One was emblazoned with motifs of flames and celestial images of suns and stars, capped by two ornate lifting handles shaped like dolphins — a testament to the craftsmanship of the 16th century Sicilian gunsmith Federico Musarra.
Another bears the figure of St. This was the Renaissance period and ornate designs were the norm, not the exception. Their multiracial children had skin of a darker hue than the often pale Irish, and in accordance with the notoriety of Irish racism, these children were labeled " Black Irish " and often found themselves to be outcasts.
Centuries of generational breeding have pretty much eliminated any noticeable difference between those with Black Irish blood and those without. Juan O'malley is Black Irish. The Boston Celtics. The name was given by the comedian Cheryl Underwood. On the other hand, the Vikings were taller and pale skinned with most of the blue-eyed. The Normans closely resembled the modern day French People and were mainly blue-eyed with different shades of hair with few brunettes.
Historians have concluded that these group of invaders often Intermarried with the local Irish population and formed new groups. The local population also referred to the invaders as dark and tall. Some people believe that their offspring are the BlackIrish. In , the Spanish King Felipe II attempted to attack the Protestant heretics of England in a bid to restore Catholicism and also as a gesture of solidarity with the oppressed Irish Catholics.
He sent the Sons of Mil to conquer England but their fleet was wrecked in a great sea storm. On the other hand, the Soldiers who were shipwrecked near the Irish sea line were treated like royalties.
Some of them ended up marrying the local women while some were proffered the liberty to return to Spain. Like other Mediterranean people, the Mils men were dark haired, dark eyed and their skins could get tanned in contrast to the Irish people. Some historians believe that these Spaniards gave rise to the BlackIrish offspring. During the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland more than , Irish Catholics were exiled to the British territories of West Indies with 10, of them finding a home on the Island of Montserrat to work as servants alongside the Africans.
Bound by their common resentment towards the British masters, the two peoples intermarried and produced an offspring of mulattos with strong ties to Ireland.
It is claimed that the Spanish married into Irish society and created a new class of Irish who were immediately recognizable by their dark hair and complexion.
There is little evidence to support this theory and it is unlikely that any significant number of Spanish soldiers would have survived long in the war-torn place that was 16th century Ireland.
It is striking, though, how this tale is very similar to the ancient Irish legend of the Milesians who settled in Ireland having traveled from Spain. The theory that the "Black Irish" are descendants of any small foreign group that integrated with the Irish and survived is unlikely. It seems more likely that "Black Irish" is a descriptive term rather than an inherited characteristic that has been applied to various categories of Irish people over the centuries.
One such example is that of the hundreds of thousands of Irish peasants who emigrated to America after the Great Famine of to It is possible that the arrival of large numbers of Irish after the famine into America, Canada, Australia and beyond resulted in their being labeled as "black" in that they escaped from this new kind of black death.
Immigrant groups throughout history have generally been treated poorly by the indigenous population or by those who simply settled first. Derogatory names for immigrant groups are legion and in the case of those who left Ireland include "Shanty Irish" and almost certainly "Black Irish. The term "Black Irish" has also been applied to the descendants of Irish emigrants who settled in the West Indies.
While it at various stages was almost certainly used as an insult, the term "Black Irish" has emerged in recent times as a virtual badge of honor among some descendants of immigrants. 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.
It remains, therefore, a descriptive term used for many purposes, rather than a reference to an actual class of people who may have survived the centuries. Visit The Information about Ireland site to read more about Irish history, culture, and heritage.
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