Where did the rumor originate that western Irish people are Basque-like?

[Sikeliot]

There is a claim I often see online that people from the western coast of Ireland are genetically somehow Basque or Spanish like, in contrast to people in Northern Ireland and along the east coast who are more British-like.

But from what genetic studies show, this could not be further from the truth. In fact, the British have more southern-shifting ancestry than the Irish do, and the differences within Ireland are not so much east to west, as much as it is that there are isolated pockets throughout the country with more or less foreign mixture, but none of them plot near Basques.

[Grace O'Malley]

There is a claim I often see online that people from the western coast of Ireland are genetically somehow Basque or Spanish like, in contrast to people in Northern Ireland and along the east coast who are more British-like.

But from what genetic studies show, this could not be further from the truth. In fact, the British have more southern-shifting ancestry than the Irish do, and the differences within Ireland are not so much east to west, as much as it is that there are isolated pockets throughout the country with more or less foreign mixture, but none of them plot near Basques.

This is what I've been saying for years. This has been obvious just looking at genetic plots. Populations plot with people closest genetically to them. Also Gedmatch results are fairly clear that the Irish are a Northwest European population. Just looking at things logically why would the Irish be an outlier population and be some Basque remnants? The Basques aren't even that old themselves anyway. The history of Ireland basically only has a few outside influences. Firstly Bell Beakers in the Bronze Age; British and Dutch Bell Beakers are virtually identical. The next known invasions were the Norse Vikings, then the Normans and the Scots, English and Welsh would have always had interactions and vice versa. The Scottish connection has always been known. Look at things like Dal Riada and M222. Nothing really complicated.

Regarding the Basque link I think that goes back to Oppenheimer's R1b summations in the early 2000s. He links all the Celts to the Basque because of the high R1b. He didn't then know anything about subclades nor that R1b-M269 is from the Bell Beakers and from the Bronze Age Even then autosomal dna didn't point to any close relationship at all. In fact the Irish have always been quite distant to Basques looking at European populations.

Another possible reason is the Lebor Gabála Érenn and the Milesian legend. People still can't get this Basque/Iberian link out of their head and it is still sprouted all over the place. There are still some people that have an Atlantic Facade thing. Not so much on here any more but there are still some people that won't let it go.

Not many people around now interested in these sort of discussions on Apricity anymore.

[Sikeliot]

If anything Iberians have Irish like ancestry rather than the reverse..

[Neon Knight]

There is also the event of the Spanish sailors from the Armada landing in Ireland. There is a mythic assumption that they settled there but most or all of them were killed.

[Imperator Biff]

From retards

[HoboJim]

I'm 2.3% Iberian which presumably originates from my grandmother's Irish side. Likely from Basque fisherman off the coasts of Ireland in the 16th and 17th centuries. Or so the story goes.

Basques were/are master fisherman. They were fishing waters in around Newfoundland all the way back to the 16th century.

[Dna8]

I've always had the idea that Iberians and Brits share some genetics..

[Creoda]

I'm 2.3% Iberian which presumably originates from my grandmother's Irish side. Likely from Basque fisherman off the coasts of Ireland in the 16th and 17th centuries. Or so the story goes.

Highly unlikely.

[HoboJim]

Highly unlikely.

Which part?

[Creoda]

Which part?

The part about your 2.3% 'Iberian' coming from 16th century Basque fisherman in Ireland. Makes no sense.