Black Irish

: For the cocktail sometimes called a "Black Irish", see bolded entry in White Russian (cocktail)

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The term "Black Irish" is sometimes used to refer to Irish people possessing dark skin and hair, purportedly due to Iberian ancestry. Numerous popular theories have been devised to explain the provenance and historical background of the "Black Irish." The most popular myth is that the "Black Irish" are descended from survivors of the Spanish Armada. There have also been theories linking the "Black Irish" to the presence of Phoenicians in Ireland during ancient

Related Topics:
Irish people - Iberian - Phoenicians

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times.

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However, no distinct population group of this variant of Black Irish actually exists, or has ever existed, and scholars maintain that the myth of the Black Irish was coined in America to explain the existence of Irish people whose appearance did not conform to stereotypical images of what Irish people look like.

Related Topics:
Myth - America

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The term has also been used to refer to the offspring of Irish and African slaves in the Carribean, and many Irish surnames can still be found in the region.

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"Black Irish" is also a derogatory term used by Irish Catholics to refer to Irish Protestants and by residents of the Republic of Ireland to refer to residents of Northern Ireland.

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