Black Irish: Fact or Folklore?

I want to clarify upfront: the term Black Irish is not a racial slur or slur of any kind. But what does it actually mean?

The title Black Irish refers to Irish people who don’t fit the stereotypical image of red hair, blue eyes, and freckles. Instead, they tend to have black or brown hair, darker eyes, and either fair skin or an olive complexion. Is this for real?

Well, yes and no.

I was taught that the Black Irish are the ancient Irish bloodlines that haven’t been mixed with Vikings, English, or other invaders. There might be some truth to that.

Interestingly, the term Black Irish isn’t commonly used in Ireland itself. Instead, it originated among Irish-Americans (and in Canada) in the late 19th century. During the mass Irish immigration to the United States from the 1840s to the early 1900s—and amid the widespread “No Irish Need Apply” discrimination—some felt the term was a way to distinguish between Irish with red hair and those with darker complexions. Perhaps the darker-featured Irish didn’t “look” Irish to some and were thus more accepted?

Since Black Irish isn’t a racial term or an official identity, what is it? It falls more into the realm of mythology and romantic notions of Irish identity—more folklore than fact. Some stories about its origins trace back to survivors of the Spanish Armada in 1588. After the battle of Gravelines, about 28 ships and 9,000 men landed in Ireland. While this was a real event, most of the survivors were either captured or killed. There wouldn’t have been enough men left to significantly impact Irish ancestry, and modern DNA confirms this.

Dark hair and eyes are quite common in Ireland. These features are considered to be from pre-Celtic or Welsh ancestors and are due to natural genetic diversity. Ireland’s history is complex, involving migrations and invasions by Celts, Gaels, Vikings, Normans, Anglo-Saxons, Scots, Welsh, and even people from Northern Spain (Basque).

Regarding red hair, about 10-15% of Irish people have red hair, compared to only 1-2% globally. It’s a distinct Irish trait.

In America, the term Black Irish is often used as a symbol of the diversity, identity, and resilience of the Irish people. You might not hear it much in the West, but I grew up hearing it back East. Have you heard the term before? What did you think it meant?

Delve deeper here: https://www.theirishjewelrycompany.com/blog/post/black-irish-meaning-history-origins