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[DJBexbot]

I hadn't heard that song in a very long time!
I just vividly remember singing that in class, and learning it on the tin whistle-now I am sounding very quaint! Look at me and my emerald isle, to be sure to be sure to be sure...

Thats a beautiful recording of it, it's a song about sailing, from the west of Ireland, Gaillimh is Galway, Toraigh is an island. The west coast of Ireland has a lot of small islands that would have retained some very old Irish traditions into the 1960s (some Viking in origin like their shoes).

It warms an Irish heart to know that song has travelled that far, now excuse me with my red hair and freckles I'm off to dance at some crossroads, bare foot, with a pig under one arm and a shillelagh under the other 

[Calinthalus]

This area of the country was originally settled by Scots-Irish.  They moved this way to avoid taxes on their production of whiskey...and to escape the puritans further east.  Later during prohibition, more Irish moved out this way from the NE.

This is why the best whiskey in all of the U.S. is produced in my neck of the woods

If you get a chance, listen to some bluegrass music...usually earlier stuff.  It's funny how similar a lot of it is to Irish folk.  Sames lyrical components and structures.  We even have songs about mountain dew here.

[meatyphil]

*falls over and faints*
Of course Irish is a language! Don't you guys have Irish pubs in the states (I was led to believe there was more than one knocking around).

Well, I'm sure there are Irish pubs around, but I'm afraid I'm not yet old enough to go to them - I have to wait another year as per US law. 

I guess I knew that Irish culture is distinct from English culture - I just never really looked deep enough into it to find out that the Irish also have a distinct language.  I guess it's not really that surprising now that it's been pointed out.

[Batmaz]

Is it common knowledge that Irish is a language?  I had no idea!  Much less that it is still commonly used.  I really am an ignorant American.

Welsh is a language too. Poor gaelic languages. I live in Wales so I get an extra terrestrial channel (or at least I do until the digital switchover) which is a Welsh speaking channel. Whenever I flick over to it by accident it can take me quite a while before I realise that they aren't actually speaking English because all the sounds are the same as the Welsh people sound when they speak English, but the words don't make any sense. It tricks you into thinking you're having a stroke sometimes. Just then Dara sounded like he was talking backwards.

[Calinthalus]

Is it common knowledge that Irish is a language?  I had no idea!  Much less that it is still commonly used.  I really am an ignorant American.

Welsh is a language too. Poor gaelic languages. I live in Wales so I get an extra terrestrial channel (or at least I do until the digital switchover) which is a Welsh speaking channel. Whenever I flick over to it by accident it can take me quite a while before I realise that they aren't actually speaking English because all the sounds are the same as the Welsh people sound when they speak English, but the words don't make any sense. It tricks you into thinking you're having a stroke sometimes. Just then Dara sounded like he was talking backwards.

You get an extra-terrestrial channel?  What are our alien overlords watching these days?

[DJBexbot]

This area of the country was originally settled by Scots-Irish.  They moved this way to avoid taxes on their production of whiskey...and to escape the puritans further east.  Later during prohibition, more Irish moved out this way from the NE.

I do love that the only thing that gets the Irish and the Scots moving is the availablility of alcohol. I am a Jack Daniels drinker, so it stands to reason!
I have been introduced to bluegrass, and you are right you can hear the influences very strongly.

I think the comedian Tommy Tiernan sums it up the best,
the Irish don't invade-they INFEST!

1. Tommy Tiernan - The English, Irish Infesting	DQ

[Anders]

This area of the country was originally settled by Scots-Irish.  They moved this way to avoid taxes on their production of whiskey...and to escape the puritans further east.  Later during prohibition, more Irish moved out this way from the NE.

The Scots are Irish. They raided and invaded Scotland during the 5th century and onwards.

[Calinthalus]

This area of the country was originally settled by Scots-Irish.  They moved this way to avoid taxes on their production of whiskey...and to escape the puritans further east.  Later during prohibition, more Irish moved out this way from the NE.

The Scots are Irish. They raided and invaded Scotland during the 5th century and onwards.

Scotch-Irish has a specific meaning.  Mostly in the U.S.  I'm not sure what they're called in Europe.  The Wiki article there refers to them as Ulster-Scots.

[DJBexbot]

Yeah I  don't think you can homogenise Irish (ie my) culture with Scotland. On the face of it we can seem quite similar but you have to remember that the English wiped out a lot of the native Scots during one of the many many rebellions.
Also you really really don't want to get an Irish person started on the Plantations (its a long long rant).
I do know my fathers 'ancestral home' has a cut stone fireplace dating from Cromwellian times that would have been built by Scottish masons and then my ancestors would have built a rubble stone built deweling around it.

Basically no Irish or Scottish person would use the term 'Scots-Irish', you are one or the other!

[Wakefield]

He hit quite a few branches when he fell out of the ugly tree...

Actually he spends about two hours in a makeup chair before each performance to get that look. He learned very quickly that his normal stunning good looks prevented him form making much headway as a comic. He once remarked that "The early performances were a disaster. The women spent all their time moistening their seats and the men glared at me grindin' their teeth. Except that one performance in front of a gay audience. All the women hated me and most the men were arguing over WHICH one would hit on me. I got into a slap fight that night. You'd never think it to look at them, but the flamin' gay guys hit HARD. Always watch out for the one who looks like he'd break his wrist if he slapped you. He's the one who'll put you in the hospital."

[Calinthalus]

Yeah I  don't think you can homogenise Irish (ie my) culture with Scotland. On the face of it we can seem quite similar but you have to remember that the English wiped out a lot of the native Scots during one of the many many rebellions.
Also you really really don't want to get an Irish person started on the Plantations (its a long long rant).
I do know my fathers 'ancestral home' has a cut stone fireplace dating from Cromwellian times that would have been built by Scottish masons and then my ancestors would have built a rubble stone built deweling around it.

Basically no Irish or Scottish person would use the term 'Scots-Irish', you are one or the other!

I wasn't making an attempt to homogenize the two cultures.  I was using an Americanism that strictly refers to protestant Irish immigrants from Ulster...mostly made up of Scottish people who had been transplanted to that area originally.  That's why I differentiated between the Scots-Irish (or Ulster Scots if you prefer) and the later wave of Irish immigrants that came this area later.  It is also distinct from those of pure Scottish ancestry.

[DJBexbot]

Well I was kinda responding to:

This area of the country was originally settled by Scots-Irish.  They moved this way to avoid taxes on their production of whiskey...and to escape the puritans further east.  Later during prohibition, more Irish moved out this way from the NE.

The Scots are Irish. They raided and invaded Scotland during the 5th century and onwards.

but also taking account of your comment, sorry if that got lost in it.
I just found that term really odd as I have never heard it!

[Calinthalus]

Well I was kinda responding to:

This area of the country was originally settled by Scots-Irish.  They moved this way to avoid taxes on their production of whiskey...and to escape the puritans further east.  Later during prohibition, more Irish moved out this way from the NE.

The Scots are Irish. They raided and invaded Scotland during the 5th century and onwards.

but also taking account of your comment, sorry if that got lost in it.
I just found that term really odd as I have never heard it!

I should have qualified that.  This is the first board I've frequented that had a large non-U.S. population.  I should watch myself when I use U.S. specific terms.

I grew up hearing that term.  Back in the day, people would occassionally talk about their heritage.  Where do their people come from...that sort of thing.  Scots-Irish is a common response in this area.  Sometimes it's Scots-Irish/Lakota (or some other tribe).  There's also a decent Swiss/German descendant community...and some mennonites with a Dutch background.  Of course, all of these people have been American for 5+ generations...so it's silly to claim these backgrounds.  However, as large as the U.S. is, and as diversified as its populations/cultures...it does serve as an identifier of some sorts.

[DJBexbot]

well speaking very generally from my own experiences working in heritage there seems to be a huge emphasis on finding some Irish ancestry. Which to be honest I don't really understand!
Certain element of 'my great grandfather once meet an Irish dog so I'm part Irish' (gross exageration).
I suppose my ancestry is so very sedentary (unfortunate enough to be an O'Neill-something like the 5th most common name in Ireland). Once you get past a certain point in genalogy it just becomes interpretation and conjeture. There were no 'real' census' conducted in Ireland prior to the 1770s. My family were there then, and haven't move too far since then.
Maybe if it was exciting with a few different ethnic backgrounds thrown in there I would get excited about it too, but as it stands I'm Irish with Irish roots with a lil Irish on the side.