On Wednesday, March 26, UVa’s Culbreth Theatre played host to “In Search of Irish America,” a presentation of the Virginia Festival of the Book. Peter Quinn, author of Looking for Jimmy, was joined by author and filmmaker Daniel Cassidy, New York Times columnist Dan Barry, author Maureen Dezell, and journalist and filmmaker T. J. English. The four panelists conducted a lively inquiry into the role of Irish-Americans in history. They concluded their presentation with a song before adjourning to McGrady’s Irish Pub.
I hope there was some mention of the role of scotch irish in the debate as well. Many “Irish” Americans falsely believe that their ancestors were from Ireland when in fact their true heritage is Scotland (via the north of Ireland).
A slight majority of people who claim to be of irish decent (22m of the estimated 40m) are actually of scots irish blood. These are the hardy and fierce border reivers (pronounced Reever) who lived on the border btw scotland and england. They lived by cattle rustling and raiding. James I of england, who was also James VI of Scotland, had them removed to the north of Ireland – Ulster – which was at this time empty and ruinous following years of war (no change there then). These people lived in Ulster from 1608 for a century before large numbers of them left for a new life in America where they played a huge part in building that great nation and fighting in the war of independence.
No less than George Washington said during the war of independence “If defeated everywhere
else, I will make my stand for liberty, among the Scots-Irish in my native
Virginia”
look up wiki for more info