> My history may be a bit rusty but I remember guides telling me as I went > through Ireland (esp in Waterford and Galway - but other places might have > same history) that there was a thriving trade - both legal and illegal - > with the continent - especially Spain and France for wine in the 18th > century and beyond. Might this account for some intermarriage between > Spanish and Irish? Also when the Catholics were not allowed to get > educated people of means would send their sons to both France and Spain > for education. Some married and stayed on to be the local representative > of their merchant father who was in the import business. But might more > lowly participants in the trade business - such as sailors - also have > married Spanish wives? (and vice versa) >