Scotch-Iirish not a real ethnicity

[TheForeigner]

You often hear Americans speak of ''Scotch Irish'' ethnicity and how important it was in colonial North America and how important their descendants as American pioneers and settlers of the interior of their country, but there is no such ethnicity in the British Isles. The people they speak of are North Irish Protestants and they never called themselves that and have never been called that in the British Isles or Europe. Also these people settled alongside other British settlers, mainly in the Appalachian mountains and they intermarried with them, to a considerable degree. They were likely not even a majority of settlers in that region. North Irish Protestants seem to be a mix of Scottish and English settlers, plus some number of native Irish converted to Protestantism.

[Mark]

This is true. But I think the term Scotch/Irish is just used loosely, and most people in the USA do not think it's an actual single ethnicity.

[Hong Key]

Ulster Scots people

The Ulster Scots (Ulster-Scots: Ulstèr-Scotch; Irish: Albanaigh Uladh or Uladh-Albanaigh) are an ethnic group in Ireland, found mostly in the Ulster region, although also to a lesser extent in the rest of Ireland. Their ancestors were mostly Protestant Lowland Scottish (and Northern English people from Cumberland and Northumberland), many being from the "Border Reivers" culture. These people migrated to Ireland in large numbers with the Plantation of Ulster, a planned process of colonisation which took place under the auspices of James VI of Scotland and James I of England on land confiscated from those members of the Irish nobility who fled Ireland, fearing arrest.

Ulster-Scots emigrated in significant numbers to the United States and all corners of the then-worldwide British Empire — Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa along with the British West Indies — and to a lesser extent to Argentina and Chile. Scotch-Irish is a traditional term for Ulster Scots who later emigrated to what is now the United States; "Scots-Irish" is a more recent form of the American term, and is not to be confused with Irish-Scots, i.e., recent Irish immigrants to Scotland.

Between 1717 and 1775, an estimated 200,000 migrated to what became the United States of America. In the United States Census of 2000, 4.3 million Americans (1.5% of the population of the United States) claimed Scotch-Irish ancestry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulster_Scots_people


Andrew Jackson, seventh President of the United States, was the first of Scots-Irish extraction.




USA mural in Newtownards, NI

[TheForeigner]

These people are basically Irish Protestants.

[Hong Key]

These people are basically Irish Protestants.

Not really, no.

Protestant Lowland Scottish (and Northern English people from Cumberland and Northumberland)

Now if you want to go back far enough the Scots used to live in the Northern part of Ireland and then invaded what we now call Scotland. Plantation of Ulster started 400 years ago so maybe you can make your argument, DNA would be interesting, how Scottish/N. English or Irish are the decedents?

They have everything that makes up an ethnic group. DNA would be interesting though. I would like you to go to a Ulster Scot neighborhood and tell them that they do not exist, that they are just Irish who don't fancy the Pope.

[Hong Key]

Ulster-Scots hub: New visitor centre opens in Belfast city centre
Ulster Scots Agency The Ulster-Scots Agency will now have its main offices at Belfast's Cathedral Quarter

A new Ulster-Scots hub and visitor centre has opened in Belfast city centre.

The Corn Exchange building in the Cathedral Quarter is now home to the Discover Ulster-Scots Centre.

Several organisations including the Ulster-Scots Agency, library and archive will now have their offices there.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-30240544

[TheForeigner]

I think they are not very sure about ethnicity and base their identity more on religion and loyalty to the British state and crown, some history. They are a mix and can't be called Scots anymore. I doubt many say they are. In a documentary about the English language I once saw, one Ulster Protestant said about people in some villages and himself, that '' some say we are more Scottish than the Scots themselves'', meaning they know they are not Scots anymore. And these were from rural areas settled only by Scottish Presbyterians, but many are Anglicans and mix of Scots, English and Irish. All of them stick together and don't consider themselves Scottish. I think they are not very sure about their ethnic or national identity, because of the conflict there and their religion. I hope Elsa will comment on this, since she is a North Irish Presbyterian herself.

[Hong Key]

I hope Elsa will comment on this, since she is a North Irish Presbyterian herself.

I would be interested as well.

WHERE ARE YOU ELSA?

[TheForeigner]

bump

[Hong Key]

bump

i emailed Elsa but she never responded.