What is the black Irish?
The term “Black Irish” is sometimes used outside Ireland to refer to Irish people with black hair and dark eyes. One theory is that they are descendants of Spanish traders or of the few sailors of the Spanish Armada who were shipwrecked on Ireland’s west coast, but there is little evidence for this.
Where does the phrase black Irish come from?
The term “Black Irish” has also been applied to the descendants of Irish emigrants who settled in the West Indies. It was also used in Ireland by Catholics in Ulster Province as a derogatory term to describe the Protestant Planters.
What percentage of Irish is black?
The preliminary results of the 2011 census recorded 58,697 people of Black African ethnicity and 6,381 people of any other Black background resident in the Republic out of a total population of 4,525,281, meaning that 1.42 per cent of the population self-identified as Black.
How many black Irish are there?
Nationality and Ethnicity
| Ethnic or Cultural Background | No nationality (incl. not stated) | Non-Irish nationals |
|---|---|---|
| Any other white background 2011 | 3241 | 377374 |
| 0 | 0 | |
| Black or black Irish – African 2016 | 882 | 17134 |
| Black or black Irish – African 2011 | 1144 | 34403 |
Are black Irish Vikings?
Groups of the French invaders landed on Irish shores, bringing with them new customs and characteristics to native Irish people and Ireland’s culture. The Vikings bestowed upon themselves the title of the ‘dark invaders’ or ‘black foreigners’.
Do the Irish have black hair?
Another even smaller group of Irish people (around 1% of the population) have black hair, light or tan skin, and brown eyes. This group is also sometimes referred to as black Irish.
How did Irish get red hair?
Where does Irish red hair come from. Red hair is caused by V60L allele – ‘the ginger gene’. Some experts say it developed up to 50,000 years ago when humans left Africa and arrived in Europe. The days were shorter and colder which meant that people had less time in the sun and absorbed less Vitamin D.