Definition

To begin first with a definition is necessary. Since it is my blog / movement / group I will define it as I know it. The Black Irish is an ethnic group. The simplest definition is if you think you are Black Irish then you are. It is those Irish families with a strong Iberia influence and thus hence the dark features and hence the use of the word black. At least this is the case with my personal story. My family is from Co. Galway with a strong influence from Sevilla, Spain. Northern Spain and Portugal have a strong Celtic / Irish influence and persons of these lands with Irish ancestry may also consider themselves to be Black Irish. Many times Black Irish is written to be a mythical ethnic group but that is largely due to the fact that no one as investigated it yet. A thousand years of English rule/occupation/ oppression did not leave a lot of time to investigate and many records were lost as books written in Irish were destroyed etc etc. But that is a different story. The Origin of this race has been debated. There is the idea that the Black Irish are the descendents of the Spanish Armada that crashed and then the sailors intermingled and stayed. There are claims that this is not possible or plausible but really where did the male explores go with out a boat and an erection? The is also the idea that the Black Irish were descendents of prehistoric ethnic groups like Fomorians, Nemedians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha Dé Danann, and Milesians. Another idea is that it was the term used for the many Irish that immigrated to the United States due to the Great Potato Famine that lasted from 1845-1851. The term has also been used to identify the offspring of Irish laborers with African slaves in the Caribbean. It was also used in the United States during the time of the separation state where it was black vs. white and people used anything to explain a darkness in pigmentation. For example a native American might refer to himself as black Irish / black Dutch or black German to identify with the “white” group using a European country name ending as if to say I am dark but I am not black I am with you guys. It stinks when you have to pick sides but you are really not part of or agree with any of the options. But that is also another story. The term has been debated in conversations in forums in chats in conversation on academic levels. As with most things associated with the concept of Race it is hard to define in an absolute manner. After Homo Sapiens what else do we have? Where does race fit in? That is also another story. Again if you think you Black Irish or if you want to be Black Irish then you are. It is that simple.