Hi: Perhaps I'm mistaken and I'm looking at any confirmation in front of me, however I've always been told that this term generated from the fact that perhaps centuries ago, the spanish landed in Ireland and there were marriages with the Irish women. The results were children with the darker complexion, and this continued on thru the following generations. That's been my interpretation of the term, however I'd encourage you to look for other explanations as well, from those who are more aware of the term. Good luck Anne

There were not enough of shipwrecked Spanish from the Armada to "colour' the blood line - I consider this to be part of mythology. If one checks the archives of Rootsweb IRL-GENIRE-L there was tremendous past discussion on this question. Also try Google.com by entering 'Black Irish". Rgds Padraig+ ----- Original Message ----- From: Anne Gillen <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, February 19, 2001 11:53 PM Subject: [IRL~CEMS] GTHE BLACK IRISH > Hi: Perhaps I'm mistaken and I'm looking at any confirmation in front > of me, however I've always been told that this term generated from the > fact that perhaps centuries ago, the spanish landed in Ireland and there > were marriages with the Irish women. The results were children with the > darker complexion, and this continued on thru the following > generations. That's been my interpretation of the term, however I'd > encourage you to look for other explanations as well, from those who are > more aware of the term. Good luck > Anne > > > ==== IRELAND-CEMETERIES Mailing List ==== > Always send your replies back through the list. > Other people may be looking for the same information and your > answer will be stored in the archives for future researchers. > >

Padraig O Gealagáin wrote: "There were not enough of shipwrecked Spanish from the Armada to "colour' the blood line - I consider this to be part of mythology". I agree entirely with Padraig on this - there is only evidence for six Spanish survivors of the Armada in Ireland and they declared they were the only ones. Many more Spanish survived in Scotland. (However the fact that a myth has grown up about Spanish blood in Ireland is itself a phenomenon.) As the topic has been opened again I have been uneasy about a possible misunderstanding of the message sent earlier by Jane Lyons. She drew attention to the phrase "Black Protestant" a common enough epithet in the mutual abuse between Irish Christians but, lest it be misunderstood, Protestants have never been referred to as "Black Irish". Richard Callanan London England