberians The Iberians were an ancient, Pre-Indo-European people who inhabited the east and southeast of the Iberian Peninsula in prehistoric and historic times. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The Irish are a European ethnic group who originated in Ireland, in north western Europe. ...

Origin

The first clear evidence of human habitation in Ireland has been carbon dated to circa 7000 B.C.^[3] Written records pertinent to the existence of primordial peoples have yet to be discovered, but legends such as those described in the Book of Invasions refer to a number of historical ethnic groups including the Fomorians, Nemedians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha Dé Danann, and Milesians. Despite the lack of empirical data linking them to the Irish, one or more of these races have been acknowledged in previous and current ancestral studies. Worthy of mention is Dennis O'Mullally's History of O'Mullally and Lally Clan, or The history of an Irish family through the ages entertwined with that of the Irish nation,^[4] wherein the author comments on the Fir Bolg as "the aboriginal people of Ireland, smaller in stature than the Gaels, with jet-black hair and dark eyes, contrasting with unusually white skin." Such observations again lack the proper scientific backing, but recent advances in genetics continue to offer more clues. Radiocarbon dating is a radiometric dating method that uses the naturally occurring isotope carbon-14 (14C) to determine the age of carbonaceous materials up to about 60,000 years[1]. Raw, i. ... Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of the Taking of Ireland) is the Middle Irish title of a loose collection of poems and prose narratives recounting the mythical origins and history of the Irish race from the creation of the world down to the Middle Ages. ... In Irish mythology, the Fomorians, Fomors, or Fomori (Irish Fomóiri, Fomóraig) were a semi-divine race who inhabited Ireland in ancient times. ... In Irish mythology, Nemed (holy or priveleged) son of Agnoman of Scythia was the leader of the third group of inhabitants of Ireland. ... In Irish mythology the Fir Bolg (Fir Bholg, Firbolg, men of Builg or men of bags, or possibly men with spears, bolg meaning spear - and let us not forget the modern Irish word bolg belly (originally bag)) were one of the races that inhabited the island of Ireland prior to... “Áes dána” redirects here. ... There are two peoples referred to as Milesians: In Irish mythology, the Milesians were the descendants of Míl Espáine, the final invaders of Ireland who defeated and displaced the semi-divine Tuatha Dé Danann. ... A central concept in science and the scientific method is that all evidence must be empirical, or empirically based, that is, dependent on evidence or consequences that are observable by the senses. ... The Gaels are an ethno-linguistic group which spread from Ireland to Scotland and the Isle of Man. ...

Likewise, the term Black Irish is sometimes accompanied by a claim suggesting the physical traits to be the result of Iberian admixture originating with survivors of the Spanish Armada. However, the genetic contributions of the latter were likely to have been insignificant, as most Armada survivors were killed on the beaches, and much of the remainder eventually escaped from Ireland. It is believed that a grouping of Spanish soldiers ended up serving as armed retainers to the Irish chiefs Brian O'Rourke, Sorley Boy MacDonnell, and Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone. Consequently, these soldiers may have lived in Ireland long enough to father children, but did not constitute a very large number. The evidence is that the survivors of the Spanish Armada probably left no genetic legacy as the Irish have only minute amounts of Neolithic Near Eastern Y chromosome genetic markers such as E3b and J, both of which are present in low, but significant, levels throughout Spain (with the exception of the Basque Country).^[5] The Spanish Armada in Ireland refers to the descent upon the coast of Ireland in September 1588 of a large portion of the 130 strong fleet sent by King Philip II of Spain for the invasion of England. ... Sir Brian na Murra ORourke (1540?–1591) was hereditary lord of West Breifne (modern County Leitrim) in Ireland. ... Somhairle Buidh Mac Domhnaill (Charles of the Yellow Hair, son of Donnell) anglicised Sorley Boy MacDonnell (in Scotland, MacDonald) (c. ... Hugh ONeill, 2nd Earl of Tyrone (c. ... Combatants England Dutch Republic Spain Portugal Commanders Charles Howard Francis Drake Duke of Medina Sidonia Strength 34 warships 163 armed merchant vessels 22 galleons 108 armed merchant vessels Casualties 50–100 dead[1] ~400 wounded 600 dead, 800 wounded,[2] 397 captured, 4 merchant ships sunk or captured The Spanish... An array of Neolithic artifacts, including bracelets, axe heads, chisels, and polishing tools. ... The human Y chromosome is one of two sex chromosomes, it contains the genes that cause testis development, thus determining maleness. ... In human genetics, Haplogroup E3b (M35) (previously called Hg21) is a Y-chromosome haplogroup with a circum-Mediterranean distribution. ... In human genetics, Haplogroup J (previously known as HG9 or Eu9/Eu10) is a Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup. ... Pays Basque) see Northern Basque Country. ...

Iberian connection

The Spanish Armada myth is thought to have been a corruption of a story based on the Milesians (not to be confused with the ancient Greek people of the same name), the purported descendants of Míl Espáine (Latin Miles Hispaniae, "Soldier of Hispania", later pseudo-Latinised as "Milesius"), speculated to represent Celtic-speaking peoples from the western Iberian peninsula who began to migrate to Ireland and Britain in the fifth century B.C. The Spanish Armada in Ireland refers to the descent upon the coast of Ireland in September 1588 of a large portion of the 130 strong fleet sent by King Philip II of Spain for the invasion of England. ... In Irish mythology the Milesians or Sons of Míl Espáine were the final inhabitants of Ireland, representing the Goidelic Celts. ... The Milesians of Hellenic (Greek) civilization were the inhabitants of Miletus, a city in the Anatolia province of modern-day Turkey, near the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and at the mouth of the Meander River. ... In Irish mythology Míl Espáine (Latin Miles Hispaniae, Soldier of Hispania, that is Iberia or modern Spain and Portugal) is the ancestor of the final inhabitants of Ireland, the sons of Míl or Milesians, who represent the Goidelic Celts. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Iberian Peninsula. ... Botorrita: Bronze plate with inscription. ...

Genetic research also shows a strong similarity between the Y chromosome haplotypes of males from northwestern Spain and Irish males with Gaelic surnames,^[6] with a sizeable difference between the west and the east of Ireland, in that much of those from the west owe less of their DNA to Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian populations. Genetic marker R1b reaches frequencies as high as 98% in northwestern Ireland and 95% in southwestern Ireland,^[7] but only 73% in northeastern Ireland and 85% in southeastern Ireland. Additionally, R1b averages between 89% and 95% in Y chromosomes of the Basques of northern Spain (and southwestern France) considerably greater than levels of the same haplogroup found amongst the remaining Spanish genepool, where it varies from region to region in a range from 42% to 75%, but mostly with percentages in the 50s and 60s.^{[8][9][5][10][11]} Furthermore, in recently published books (Blood of the Isles by Bryan Sykes and The Origins of the British - A Genetic Detective Story by Stephen Oppenheimer), both authors agree that ancient inhabitants of Ireland can be traced back to the Iberian Peninsula, as a result of a series of migrations that took place during the Mesolithic and Neolithic Age. These movements theoretically laid the foundations for present-day populations in the British Isles.^[12][13] According to journalist Nicholas Wade, Oppenheimer maintains there is a great lineal commonality between the Irish and British people, as reported in the March 6, 2007 edition of the New York Times. The Oxford University geneticist also points out that a language closely related to Basque was long ago spoken by their shared ancestors.^[14][15] The human Y chromosome is one of two sex chromosomes, it contains the genes that cause testis development, thus determining maleness. ... A haplotype, a contraction of the phrase haploid genotype, is the genetic constitution of an individual chromosome. ... The Goidelic languages (also sometimes called the Gaelic languages or collectively Gaelic) have historically been part of a dialect continuum stretching from the south of Ireland, the Isle of Man, to the north of Scotland. ... The structure of part of a DNA double helix Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions for the development and function of living organisms. ... The famous parade helmet found at Sutton Hoo, probably belonging to King Raedwald of East Anglia circa 625. ... Scandinavia is a historical and geographical region centered on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe and includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. ... In human genetics, Haplogroup R1b (M343) (previously called Hg1 and Eu18) is the most frequent Y-chromosome haplogroup in Europe. ... In human genetics, Haplogroup R1b (M343) (previously called Hg1 and Eu18) is the most frequent Y-chromosome haplogroup in Europe. ... Languages Basque - few monoglots Spanish - 1,525,000 monoglots French - 150,000 monoglots Basque-Spanish - 600,000 speakers Basque-French - 76,000 speakers [4] other native languages Religions Traditionally Roman Catholic The Basques (Basque: Euskaldunak) are an indigenous people[5] who inhabit parts of northwestern Spain and southwestern France. ... In the study of molecular evolution, a haplogroup is a large group of haplotypes, which are series of alleles at specific locations on a chromosome. ... Bryan Sykes is Professor of Human Genetics at the University of Oxford, and a Fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford. ... Stephen Oppenheimer is a well-known expert in the field of synthesizing DNA studies with archaeological, anthropological, linguistic and other field studies. ... The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe. ... The Mesolithic (Greek mesos=middle and lithos=stone or the Middle Stone Age[1]) was a period in the development of human technology between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods of the Stone Age. ... An array of Neolithic artifacts, including bracelets, axe heads, chisels, and polishing tools. ... Location of the British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands off the north west coast of continental Europe comprising Great Britain, Ireland and a number of smaller islands. ... Nicholas Wade is a U.S. journalist and author of at least 2 books. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... The University of Oxford (usually abbreviated as Oxon. ... Basque (native name: Euskara) is the language spoken by the Basque people who inhabit the Pyrenees in North-Central Spain and the adjoining region of South-Western France. ...

Statistics

In a statistical survey of the Irish carried out by Mr. C. Wesley Dupertuis in the 1940s under the endorsement and guidance of The Division of Anthropology of Harvard University, based on some 10,000 adult males, the following information was gathered and so documented.^[16] Harvard University (incorporated as The President and Fellows of Harvard College) is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA and a member of the Ivy League. ...

The hair color of the Irish is predominantly brown. Less than three percent have black or ashen hair; 40% have dark brown hair. Medium brown hues make up another 35%. Persons with blond and light brown hair account for close to 15%, while approximately 10% have red hair. Both golden and dark brown shades can be seen in the southwestern counties of Ireland, but fairest hair in general is most common in the Great Plain. Ulster has been evidenced to have the highest frequencies of red hair with the lowest found in Wexford and Waterford. A woman with brown hair Brown hair is characterised by very high levels of the dark pigment eumelanin and lower levels of the pale pigment phaeomelanin. ... Man with black hair indian girl with black hair Black hair is the darkest and most common color of human hair. ... Naturally blond hair. ... Female with red hair Male with red hair Red hair (also referred to as auburn, ginger, or titian) varies from a deep red through to bright copper. ... Statistics Area: 24,481 km² Population (2006 estimate) 1,993,918 Ulster (Irish: Cúige Uladh, IPA: ) forms one of the four traditional provinces of Ireland. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 52. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 52. ...

In further examining pigmentation characteristics (both as a whole and regionally), studies have indicated the Irish are 'almost uniquely pale skinned when unexposed, untanned parts of the body, are observed' and '40% of the entire group are freckled to some extent.' Moreover, 'in the proportion of pure light eyes', data shows that 'Ireland competes successfully with the blondest regions of Scandinavia,' as approximately 42% of the Irish population have blue eyes. Another 30% have been found to possess light-mixed eyes and 'less than one half of one percent have pure brown.' Scandinavia is a historical and geographical region centered on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe and includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. ...

The complete results of this survey have been condensed and arranged in the Harvard Anthropometric Laboratory (formerly under the close supervision of Professor Earnest A. Hooton) with the cooperation of both governments in Ireland. Earnest A. Hooton (November 20, 1887 Clemansville, Wisconsin -- May 3, 1954 Cambridge, Massachussets) was a physical anthropologist known for his work on racial classification and his popular writings such as the book Up From The Apes. ...

Other uses

A lesser-known point of origin refers to the potato famine of 1845-1851, which turned the blighted potatoes 'black' and as a result drove thousands of Irish to America's shores.^[17] For other uses, please see Great Famine. ...

The term has also been used to denote the offspring of Irish laborers and African slaves in the Caribbean. Montserrat, by far, experienced the highest concentration of Irish immigrants, as it was forcibly settled by the English crown using indentured servants from Ireland. These Irish servants were eventually replaced by West African slaves who took on the surnames of the prior inhabitants, much as African slaves in the United States assumed the names of their owners.^[18] West Indian redirects here. ...  Western Africa (UN subregion)  Maghreb[1] West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. ...

In the United States, whites with Native American, African American, or other non-white ancestry may historically have called themselves "Black Irish," "Black Dutch," or "Black German" as a reflection of their coloring.^[19] Native Americans are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... According to researcher James Pylant, based on his extensive survey of American families claiming Black Dutch as part of their heritage: There are strong indications that the original Black Dutch were swarthy complexioned Germans. ...

A prominent theme of ethnology in Victorian England largely stemming from social prejudices of the time was that the Irish were racially different to the English people and thus considered inferior. Polygenism was a dominant theory, as was phrenology, and both were employed to 'prove' that Irish persons were less developed and more primitive than other 'races' of humanity. Punch cartoons often portrayed them with protruding jaws, alluding to the notion they were closer to apes than men. Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her Ascension to the Throne, 20 June 1837) gave her name to the historic era The Victorian era of the United Kingdom marked the height of the British Industrial Revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ... This article is about the English as an ethnic group and nation. ... Polygenism is a biblical theory of human origins positing that the human races are of different lineages. ... A 19th century Phrenology chart. ... Punch was a British weekly magazine of humour and satire published from 1841 to 1992 and from 1996 to 2002. ...

John Beddoe (1826-1911), one of the most notable ethnologists in the United Kingdom, supported these concepts with his work. In The Races of Britain: A Contribution to the Anthropology of Western Europe (1862),^[20] Beddoe wrote that all geniuses were orthognathous (having the front of the skull, almost vertical, not receding above the jaws), as opposed to the Irish and Welsh whom he exaggeratedly described as prognathous. Evasive or ignorant of the pre-Saxon Celtic influence on the English and likely his own forebears, Beddoe claimed that the Celts were closely related to Cro-Magnon man, theorized by him, as being linked to the 'Africanoid'. The Races of Britain was republished in 1885, 1905, and again in 1971.^[21][22] John Beddoe (1826-1911) was one of the most prominent Victorian ethnologists in the United Kingdom. ... The Welsh (Cymry) are an ethnic group or nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language, which is a Celtic language. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... This article is about the European people. ... A Cro-Magnon male skull The Cro-Magnons (IPA: or anglicised IPA: ) form the earliest known European examples of Homo sapiens sapiens, from ca. ... Negroid is a largely-archaic term used to describe one of the three races of man, a view now mostly regarded as an over-simplification of the spectrum of human diversity. ...

Popular Culture References

• In the pilot to NBC's television series The Black Donnellys, Joey Ice Cream, one of the mainstay characters (portrayed by actor Keith Nobbs) narrates the action drama and at one point indirectly refers to himself and unspecified Donnelly brothers as Black Irish. Joey cites a story told by his grandmother asserting that Ireland was originally inhabited by a 'dark haired race of people' whom the invading Celts unsuccessfully attempted to wipe out.

• On an episode of NBC's 30 Rock, talk show host Conan O'Brien (playing himself) calls Jack Donaghy, a character portrayed by regular cast member Alec Baldwin, a "Black Irish bastard."

• In the December 2005 issue of Life (magazine), former Bond actor Pierce Brosnan told the publication, "I know what it's like to loathe oneself. To feel that deep self-loathing. It's painful and ugly and [bleeping] unwanted. And it gets in the way. I can dip in there, into the old Black-Irish melancholy."

• In the third season of HBO's dramatic TV series Oz, Irish American characters Ryan O'Reily and Sean Murphy bond over the Spanish Armada myth of the Black Irish.

The Black Donnellys is an American television drama that debuted on NBC on February 26, 2007 and last aired on April 2, 2007. ... Alec Baldwin (born Alexander Rae Baldwin III on April 3, 1958 in Massapequa, New York) is an Academy Award-nominated, Screen Actors Guild Award-winning, and a Golden Globe Award-winning American actor. ... Pierce Brendan Brosnan OBE[1] (born May 16, 1953) is an Irish actor and producer who now holds American citizenship and is best known for portraying James Bond in four films: GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999) and Die Another Day (2002). ... The Spanish Armada in Ireland refers to the descent upon the coast of Ireland in September 1588 of a large portion of the 130 strong fleet sent by King Philip II of Spain for the invasion of England. ...

See also

• Celtiberians
• Basque people
• Gaels
• Irish people
• Irish American
• Lebor Gabála Érenn
• Milesians

Botorrita: Bronze plate with inscription. ... Languages Basque - few monoglots Spanish - 1,525,000 monoglots French - 150,000 monoglots Basque-Spanish - 600,000 speakers Basque-French - 76,000 speakers [4] other native languages Religions Traditionally Roman Catholic The Basques (Basque: Euskaldunak) are an indigenous people[5] who inhabit parts of northwestern Spain and southwestern France. ... The Gaels are an ethno-linguistic group which spread from Ireland to Scotland and the Isle of Man. ... The Irish are a European ethnic group who originated in Ireland, in north western Europe. ... Irish population density in the United States, 1872. ... Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of the Taking of Ireland) is the Middle Irish title of a loose collection of poems and prose narratives recounting the mythical origins and history of the Irish race from the creation of the world down to the Middle Ages. ... In Irish mythology the Milesians or Sons of Míl Espáine were the final inhabitants of Ireland, representing the Goidelic Celts. ...

Notes

External links

• Genetic study that links the Irish to Basques [1]

• DNA shows Scots and Irish should look to Spain for their ancestry

• A Y Chromosome Census of the British Isles; Cristian Capelli, Nicola Redhead, Julia K. Abernethy, Fiona Gratrix, James F. Wilson, Torolf Moen, Tor Hervig, Martin Richards, Michael P. H. Stumpf, Peter A. Underhill, Paul Bradshaw, Alom Shaha, Mark G. Thomas, Neal Bradman, and David B. Goldstein Current Biology, Volume 13, Issue 11, Pages 979-984 (2003). Retrieved 6 December 2005.

• Basque connection to the Welsh
• Genetic research links the Irish closer to Spain and Scandinavia than the Celts
• Southern Methodist University's curriculum material
• The Look of the Irish, The Washington Post (featuring reference to the Black Irish) [2]