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{{Ethnic group|
|group=Irish
|image=[[Image:Irishmen.JPG|300px]]
|poptime=85,000,000
|popplace=[[Ireland]]<sup>1</sup>:<br> &nbsp;&nbsp; 5,600,000<br />
[[Britain]]<sup>2</sup>:<br> &nbsp;&nbsp; 750,000 Ireland-born<br />
[[United States]]<sup>3</sup>:<br> &nbsp;&nbsp; Irish Ancestry: 30,528,492
Scotch-Irish Ancestry: 4,319,232<br>
[[Australia]]<sup>4</sup>:<br> &nbsp;&nbsp; 1,900,000<br>
[[Canada]]<sup>5</sup>:<br> &nbsp;&nbsp; 3,822,665<br />
[[New Zealand]]<sup>6</sup>:<br> &nbsp;&nbsp; 11,199<br />
|langs=[[Irish language|Irish]], [[English language|English]]
|rels=[[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]], [[Protestantism|Protestant]]
|related=[[Scottish people|Scottish]], [[Welsh people|Welsh]], [[Manx]], [[Breton]]
}}
 
'''Irish ethnicity''' is common in many western, especially commonwealth, countries. Many people are descended from [[Ireland|Irish]] [[emigrant]]s.
 
==Descent==
On the island of Ireland, most people consider themselves to be descended from a mixture of three broad groups: the nameless, prehistoric [[indigenous]] people(s) of the isles; the successive waves from continental [[Europe]] who arrived in the centuries [[Anno Domini|BC]], and subsequent groups ([[Vikings]], [[Normans]], [[English people|English]] and [[Lowland Scots]]) who either invaded or settled Ireland from the [[Middle Ages]] onwards.
 
The names the ancient peoples of Ireland (creators of the Ceide Fields and [[Newgrange]]) used for themselves are not known, nor are their language(s). As late as the middle centuries of the first millennium [[Anno Domini|AD]] the inhabitants of Ireland did not appear to have a collective name for themselves. Ireland itself was known by a number of different names &ndash; [[Banba]], [[Fódla]], [[Ériu]] by the islanders; [[Hibernia]] to the Romans; Ierne to the Greeks.
 
Likewise, the terms for people from Ireland &ndash; all from [[Roman]] sources &ndash; in the late Roman era were varied. They included [[Attacotti]], [[Scoti]], and [[Gael]]. This last word, derived from the Welsh ''gwyddell'' (meaning raiders), was eventually adopted by the Irish for themselves. However as a term it is on a par with [[Viking]], as it describes an activity (raiding, piracy) and its proponents, not their actual ethnic affiliations. The general term [[Briton]] was sometimes applied to all the indigenous inhabitants of ''Britannias'' and ''Britanniae'' (i.e. of the [[British Isles]]) by the Romans.
 
The term ''Irish'' and ''Ireland'' is derived from the [[Érainn]], a people who once lived in what is now central and south [[Munster]]. Possibly their proximity to overseas trade with western Britain, Gaul and Hispania led to the name of this one people to be applied to the whole island and its inhabitants.
 
As may be perceived from the above, there was much ethnic diversity according to the historical inhabitants of Ireland. Or at the very least they perceived the situation as such. They included the [[Airgialla]], [[Fir Ol nEchmacht]], [[Delbhna]], [[Fir Bolg]], [[Érainn]], [[Éoganacht]], Mairtine, [[Conmaicne]], [[Soghain]] and [[Ulaid]]. However, as the earliest Irish records demonstrate that they all shared a collective language and culture, in most cases these divisions may have been more apparent than real. Doubtless in many cases the divisions were of a purely dynastic or political dynamic.
 
The shared language and culture of these peoples is one that can be placed within the realm of the [[Celt]]ic/[[Indo-European]] peoples. Yet intriguingly, recent Y-chromosome (male descent) DNA studies have shown that most Irish people (in addition to the Welsh, some Highland Scots and to a much lesser degree, some lowland Scots and English) are close genetic relatives of the [[Basque people]], setting them all apart from most European peoples (mtDNA, or female descent shows their maternal ancestors to be of broad north European origin). No fully satisfactory explanation for this apparent contradiction between ethnic origins on the one hand, and language/culture on the other, has yet been put forth.
 
The [[Vikings]] were mainly [[Denmark|Danes]] and [[Norway|Norwegians]] and despite their notorious reputation in Irish history, did not settle in particularly large numbers nor did they significantly alter the Irish polity. The arrival of the [[Normans]] brought [[Wales|Welsh]], [[Flanders|Flemish]], Normans, [[Anglo-Saxons]] and [[Bretons]], many of whom suffered the same fate as the Vikings, being assimilated in great numbers into Irish culture and polity by the 15th century. The late medieval era saw Scots [[gallowglass]] families of mixed Scots-Norse-[[Pict]] descent settle, mainly in the north; due to similarities of language and culture they too were assimilated. The [[Plantation of Ulster]] in the 17th century introduced great numbers of Scots, English as well as [[France|French]] [[Huguenot]]s. Despite these divergent backgrounds most of their descendants consider themselves Irish first and last &ndash; even where they are aware of such ancestry &ndash; mainly due to their lengthy presence in Ireland. Historically, religion has played a more divisive role than ethnicity.
 
It is thought that the majority of the Irish population is descended from the initial settlers who arrived after the end of the last [[Ice Age]].
 
==Surnames==
:''See also: [[Irish name]]''
It is common for some Irish surnames to be [[anglicised]], meaning that they were changed to sound more [[England|English]]. This usually occurred with Irish immigrants arriving in the [[United States]] during the [[19th century | 19th]] and early [[20th century | 20th centuries]].
 
It is also very common for people of Gaelic origin to have surnames beginning with "O" or "[[Surnames#Ireland|Mc]]" (less frequently "Mac" and occasionally shortened to just "Ma" at the beginning of the name). "O" comes from Ua (originally hUa), which means "[[grandson]]", or "[[descendant]]" of a named person. For example, the descendants of [[List of High Kings of Ireland | High King of Ireland]] [[Brian Boru]] were known as the [[O'Brien]] [[clan]]. "Mc" and "Mac", both Irish and Scottish surname prefixes (the Irish and Highland Scots sharing a similar Gaelic heritage), meant "[[son]] of"; many names also begin with this. Some common surnames that begin with O are: O Neill, O Brien, O Connor, O Leary, O Shaughnessy, O Donnell, O Toole, O Meara, O Malley, O Hara, and O Bradaigh. Some names that begin with Mc are: McGroyn, McGuinty, McStiofain, McDonagh, McDonald, McQuillan, McGuinness, McGonigle, McGuire and many others.
 
"Fitz" is an [[Irish language|Irish]] version of the [[Norman language|Norman]] word "''fis''" meaning ''son''. A few names that begin with Fitz are: FitzGerald, FitzSimmons, FitzGibbons, FitzPatrick and FitzHenry. Certain names that begin with Fitz were originally Irish, but were then Normanised through [[intermarriage]]s and family [[alliance]]s. For example, FitzSimmons came from MacSioman; Mac Giolla Padhraig became FitzPatrick.
 
In the late [[12th century | 12th]] and [[13th century | 13th centuries]] [[Normans|Norman]], [[Wales|Welsh]], [[County_of_Flanders|Flemish]] and [[Brittany|Breton]] peoples arrived in Ireland at the request of King [[Diarmait Mac Murchada]] of Lenister, and took over parts of the island. During the next three hundred years, they intermarried with ruling Irish clans, adopted Irish culture and the Irish language and as the English put it "became more Irish than the Irish themselves".
 
''Viking surnames:''
 
*Doyle (Dubh Gall)
*Harald (Haraldsson)
*Higgins (h-Uiginn, i.e., a Viking)
*MacCottor (Ottarsson)
*MacKitterick (Strigsson)
*Wood (Wode, meaning mad; described Beserkers)
 
''Norman/Norman-French surnames:''
*Archdecon (le Ercedekne)
*Burke (de Burgh)
*Cheevers (la Chieve)
*Courcy (de Courcy)
*Nagle (de Nagle)
*FitzGerald (fitz Gerald)
*FitzHenry (fitz Henri)
*FitzStephen (fitz Stephen)
*Jordan (fitz Jordan)
*Lacy (de Lacy)
*Loundon (de Loudon)
*Plunkett (Blanquet)
*Wall (de Laval)
 
''Breton surnames:''
*Brett (le Breton)
*Power (le Poer)
 
''Flemish surnames:''
*Baldwin (Baudoin)
*Fleming (le Fleming)
 
''Welsh surnames:''
*Breathnach (Welshman)
*Brannagh (Welshman)
*Caddell (ap Cadel)
*Cadogan (ap Cadwgn)
*Griffin (ap Gruffydd)
*Joyce (Sais)
*Merrick (ap Meruig)
*Penrose (ap Rhys)
*Rice (ap Rhys)
*Rerys (ap Rerys)
*Taffe (Daffydd)
 
''Anglo-Saxon:''
*Ayleward (Ailwerd)
*Barrett (Barat)
*Dolphin (Dolfin)
*Lawless (laighles)
*Sherlock (scirlog)
*Skerrett (Huscarl)
*White (Fwyte)
 
''Normanised Gaelic surnames:''
*FitzDermot (Mac Gilla Mo-Cholmoc)
*FitzPatrick (Mac Gilla Padraig)
 
''Gaelicised Norman-era surnames:''
*Mac Oisdealbhaigh (son of ''Josclyn'' de Nangle); anglicised as Costello.
*Mac Feoris (son of ''Piers'' de Bermingham); anglicised as Corish.
*Mac Gibbon (son of ''Gilbert'' de Burgh); anglicised as Gibbons.
*Mac Seonin (son of ''John Oge'' de Burgh); anglicised as Jennings.
 
==Personal Names (forenames)==
Personal names in modern Ireland are derived from traditional Gaelic names, anglicised Gaelic names and, more recently, popular American names.
 
The recent years have seen a major decline in most Irish names for babies being born in the Republic. While in the past names such as Patrick, John, Michael, Seamus and others were almost ubiquitous in any family, today they are among the rarer names for children and the same goes for most other Irish names, although there are a few notable exceptions. Jack and Sean, both Irish derivatives of the English name John, have grown in popularity while the name Conor remains very popular, having topped the Most Popular new names for babies list many years running.
 
Male names from across the Atlantic Ocean have seen a surge in poularity from the mid '90s, names such as Dylan and Taylor being good examples of this. There are many other Anglicised Gaelic names which remain popular, such as Ryan, Neil and others remaining on the Names List. Biblical names also form a large composition, such as Matthew, Philip and Paul.
 
For females, the traditional Irish names are far more popular, although their spellings are not always uniform. Names such as Mary, Ann, and Eileen which were hugely common in the past have now declined, although there was always much more variety in female names than in male.
 
Today Aoife, Aisling, Ciara, Sinead, and Orlagh are more popular as traditonal Gaelic names, while foreign names such as Ella, Emma, Lisa, Rachel and Isabelle have seen a massive rise in popularity. Some older names have maintained their popularity, such as Sarah, Kate, Catherine and Louise. English names such as Victoria, Elizabeth, and Rebecca, while never hugely popular have also seen a decline in poularity, while some Irish names such as Bridget, Una and Maureen have dropped off the list altogether.
 
There are no major regional differentiations between regions, although the name Rachel is noted to be much more popular in the province of Connacht than anywhere else.
 
==Recent history==
In [[Northern Ireland]] almost half of the population are [[Protestant]], whilst a large minority are [[Roman Catholic]] at approximately [[Demographics and politics of Northern Ireland|40.3%]] (2001).
 
After Ireland became subdued by England in [[1603]] the English &ndash; under [[James I of England]] (reigned [[1603]]&ndash;[[1625|25]]), [[Lord Protector]]
[[Oliver Cromwell]] (term [[1653]]&ndash;[[1658|58]]), [[William III of England]] (reigned [[1689]]&ndash;[[1702]]) and their successors &ndash; began the settling of Protestant [[England|English]] and later Scottish [[colonist]]s into Ireland, where they settled most heavily in the northern [[Provinces of Ireland|province]] of [[Ulster]]. However, they did not intermarry heavily or integrate with the native Irish like the Normans did centuries earlier.
 
Tens of thousands of native Irish were displaced during the [[17th century | 17th]] [[Plantations of Ireland]] from parts of [[Ulster]] and replaced by English and Scottish planters.
 
It is predominately religion, history and political differences ([[Irish nationalism]] versus British [[Unionists (Ireland)|unionism]]) that divide the two communities, as many of the [[Scotch-Irish]] settlers are of [[Gaels|Gaelic]] origin themselves and therefore related to their Irish Catholic neighbours. Conversely, most Irish people would have at least some English or Scottish ancestry.
 
In [[1921]], with the formation of the [[Irish Free State]], six counties in the northeast remained in the [[United Kingdom]] as [[Northern Ireland]].
 
"Ulster-Irish" surnames tend to differ based on which community families originate from. Ulster Protestants tend to have either [[England|English]] or [[Scotland|Scottish]] surnames while [[Irish Catholic]]s tend to have Irish surnames, although this is not always the case.
 
==Irish diaspora==
The '''[[Irish diaspora]]''' consists of [[Ireland|Irish]] [[emigration|emigrants]] and their descendants in [[Country|countries]] such as the [[United States]], [[Britain]], [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[Argentina]], [[South Africa]] and nations of the [[Caribbean]]. The [[diaspora]] contains over 80 million people.
 
There are also large [[Irish ethnicity|Irish]] communities in some mainland [[European]] countries as well as [[Japan]], [[Argentina]] and [[Brazil]]. The classic image of an Irish [[immigrant]] is led occasionally by racist and anti-[[Roman Catholic|Catholic]] stereotypes. [[Irish Americans]] number over 44 million. They are the second largest ethnic group in the U.S., after [[German American]]s. Large numbers of Irish people immigrated to [[Latin America]] in the 18th and 19th centuries. Their descendents include [[Che Guevara]] and [[Bernardo O'Higgins]].
 
==Notable Irish people (selection)==
:''See [[List of Irish people]] for a more complete listing, including notable people with Irish heritage.''
[[Image:Robbo.jpg|thumb|200px|Mary Robinson]]
 
*[[Diarmait mac Mail na mBo]] - King of [[Leinster]], killed [[1072]]
*[[Echmarcach mac Ragnaill]], King of [[Dublin]], ruler of the Irish Sea, died after [[1061]]
*[[Johannes Scotus Eriugena]], philosopher, died [[877]]
*[[Maelruanaidh Mor mac Tadg]], founder of the kingdom of [[Moylurg]], fl. [[956]]
*[[Niall of the Nine Hostages]] - ancestor of many Irish dynasties; died c.[[450]]/[[455]]
 
 
 
*[[Gerry Adams]] - President of Sinn Féin and Irish politician.
*[[Brian Boru]] - King of [[Munster]] and [[High King of Ireland]], killed [[1014]]
*[[Saint Brigid of Ireland]] - Irish Goddess and Saint
*[[Bertie Ahern]] - Irish [[Taoiseach]] since [[1997]]
*[[Matthew Aylmer, 1st Baron Aylmer]] - Admiral in British navy, died [[1720]]
*[[Francis Bacon (painter)]] - painter, died [[1992]]
*[[John Banville]] - novelist
*[[Samuel Beckett]] - playwright and novelist
*[[Brendan Behan]] - Dramatist
*[[George Berkeley]] - Idealist Philosopher
*[[George Best]] - Irish Footballer (died 2005)
*[[Bono]] - Singer, political activist
*[[Enya|Eithne ní Bhraonáin]] - new-age singer/composer
*[[Pierce Brosnan]] - [[actor]], played [[James Bond]] [[1994]]-[[2005]]
[[Image:Enyapose.jpg|right|thumb|230px|Eithne ní Bhraonáin]]
[[Image:Bono (Paul David Hewson) - fair use.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Bono]]
[[Image:Philip_Lynott_Dublin_Statue.jpg|thumb|200px|Statue of Phillip Lynnot, Grafton Street, Dublin]]
*[[Noel Browne]] - politician
*[[Ray Burke]] - politician
*[[William Burke]] - Edinburgh serial killer, partner of [[William Hare]]
*[[James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde]] - stateman and soldier, died [[1688]]
*[[Gabriel Byrne]] - Actor
*[[Gay Byrne]] - presenter of the Late Late Show (1962-1999)
*[[Roger Casement]] - Irish revolutionary
*[[Patrick Clancy]] - Member of the [[Clancy Brothers]]
*[[John Clyn]] - monk and chronicler
*[[William Coffey]] - War hero
*[[Michael Collins (Irish leader)]] - rebel and politician
*[[Thomas Connellan]] composer, died [[1698]]
*[[Sir Eyre Coote]], Commander-in-Chief, British forces, India; died [[1783]]
*[[Thomas Connellan]] - [[composer]], died [[1698]]
*[[The Corrs]] - Irish traditional/pop band
*[[Seamus Costello]] - IRA Leader
*[[Nadine Coyle]] - Singer
*[[Tom Crean]] - Antarctic explorer
*[[Thomas Croke]] - Archbishop of Cashel and Emly
*[[Daniel Day-Lewis]] - Award-winning actor
*[[Shaun Davey]] - composer, born [[1948]]
*[[Charles Gavan Duffy]] - journalist and founder of ''The Nation''
*[[Joe Duffy]] - radio personality.
*[[Val Doonican]] - singer
*[[Colin Farrell]] - actor, born [[1976]]
*[[Julie Feeney]] - composer, born [[1978]]
*[[Samuel Ferguson]] - poet and antiquarian
*[[Rory Gallagher]] - influential Irish rock and blues musician
*[[Bob Geldof]] - singer and activist, born [[1954]]
*[[Oliver Goldsmith]] - Author and playwright
*[[Augusta, Lady Gregory]] - [[playwright]], co-founder of [[Abbey Theatre]], died [[1932]]
*[[Veronica Guerin]] - journalist, murdered 1996
*[[Arthur Guinness]] - brewer
*[[Olaf III Guthfrithson]], King of [[Dublin]], died [[941]]
*[[William Rowan Hamilton]] - Major mathematician, scientist
*[[William Hare]] - Edinburgh serial killer, [[William Burke]]'s partner
*[[Padraig Harrington]] - golfer
*[[Richard Harris (actor)|Richard Harris]] - actor
*[[Patrick Hillery]] - sixth president of Ireland
*[[Bridget Dowling]] Hitler - sister-in-law of [[Adolf Hitler]]
*[[James Hoban]] - designer of the [[White House]], died [[1831]]
*[[John Joseph Hughes]] - first Archbishop of New York
*[[Douglas Hyde]] - Irish language scholar and activist, first President of Ireland
*[[Eddie Irvine]] - race car driver
*[[John Jameson (distiller)]] - Whiskey manufacturer
*[[Sir William Johnson]] - Indian Agent in Colonial America, died [[1774]]
*[[Eddie Jordan]] - Formula One racing driver and team owner
*[[Neil Jordan]] - film director
*[[James Joyce]] - Author
*[[Patrick Kavanagh]] - poet and author
*[[Roy Keane]] - footballer
*[[Geoffrey Keating]] - [[historian]], died [[1643]]
*[[Frank Kelly]] - actor
*[[Luke Kelly]] - singer and political activist
[[Image:Francis Bacon Henri Cartier-Bresson.jpg|thumb|200px|Francis Bacon in his studio, 1952]]
*[[Danny La Rue]] - female impersonator
*[[Liam Lawlor]] - former [[Teachta Dála|TD]] and convicted criminal, died [[2005]]
*[[Louis le Brocquy]] - painter, born [[1928]]
*[[Francis Ledwidge]] - poet and political activist, killed in action [[1917]]
*[[C.S. Lewis]] - Author
*[[Phil Lynott]] - singer-songwriter and rock star, died [[1986]]
*[[James Clarence Mangan]] - poet
*[[David Marcus]] - author and literary advocate
*[[Richard Martin]] - gunfighter, M.P., animal rights activist
*[[Violet Florence Martin]] - author
*[[Dubhaltach MacFhirbhisigh]] - [[historian]] and [[genealogist]], murdered [[1671]]
*[[Dermot MacMurrough]] - King of [[Leinster]], invited [[Normans]] to Ireland; died [[1171]].
*[[Mary McAleese]] - President of Ireland since 1997
*[[Bernadette Devlin McAliskey]] - Northern Irish MP
*[[Barry McGuigan]] - Featherweight champion
*[[Paddy Moloney]] - composer and founder of [[The Chieftains]]
*[[Christy Moore]] - leading Irish [[singer-songwriter]]
*[[Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin]] - journalist and Olympic president
*[[Van Morrison]] - singer-songwriter
*[[Samantha Mumba]] - actress, pop star, model, born [[1983]]
[[Image:007Brosnan.jpg|230px|thumb|Pierce Brosnan]]
*[[Cillian Murphy]] - actor
*[[Graham Norton]] - TV personality and actor
*[[Jim Norton (actor)]] - actor
*[[William O'Brien]] - journalist and politician
*[[Dáibhí Ó Bruadair]], one of the last of the Bardic poets, died [[1698]]
*[[Turlough O'Carolan]] - Irish [[harpist]] and composer, [[1670]]-[[1738]]
*[[Sean O'Casey]] - Dramatist, political activist
*[[Daniel O'Connell]] - barrister and Irish emancipator
*[[Sinéad O'Connor]] - singer
*[[Máirtín Ó Direáin]] - poet
*[[Hugh Roe O'Donnell]], last ''de facto'' Prince of Tir Connall, assassinated 1602
*[[William O'Dwyer]] - Irish-born mayor of [[New York City]]
*[[Liam O'Flaherty]] - author
*[[Liam O'Flynn]] - Uilleann piper
*[[Seán Óg Ó hAilpín]] - Captain of the Cork hurling team
*[[John O'Mahony]] - Revolutionary
*[[Grace O'Malley]] - Irish chieftain and [[pirate]], c.[[1530]]-c.[[1603]]
*[[Felim O'Neill of Kinard]] - lawyer and soldier, executed [[1652]]
*[[Hugh O'Neill, 3rd Earl of Tyrone]] - last King of Tir Eoghan, died 1616
*[[Hugh Dubh O'Neill]] - soldier, fl. 1650
*[[Owen Roe O'Neill]] - Irish general, died [[1649]]
*[[Tony O'Reilly]] - entrepreneur
*[[Sean Ó Riada]] - composer
*[[Maureen O'Sullivan]] - Irish actress, [[Tarzan]]'s Jane
*[[Sonia O'Sullivan]] - Olympic athlethe, born [[1969]]
*[[Peter O'Toole]] - [[Academy Award|Oscar]]-winning actor
[[Image:Arthur Guinness.JPG|210px|thumb|Arthur Guinness]]
*[[Charles Stewart Parnell]] - leader of [[Irish Home Rule Party]], died [[1891]]
*[[Oliver Plunkett]] - martyred Archbishop of Armagh
*[[Albert Reynolds]] - eighth Irish [[ Taoiseach]]
*[[Mary Robinson]]- seventh Irish president, Commissioner for Human Rights
*[[Adi Roche]] - humanitarian
*[[Tony Ryan]] - entrepreneur
*[[Patrick Sarsfield, 1st Earl of Lucan]], soldier, died [[1693]]
*[[Ernest Shackleton]] - [[Antarctic]] explorer, died [[1922]]
*[[Charles Villiers Stanford]] - composer
*[[Bram Stoker]] - theatre manager and author of [[Dracula]], died [[1912]]
*[[Jonathan Swift]] - author of [[ Gulliver's Travels]]
*[[John Millington Synge]] - playwright
*[[Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnel]], soldier, died [[1691]]
*[[Ruaidri mac Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair]] - last [[High King of Ireland]], died [[1198]]
*[[Lorcan Ua Tuathail]] - [[Archbishop of Dublin]], died [[1180]]
*[[U2]] - rock band
*[[Eamon de Valera]] - Irish [[Taoiseach]] and President, died [[1975]]
*[[Ninette de Valois]] - ballerina and founder of the [[Royal Ballet]], died [[2001]]
*[[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington]] - solider and statesman
*[[Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley]] - diplomat
*[[Garret Wesley, 1st Earl of Mornington]] - peer, politician and composer
*[[Oscar Wilde]] - playwight, poet, wit.
*[[Jack Butler Yeats]] - artist
*[[John Butler Yeats]] - artist
*[[William Butler Yeats]] - poet.
 
==See also==
* [[List of Ireland-related topics]]
* [[List of Irish people]]
* [[Irish community in Britain]]
* [[History of Ireland]]
* [[Republic of Ireland]]
* [[Northern Ireland]]
* [[Kingdom of Ireland]]
* [[The Ireland Funds]]
* [[Irish Mexicans]]
* [[Black Irish]]
 
==External links==
* [http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/heaven/dnairish.pdf.pdf Y-chromosome variation and Irish origins (PDF File)] ([http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v404/n6776/full/404351a0_fs.html Nature, March 2000])
*[http://www.upthedeise.com/ A discussion board for Irish expatriates, Irish descendants and Irish people alike, specifically South East Ireland]
 
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Canada]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups of Europe]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in the United States]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups]]
[[Category:Irish people|Irish people]]
 
[[bg:&#1048;&#1088;&#1083;&#1072;&#1085;&#1076;&#1094;&#1080;]]
[[ru:Ирландцы]]
[[sl:Irci]]
 
==References==
* <sup>1</sup> The Republic of Ireland [http://www.cso.ie/statistics/personsclassbyplaceofbirth2002.htm 2002 census] reports 3,458,479 people who were born on the island of Ireland. The [http://www.nisranew.nisra.gov.uk/census/Excel/KS05DC.xls 2001 UK census], in Northern Ireland, reports 1,573,319 people born on the island of Ireland. The combined total is 5,081,726.
* <sup>2</sup> The [[United Kingdom Census 2001|UK 2001 census]] shows 750,657 people living in ''Britain'' who were born in ''Ireland'' [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=8290][http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/files/report_parliament.xls]. The census also reports 691,232 people living in Britain who identified themselves as belonging to the Irish ethnic group. [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=6588&More=Y]
* <sup>3</sup> The [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/QTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=D&-qr_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U_QTP13&-ds_name=D&-_lang=en&-redoLog=false 2000 US census] shows 30,528,492 persons claiming Irish ancestry and 4,319,232 people claiming Scotch-Irish ''ancestry''. These figure is likely to be an underestimate of the true number with Irish and Scotch-Irish ancestry as some people will not have been aware of their Irish and Scotch-Irish ancestry, or will have chosen not to mention it and both figures are down dramatically from the previous census. The figure for Irish ancestry is also down by approximately 8 million from the 1990 Census. These people hardly disappeared. It should be mentioned that Irish was not written in on the 2000 Census form but was written in on the 1990 Census form. This could be a reason for the decrease in the number of those citing Irish ancestry 10 years later.
* <sup>4</sup> The [http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/B85E1EB3A2BC274ACA256D39001BC337?Open Australian Bureau of Statistics] reports 1.9 million people of Irish ''ancestry'' in the 2001 [[Census]]. Up to two ancestries could be chosen. Recent increases in the number who identify as [[Australian]] suggest that this number is an underestimate of the true number with Irish ancestry. With that being said, the number claiming Irish ancestry from the previous census actually more than doubled. One reason, an improved image of what it means to be Irish according to the census experts, making Australians more proud to state their Irish ancestry.[http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/B85E1EB3A2BC274ACA256D39001BC337?Open].
* <sup>5</sup> [http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/ETO/Table1.cfm?Lang=E&T=501&GV=1&GID=0 2001 Canadian Census] gives 496,865 respondents stating their ''ethnic origin'' as Irish as a single response, and 3,325,800 including multiple responses, giving a combined total of 3,822,665.
* <sup>6</sup> The [http://www.stats.govt.nz/census/2001-ethnic-groups/default.htm 2001 New Zealand census] reports 11,199 people stating they belong to the Irish ''ethnic group''. The 1996 census, which used a slightly different question[http://www.stats.govt.nz/census/change-in-ethnicity-question.htm], reported 73,047 people belonging to the Irish ethnic group.
 
[[Category:Celtic peoples]]
[[Category:Ireland]]
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