", Anne Marie Schmidt, a Washington restaurant manager from Dublin, The Black Irish - what are the truths and what are the myths? "Why on Earth do you want him back again? We are expert face readers. These faces give away precisely nothing. about the Irishman jailed for a month for stealing a ham. Considering that, we can categorize the looks into two groups. . The Irish Potato Famine caused for a booming Irish population in Five Points, as the land decreased in value due to unclean living conditions. Georgia O'Keeffe had a The sculpture of King Dubh or King Kenneth Dubh was created during his time. How's that? Black Irish, like the "dark folk" in Scotland, were the original, ancient peoples of both these countries: dark skinned, black hair and (originally) very tall people. Consequently, the blonds in northern Europe took longer to develop than the mutant redheads (I say this with tongue in cheek, being of the red persuation myself, lol). They left Asia Minor and went all across North Africa. we are short, but my brothers and me look like indians after my mom's side. Way," with Bing Crosby; "The Luck of the Irish," with Tyrone Power; "Top Either way, the features of the Fir Bolg may be attributed to the appearance of the BlackIrish people of today. Copyright 2023 My Real Ireland | By Cian Murphy Digital - SEO Agency Dublin | Privacy Policy. Among the older ones, And aren't my Indo-European ancestors from the place currently known as the Middle East? The Celtics had black hair and therefore are the true Irish. Scots-Irish / Scotch-Irish Americans . The large numbers of new arrivals led the locals to label them the Black Irish. Totally fascinating! I have a very distinctive look with almost black hair and green eyes while the rest of my family has much lighter features. Black Irish is exactly what it sounds like. Is Amazon actually giving you a competitive price? Irish are not descended from 'Celts' of Italy as many Irish people like to say. Their noses were softer and smaller than their Germanic counterparts - more like African than "European" (as it was generally understood). Although it often has been used as an insult, many people proudly describe themselves or their ancestors as Black Irish. Someone recently said I look Irish, I always thought the "Irish Look" was red hair. The position of a point on a facial image of one member of an identical twin pair should be very similar to the position of the corresponding point on the image of the other twin. It's not impossible for Mulatto people who are Irish to look more like their Irish parent, or vice versa. Almost everything said in the comments so far about the looks of the Irish and about their origins is nonsense, I'm afraid. Two weeks ago, I had my eyes checked and got new glasses. I'm 100 percent Irish, except that my family always said there had been Gypsies on my dad's side, and that we were Black Irish. Gt grandma was born in Ireland in 1840 and married a born and bred New Yorker. Love those old family stories. 4 (3 views). Let's learn some Irish words for facial features and learn how to pronounce them. King Niall, Shane the Proud, So many Irish faces: "The common classes are strongly marked with and crested rings belonging to the American Irish. These features are normally dark hair, dark blue/green/brown eyes and sallow skin. Sandra Day O'Connor, Jackie Gleason, Mia Farrow, F. Scott Fitzgerald, More recently, they have found that the Irish and British are more related to Belgians, Dutch and Northern French (Brittany). The term "Black Irish" has also been applied to the descendants of Irish emigrants who settled in the West Indies. It is unlikely that the exact origin of the term will ever be known and it is also likely that it has had a number of different iterations, depending on the historical context. To me, an American growing up with Irish parents, my take on it, is be proud if your parents or grandparents say they are black Irish. I'm sure this term means different things to people, but in America, the Black Irish are simply the 15 percent with black hair, blue or green eyes, and pale skin. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. My mother is a red haired very pale skin irish, my father is the jet black hair dark eyed irish with medium skin tone..I ended up with black hair and hazel eyes that change with my mood between dark brown to gray to greenI wish more was know about how the 'black irish" came to be. The Normans originated in France, where black-haired people are not uncommon. fatalist, yet perversely optimistic faces that seem to say: "A broken It should be noted that there hasn't been any proven theory as to how the black Irish came about. The phrase Black Irish to me is talking about Irish people who clearly have Spanish ancestry, possibly from the Spanish Armada story. ones seem to have a wisdom -- they've seen the worst the world can dish brother Michael goes to four and five wakes a week. Wouldn't miss one. They are mostly stout and hardy, dark haired, dark skinned and dark-eyed. for the sort of violence he's trying to quell -- the romance of destiny, I don't know where the term 'black Irish' comes from, but it was hardly a taunt used by the English, since the vast majority of English are dark-haired. from a distant Spanish relative, I believe her family came from Connemara. color James Joyce described as "oakpale." Black Irish: The same skin without the freckles, and hair that is Repose Frontal View - Ethnic Variations The most important view of the face is the frontal view. The Irish drink tea on a daily basis, it's what gets us out of bed in the morning. "Black Irish" is a bit of Irish humour, you see. Only two or three percent of Irish people have red hair or freckles. I also heard that this is what the Irish that have the traditional coloring called them. 36,629 2,266 2,589. But they look like a great people to me. lol. I read that "Black" placed before an ethnicity, i.e., Black Irish; Black German, etc., alludes to those ethnicities inter-marrying with Native Americans, and the children, born darker than their Irish parents, were referred to as black to hide the native American blood, as this was quite shameful at the time. How stupid are some people? I understand this. im black irish too and my dad is actually a citizen who came to america when he was 23. he and almost all of his family have black hair and blue eyes and fairly tan skin. I tend to think that there is an ancient dark Pictish strain in this. The Irish are Celtic, and therefore dark haired. They found out that black Irish is fake. If you go to Irish speaking communities, you will see a significant number of the population with dark features. Some "Black Irish" are of Irish-African descent, tracing their ancestry back to the slave trade. That, along with other characteristics, show the modern day Irish and Scottish and others of the original Celtic nations to be a distinct people unto themselves, rather than some variation of Teutonic origins, as with the English. My father, whose parents are both Irish, is black Irish with dark hair, eyes and olive skin. legend sometimes hides truth. (The face of a tough, smart priest, the youngest Now after reading what Black-Irish means I'm afraid to wear the thing. suffers it raceless and placeless, universal citizens, members of the the coffin in the heft of their mourning clothes. They tried to take over Munster in northern Ireland, but they didn't want their butts kicked by women because women fought alongside the men. If someone has 24 % english DNA shown up, tha just means 'similarity ' or markers that are generally found in that population. I just always thought it had something to do with being a traveler. Karl-Heinzes. They have fair, cool-toned skin like most Irish people. that may never have existed. Wait-and-See: Dark eyes and dark mouths, dark as bruises. We are called black Irish because typically we have been poor and have to work. The Spanish ships floundered and some did indeed come ashore and were saved, but these aren't the real Dark or Black Irish, although they would have looked much like them. This is because of the widespread perception that BlackIrish was not initially a part of the Irish people. . My mother is black Irish mainly and a bit of English. My dad isn't pale like me but he has blue eyes and black hair. Some Germans have hair like blacks. I want to know more. As for a face, Fitzgerald had a beautiful, fragile one, the face im irish but i don't look like any of the other members of my family who have light eyes and light hair. People look at me and see me as white. o' the Morning," with Bing Crosby; and Walt Disney's "Darby O'Gill and Some say they came from the Spanish Armada. The low brachycephalic index, and the relative fineness of the facial features indicate a tendency in a Nordic direction. Historically, mixed-race European-American Indian and sometimes full blood Indian families of the South adopted the terms "Black Dutch", and to a lesser extent, Black Irish, first in Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. My father was of irish descent, my mother scottish. Also, I was told that we were travelers and all I know is I have black hair and green eyes and I love moving around. Historians have concluded that these group of invaders often Intermarried with the local Irish population and formed new groups. i think the person who wrote about the insanity thing is wrong a bit but a lot of people of this background who i know are always in trouble and temperamental. There are a million theories, from inbreeding (not particular to Ireland) to a high potato diet (lol), something in the soil, to a stoicism of the mind. but there is also indian on my dad's side as well. Can you tell ethnicity by facial features? ski-masked men with machine guns, their faces wracked with the My father was scotch Irish, flaming red hair and freckles and brown eyes. original sin. gentleness one associates with peacemakers or saving the whales, but it It is possible that the term "Black Irish" may have referred to some of these immigrant groups as a way of distinguishing them from the "Gaels," the people of ultimately Celtic origin. We Black Irish in America are descended from America's slaves. Although all races began in africa with black skin (the 30,000 years prior to the last ice age the whole european population maintained their black skin), it was not until after the last ice age during the last resettlement of europe 10,000 years ago and the switch from hunter gatherer, herder to agriculture, there was no longer enough vitamin d in the food supply to sustain the dark skin color. . Irish ancestry in the 1990 census. It's a natural expression of the human genetic gene pool, even in Ireland, and it's racist to say otherwise. me too. He has blonde/brownish hair also. It has never been proven. In Southern Ireland, some people, referred to as "Black Irish", are noted for their strikingly dark features, as opposed to the fair-skinned, light-haired north. There are many theories about the origins. What is it about Irish names, particularly boys' eyes. Peter Frost also supports this in his study titled European hair and eye color . They are gone. Proud, double-chinned fathers Irish Catholics lost all their natural human rights, and were considered inferior in society like people of African descent were once considered in the U.S., etc. I have (heavily tattooed) tan skin, brown eyes, reddish brown hair, bright red facial hair. This finding gives the Armada Myth credibility. There are 39 I have been described as hawaiian and so have my sisters. Whose Irish are the real Irish? If youre born in any country, you refer to yourself as being from that country. I have Irish eye shape as well, more obvious when I was a young child. I'm glad a guy in a similar topic showed me this post. Sometimes the eye shape known as the smiling eye looks like a mix between asian, and european features but it could be just a unique irish trait. people; they never speak well of one another. As a female, I carry only female DNA. you are the green beer drinking "so called" (Irish) wannabees who will never be entitled to the knowledge of the natural existence of Tuatha De Danaan. And the names! Also, In the 1600s the Irish were the main slaves in Montserrat, 70 percent of the population. factious broils (too often, alas, the fruits of intemperance) in which We're proud to be Irish! of a great movie, "The Commitments," in which a group of young people When Alzheimer's kicked in, she admitted that her stepdad was a bootlegger with the Underwood family of Dallas, and she had to answer the phone--despite being 14 or younger. In general Irish people have dark hair, we do have the odd red hair-not as many as are in Boston though! There are records for this; it's not a mythical occurrence. Black Irish merely refers to a group of families who moved from Ireland to Scotland at some time (I don't know exactly when) in the past. . I believe, by the way, that Black Irish is a term that refers to those with the very dark hair (eyes either light or dark) and that probably comes from contact or migration from predominantly dark-haired people further south, as has been said, probably Basque and in that general region. If there was a war anywhere, then there has been an injection of new genes, probably the only positive thing to come from war, after all, we'd all end up inbred otherwise! I also would like to know, seriously and without offending anyone, about 24687's comment about Black Irish gene pool and mental illness. The traditional image of Vikings is of pale-skinned blond-haired invaders but their description as "dark foreigners" may lead us to conclude that their memory in folklore does not necessarily reflect their physical description. Imagine what peace we could have on earth. Interesting posts. It is definitely a product of the western hemisphere and therefore not a race of Ireland. But what is the peculiarity? Do you see where I'm getting at, where the Irish became "the black irish"? The most likely reason is that people that had darker coloring had Native American or African blood and wanted to pass as white. The Irish water spaniel is a medium-size sporting dog breed from Ireland that has a curly, medium-length coat that only minimally sheds. Even up to today's times, most of the irish gypsies have these features. Good news, people. The Celtsarrived on the island about the year 500 B.C. Anyone have any ideas?. The Irish genes definitely showed mom's strawberry blond hair and blue eyes. God bless every one of you. The term is commonly used to describe people of Irish origin who have dark features, black hair, a dark complexion and dark eyes. My own "Anglo-Irish" (a term I learned from an American whom I described my upbringing to) heritage keeps me out of trouble. My mother's sister has olive skin, brown eyes and dark hair. Celtic just means non-Greek. Winking, Not sure where the term comes from, but I know during Irish slavery when the Irish were shipped as white cargo to the Americas and the West Indies as slaves, they were bred with African slaves to so called "create" a better and cheaper slave (than an African slave). There can be dark, blond and red haired people in the one family. The movies The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. this article is very interesting indeed. the world. countrymen after centuries of British tyranny, they have the ephemeral, New culture, new names. Just to put my two cents in on black Irish, there are too many theories. little of that in her face -- a dark, hard thing. After reading about black irish I believe I may be black irish. It first appeared in humans with dark hair and skin, enabling them to take advantage of their ability to make more D vitamins, which enabled them to flourish in the higher latitudes. For what it's worth, my maternal grandmother was black Irish and her name was Cato. We have a much older genetic legacy. Our heritage helps us connect, and teaches us respect for others as well as for ourselves. Her family bible goes back to medieval times. TO: anon26002: I am black irish and so is my entire family on my mother's side. The Scotland's DNA project, led by Edinburgh University's Dr Jim Wilson, has tested almost 1,000 Scots in the last four months to determine the genetic roots of people in the country. Most of them have a Spanish Ancestor from the Spanish Armada incident or the fact that ship merchants were the drugstore and wal-mart of the day. It is sometimes believed that these Gypsies intermarried with the white Irish andproducedthe BlackIrish People. The skin color is not the "dark" part, but the hair. It is often curly and thick and rarely shows any inclination toward balding in middle-aged men. If you look at Ireland you will notice that people on the east coast, where most of the invasions landed, are paler than the people in the west, who by and large escaped the worst of the invasions by foreign settlers. She used to tell me that part of her family was "black Irish". When this dark hair is accompanied by pale skin and blue or green eyes, it produces a particularly dramatic effect that is sometimes called "black Irish." All this talk of black Irish having something to do the hair and eye color is nonsense. Unfortunately, it's not an idea that came from Ireland. Yet, as a subject of historical discussion, it is almost never referred to in Ireland. Perhaps the best description comes from the popular historian, Carl Wittke: "The so-called Irish temperament is a mixture of flaming ego, hot temper, stubbornness, great personal charm and warmth, and a wit that shines through adversity. worldwide nation of the Poor and Downtrodden. I think it's attractive. He has blue eyes and fair skin. A real geneticist would be able to give a better answer. The theory that the "Black Irish" are descendants of any small foreign group that integrated with the Irish and survived is unlikely. drinking, shuffling, snuffling Irish in ads and movies. The basic facts: The Ancient Irish were children of King David of Israel. Sln, Debra. Any truth to this? This is way the English call them black. She always claimed there was a Spanish connection. says of Irish Americans: "We don't necessarily call them Irish.". It's the first time I've heard the term "Black Irish." Like a lot of native Irish, he seemed less Irish than the American My My dads family bible goes back 400 years, with most of the writing in old Gaelic, and old French and English. I suppose every country or culture has that element, but those Irish, boy, watch out. My grandmothers last name is Haley, another old and not very common Irish last name. Are these typical facial features of Irish people long oval shaped faces Medium too High cheekbones Small eyes that are thin and narrow Round Prominent chin Slightly Upturned nose Dark hair and Dark eyes are very common among Irish people like Dark Brown and Hazel even Black hair and Brown eyes is also common Milky . fistfighting and puking in the gutters. I've never found it to be true.". There is evidence that a small percentage of prehistoric people that lived in present-day Spain and Portugal (the Iberian Peninsula) migrated to present-day Ireland. So where you lot get the hair and eye thing from, i dont know --but its not true. And my eyes are green hazel, which means they are mostly green/gray with some brown, and they change with my mood. Throughout history, my family has been referred as black Irish, not for any other thing than being a member of the working class, not of noble birth. look right in octagonal rimless glasses. In terms of appearance, there is not much difference between people from South and North Wales. Their descendants of today may be the BlackIrish according to some myths. , Ah, the perversity of it all. "of an easily frightened angel," as Hemingway said. It is prevalent in Mediterranean areas. Myths point out that they were exiled from India into Europe after an Afghani King invaded northern India in the 15th Century. their empty white skies) of hapless, sunstruck rebels about to be hanged on the census, but we don't have our schools filling up with Helmuts and Brooklyn 1953, go figure! However, some common Irish facial features include: a high cheekbones, a long, thin nose, and a sharp chin. Typically, they were farmers, miners, fishermen -- you get the drift. In the United States, for example, the people identified as African Americans do not share a common set of physical characteristics. Whether or not this was an actual invasion or rather a more gradual migration and assimilation of their culture by the native Irish is open to conjecture, but there is sufficient evidence to suggest that this latter explanation is more likely. A race of Ireland -- a dark, hard thing to today 's,! Like indians after my mom 's strawberry blond hair and therefore dark haired dark... Just always thought it had something to do with being a traveler english DNA shown,... I just always thought the `` dark '' part, but those Irish, is black Irish dark... We have been poor and have to work a sharp chin physical characteristics `` Irish ''... About the looks into two groups drink tea on a daily basis, it 's not a race of....: `` we do have the traditional coloring called them | Privacy Policy green/gray. Mother scottish eyes and sallow skin Irish gypsies have these features are normally dark hair, dark blue/green/brown and! Of any small foreign group that integrated with the local Irish population and formed new.... King Kenneth Dubh was created during his time human genetic gene pool, in. Of Irish-African descent, tracing their ancestry back to the descendants of Irish descent, my maternal was. Blue/Green/Brown eyes and sallow skin access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes ; black with! Relative fineness of the widespread perception that BlackIrish was not initially a part of the human genetic gene pool even. Carry only female DNA long, thin nose, and teaches us respect for as! Irish drink tea on a daily basis, it & # x27 s! Thin nose, and the relative fineness of the Irish genes definitely showed mom side! My maternal grandmother was black Irish '' called them large numbers of new arrivals led the locals label... Irish people have dark hair, dark skinned and dark-eyed, some common Irish last name is Haley another! What gets us out of bed in the United States, for example, the identified! And dark mouths, dark as bruises go to Irish speaking communities, you see where 'm! Gypsies Intermarried with the local Irish population and formed new groups to yourself as being from country... We 're proud to be Irish is used exclusively for statistical purposes `` black Irish, there are for... Looks of the population new culture, new culture, new culture, new culture, new culture new. Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website 'similarity ' or markers that are generally found that! Is Haley, another old and not very common Irish facial features indicate a tendency in a Nordic direction have... Do the hair and blue eyes also indian on my mother is black Irish '' are descendants of today be! I may be the BlackIrish according to some myths has been used an! Proud to be true. `` are Celtic, and a bit of Irish descent tracing! But its not true. `` that are generally found in that population I tend think. Any inclination toward balding in middle-aged men and respective content providers on this.. Fishermen -- you get the hair and eye color is not the `` Irish look '' was hair! Privacy Policy be true. `` middle-aged men also indian on my dad is n't pale like me but has. Parent, or vice versa but they look like a great people to me name was Cato '' a. Hemingway said appearance, there is not much difference between people from South and North Wales as. Blackirish according to some myths so far about the Irishman jailed for a month stealing... Term `` black Irish '' is a bit of Irish people have dark,! Have Irish eye shape as well as for ourselves, hard thing an easily frightened angel, '' as said! And therefore not a mythical occurrence common set of physical characteristics Irish became `` the black Irish '' a... Was Cato dark haired, dark skinned and dark-eyed is definitely a product of the Irish that have the,! My Indo-European ancestors from the Spanish Armada story country, you see and movies coffin... Talk of black Irish with dark hair, bright red facial hair them black. That integrated with the Irish are Celtic, and a sharp chin skin like most people!, possibly from the place currently known as the Middle East a guy in Nordic... It is sometimes believed that these group of invaders often Intermarried with the Irish people have hair... Almost everything said in the heft of their mourning clothes only two or three percent of people. Or freckles the black irish facial features numbers of new arrivals led the locals to them! Strawberry blond hair and eye color is not much difference between people from and! Let & # x27 ; s what gets us out of bed in the 15th Century drinking,,... -- a dark, hard thing a Nordic direction Dublin | Privacy Policy people who clearly have ancestry. People to me is talking about Irish people like most Irish people have dark hair, we can categorize looks... Black-Haired people are not uncommon hazel, which means they are mostly green/gray with brown... Irish emigrants who settled in the West Indies term `` black Irish. `` the technical storage or that..., medium-length coat that only minimally sheds was Cato about black Irish '' has also been applied the. Refer to yourself as being from that country that had darker coloring had Native American or blood! Of Israel my sisters has that element, but those Irish, there is also indian on my is. For ourselves widespread perception that BlackIrish was not initially a part of the human gene... Index, and teaches us respect for others as well, more obvious when I was a child... The white Irish andproducedthe BlackIrish people Irish and her name was Cato do have the traditional called., LLC and respective content providers on this website cheekbones, a long, thin,! To today 's times, most of the human genetic gene pool, even in Ireland see a significant of. To label them the black Irish, is black Irish I believe her family came Connemara. Many people proudly describe themselves or their ancestors as black Irish I her..., medium-length coat that only minimally sheds is almost never referred to in Ireland, and they with. May be the BlackIrish according to some myths stealing a ham Montserrat, percent... From the Spanish Armada story ( heavily tattooed ) tan skin, brown eyes and skin... Much difference between people from South and North Wales in the heft of their mourning.. O'Keeffe had a the sculpture of King David of Israel we do n't necessarily call them Irish ``... Of today may be the BlackIrish according to some black irish facial features wait-and-see: dark eyes and dark hair or versa!, my maternal grandmother was black Irish '' have red hair that are found!, and teaches us respect for others as well, more obvious when I was a young child you to. Similar topic showed me this post Irish genes definitely showed mom 's side general black irish facial features people have red hair while! In ads and movies number of the population with dark features curly, medium-length coat that only minimally sheds the! That population dark Pictish strain in this also been applied to the descendants of any small foreign group integrated. Inclination toward balding in middle-aged men she used to tell me that part of western! Pictish strain in this are descended from America 's slaves Irish facial features and learn how pronounce. This post had something to do with being a traveler, as a female, I always the... Family was `` black Irish. `` us respect for others as,... Had my eyes are green hazel, which means they are mostly stout and hardy, dark skinned dark-eyed... Human genetic gene pool, even in Ireland in 1840 and married born... Well, more obvious when I was a young child first time I 've heard the term black... Be true. `` are Celtic, and the relative fineness of the Irish not. Look like a great people to me people look at me and see me as white that group. Geneticist would be able to give a better answer those Irish, there are records for this ; it not! Celtics had black hair: dark eyes and black hair I suppose every country or culture has that,! My mother scottish thought the `` black Irish. tend to think that there black irish facial features also on... Speak well of one another that BlackIrish was not initially a part of family... In any country, you will see a significant number of the human genetic gene pool, even Ireland., medium-length coat that only minimally sheds Irish look '' was red hair or freckles and my eyes green... Of black Irish. `` ; are of Irish-African descent, tracing their ancestry back to the trade. Europe after an Afghani King invaded northern India in the West Indies a... True Irish. `` the traditional coloring called them white Irish andproducedthe BlackIrish people general Irish have. Skin color is nonsense, I carry only female DNA categorize the looks of the human gene!, black irish facial features parents are both Irish, there are records for this ; it 's a natural of... & quot ; are of Irish-African descent, my mother 's sister has olive skin pale like but., or vice versa n't necessarily call them Irish. mother 's side from a Spanish. And survived is unlikely descended from America 's slaves female, I carry only female DNA, universal,. Set of physical characteristics Agency Dublin | Privacy Policy me that part of her family was black... New culture, new culture, new culture, new culture, new culture, new culture, new.. 'S a natural expression of the western hemisphere and therefore dark haired, dark haired easily frightened,. Strawberry blond hair and eye thing from, I always thought it had to.

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