Comment by Mike McCormack on January 22, 2017 at 12:59pm

  There have been many articles written about the Scots-Irish.  A recent piece from the Delaware Archives refers to American Patriot Thomas McKean as Scots-Irish.  McKean never used that term as both his parents were Irish-born (McKean and Finney).  Sadly, some people still refer to Scots-Irish as if it were a separate and distinct people.  Most historians recognize that term as a myth prompted by bigotry.  It is a purely American term originated by some descendants of Protestant Irish who came in the 1700s, to distinguish themselves from the poor, diseased and largely unschooled Catholic Irish who came in the 1800s fleeing the Great Hunger.

   In 1611, the Plantation of Ulster entailed the peopling of large sections by colonists from Scotland who professed loyalty to the Crown.  It mattered little that these Scots were descended from the Irish Dal Riada colony which had settled Scotland to begin with.  After the plantation, Sir William Petty, English economist, was given the task of surveying Ulster for Oliver Cromwell.  He estimated that the 1659 population of Ulster contained 63,350 Irish and 40,571  English, Scots and others, yet John Fiske in his 1897 book, Old Virginia, states that at least half a million Scotch-Irish came to America from Ulster from 1730 to 70!  Where he got that from is anybody’s guess.

  In A Hidden Phase of American History by historian Michael J. O’Brien published in 1921, the author notes So feverish have been the efforts to discredit the plain ‘Irish’ and to deny them the slightest credit for what they have contributed to America in the pioneer days, that we find historians describing as ‘Scotch-Irish,’ persons bearing names like Sullivan, Murphy, McGuire and numerous others.  Those Scotch-Irish who boast of patriotism in the Revolution should acquaint themselves with the expressed opinions of Washington and other officers of the revolutionary forces, for the record of the Scottish in the American Revolution shows them to have been mostly loyal to the Crown.  Mr. O’Brien also quotes from the diaries of two Moravian ministers who journeyed from Virginia to Georgia in 1743 and 44.  In their travels they mention meeting many Irish people and visiting many Irish settlements, but not once is any reference made to a ‘Scots-Irishman’.  He further notes that in all written documents of the colonial period we find that immigrants from Ireland, be they Protestant or Catholic, are referred to as Irishmen.

  It should be noted that in the History of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick (1771) and the Hibernian Society (1790) written in 1892 by John Campbell, the practice of using the term ‘Scotch Irish’ is noted as the fashion at the present time.  However, referring to the founders of the society, the author notes that most of them were what would now be considered Scotch-Irish and yet they organized an Irish society, not a Scottish one; they met on St. Patrick’s Day, not on St. Andrew’s Day.  And although originally composed of Presbyterians and Episcopalians, with but three Catholics among their number, they chose one of these Catholics, General Stephen Moylan, who was certainly not Scotch-Irish, to be their first President (of the Friendly Sons).  In an obvious jab at those who use the questionable term, Mr. Campbell also noted, The writer of this can claim as Scottish a name and ancestry as any man living, but with the settlement of the Scots in Ireland, they broadened out their views, imbibed the spirit of the Irish people and became as Irish as the descendants of the original settlers of the land of St. Patrick.  There is enough glory and patriotism among both Scot and Irish, without attempting to introduce a spirit of antagonism between them.  To which we add a humble, AMEN!
May I suggest that any future references sent to you which include the term Scotch-Irish be reviewed with the above in mind.  Further let me say that our Celtic cousins are Scots, not Scotch – Scotch is their whiskey (which we also gave them).

Comment by David Joyce on January 22, 2017 at 1:37pm

Hello Mike,

You are absolutely right :). The goal of the post was to show the struggles they went through in Virginia. In hindsight, I should have mentioned their origins were Scottish. It was primary intended as a genealogical story of the Joyce subject mentioned.

Comment by Beth Golden on January 23, 2017 at 4:06am

Thank you Mike for your extensive comment! My 2nd great grandfather and great grand uncle (David Little and Joseph Martin) both born into Presbyterian families in County Down were early and active members of the Knights of Hibernia in Oakland, Garrett County, Maryland. I always thought what a great ecumenical group this was there in the 1860's and now know that the KOH began that way. Wonderful! Always enjoy learning more.

Comment by Richard R. Mc Gibbon Jr. on February 3, 2017 at 7:40pm

John Fiske was a strong proponent of Anglo-Saxonism during the growing Imperialist period, centering on the idea that this particular blood line was divinely commissioned to save all others from themselves. He tagged this idea to another popular idea of the time called Social Darwinism. The followers of this idea believed that those at the top of the social food chain where there because of genetics and destined for leadership of industry and the world. His belief in this superiority colors his writings and must be taken into account when read today.  Slainte     

Comment