The Fomorians
There are many oblique references to the presence of Black people in ancient Ireland. Ancient Irish mythology refers to the original inhabitants of the island as being a giant, sea-faring people called the Fomorians (Fomors), which means “dark of the sea”. According to the ancient lore, they were a cushitic people from the African continent. Often depicted as demons, they defeated the first few incoming waves of invaders, but could not defeat the Firbolgs, who settled the land and lived side-by-side with the native Fomors.
Those myths may have a factual historical basis. It is proposed that the Formorians were a real people who were in all likelihood sailors from the African continent.
Two more invasions, the first led by the godly Tuatha de Danaan, and the second by the Celtic Milesians, took control of Ireland, mixing together with the Fomorians until they were no more.
There are credible sources for the African association with Ireland. The most likely of these is that they were Phoenicians and/or Egyptians. The Phoenicians were Canaanites, which came from the line of Ham. Ham is the mythological ancestor of the Black nation.
The Phoenicians were also well-known for their sailing skills, and are said to have traveled to the British Isles, which they called the “Tin Islands”. Perhaps, before Ireland was a Celtic domain, which it wasn’t until a few centuries BCE, the Phoenicians colonized it. It is noteworthy that the name Fomorians sounds a bit like Phoenicians.
There is also a legend that an Egyptian princess, Scota, left Egypt with some followers and journeyed to Ireland. Legend has it that Egyptians left many ancient tin mines all over Britain but especially Ireland which was their major source of the valuable metal.
Another idea is that they were Taureg Berbers. The Berber language is Hamitic, and the Berber people live in an area from which travel to Ireland would be easily accessible. The Berbers perhaps set sail from western Morocco, and settled on Ireland before the Celts, making it their new home.
Moorish Science Temple founder Drew Ali teaches that Ireland was once part of a Moorish empire, and that the Irish are a Moorish people. Perhaps there is a common root between the “moor” sound in Fomor and the word Moor?
Selkies and Half-Breeds
Another Irish legend tells of the Selkies, a sort-of “wereseal” that is a seal during day, but a human by nightfall. Sometimes, in an Irish family of fair-skinned, light-haired people, a child is born with dark hair eyes, and skin, and is called a Selkie.
The concept of the Selkies appears to make subliminal reference to the half-breed children that resulted from the extensive miscegenation that occurred between the Celts and the dark skinned original inhabitants that they had met upon their arrival in Ireland.
Many people of Irish descent have distant and recent African roots, and these features can still be seen in the people and in the culture. There are some Irish people with Afros (just like Andre the Giant a late continental European wrestler with afro-hair). In Southern Ireland, some people, referred to as “Black Irish”, are noted for their strikingly dark features, as opposed to the fair-skinned, light-haired north.
Although many Irish descendants are particularly pale, they do have pronounced Africoid facial features, as well as dark brown eyes, and dark brown hair that is sort-of kinky, especially in moist conditions. A sub race of the Irish called the Bronn are noticeably Mediterranean (read: African) in features especially their hair.
In addition to all of this, Celtic music is distinctly different from the rest of Europe, and easily comparable to African music.
Black, Viking and Irish
Unlike Scotland and England, Ireland was never colonized by the Romans. As a result, Ireland remained relatively isolated.
The Vikings established port cities like Dublin. The Viking texts left stories and descriptions of African soldiers captured in Ireland whom they called blaumen[blue-men].
Most Viking references to ”black” in Norse would have signified having black hair as opposed to skin color but blaumen meant black skinned. Most of these blaumen were captured soliders from Moorish Spain. It was observed that:
“A prominent Viking of the eleventh century was Thorhall, who was aboard the ship that carried the early Vikings to the shores of North America. Thorhall was “the huntsman in summer, and in winter the steward of Eric the Red. He was, it is said, a large man, and strong, black, and like a giant, silent, and foul-mouthed in his speech, and always egged on Eric to the worst; he was a bad Christian.””
“Another Viking, more notable than Thorhall, was Earl Thorfinn, “the most distinguished of all the earls in the Islands.” Thorfinn ruled over nine earldoms in Scotland and Ireland, and died at the age of seventy-five. His widow married the king of Scotland. Thorfinn was described as “one of the largest men in point of stature, and ugly, sharp featured, and somewhat tawny, and the most martial looking man… It has been related that he was the foremost of all his men.””
What about Scotland and Wales?
“Any comprehensive account of the African presence in early Europe should include England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Scandinavia. The history and legends of Scotland confirm the existence of “purely Black people.” We see one of them in the person of Kenneth the Niger. During the tenth century Kenneth the Niger ruled over three provinces in the Scottish Highlands.
The historical and literary traditions of Wales reflect similar beliefs. According to Gwyn Jones (perhaps the world’s leading authority on the subject), to the Welsh chroniclers, “The Danes coming in by way of England and the Norwegians by way of Ireland were pretty well all black: Black Gentiles, Black Norsemen, Black Host.””
Ogu Eji Ofo Annu
Sources:
Ancient And Modern Britons, by David Mac Ritchie
Nature Knows No Color-Line, by J.A. Rogers
original post by scarlette
It is so hard for the Irish people to admit that there could be a link between them and african-americans because for so long black people have been the butt of peoples jokes. But it is really funny how the first humans originated in Africa. African traditions are like no others there should be pride in being black and you shouldn’t have to explain anything to anyone as to how there is proof of this or that because they will see only what they want as long as you know what is true about your African heritage and the beatiful history of the Kings and Queens of the many different monarchies that were established in Africa.
Talk about a load of misinformation here, I’ve looked through a small portion of this thread and it’s increidble the nonsense people are coming out with, ok some home truths….
First of all I’m Irish and that’s Ireland Irish as opposed to Irish American, anyway addressing these topics from someone who likes ‘FACTUAL’ history in general and not just irish here’s what I am aware of…
1. Formorians were Scandanavians, Formoria was ancient name for Scandanavia.
2. Black Danes – This was a term for the vikings whose armour was black from the way it was fashined in the smithy as opposed to the norwegians whose armour was silver coloured, in Irish the term was Dubh ghaill(gheal) meaning black foreigner – Dubh gheal sound fmailiart it should do the name lives on in the name Doyle, the most common irish surname of viking ancestry.
African blood of Irish? undoubtedly there is african blood in Europe, and I don’t doubt we all come out of Africa at one point, if we are talking about the last few millenia though I would really imagine we are not talking about a mssive percentage of negroid blood in ireland or northern europe as awhole, and that’s not me being racist, I think it would be kinda cool to be part black, but I just don’t think it holds up.
hhhh, lmao, have you ever been to ireland.
Most people have black hair you say, I’m from Ireland and I say bollix. Most people in Ireland have brown hair, but there’s a big variety of hair types, I myself have blonde hair, well had since it’s gone brown in my adulthood, I don’t know what the percentage of irish with black hair is but it’s small enough, I’d say no more than 10%. And as for people in ireland having brown eyes, blue eyes are much more common, I myself have green eyes and I think green eyes are probably more common in ireland than in most other european countries, brown eyes if anything are in 3rd place.
Saying that I do agree that genetically the Irish are close to the Basques and western parts of france, but your specifics of eye and hair colour are totally wrong, if you had ever been to ireland you would be colour blind to have said what you said.
Also I agree with your point it doesn’t really matter what race you are, just as loing as you’re an alright person.
Felisza
I will tell you as many times as I feel like it. You havent got the 411 on anything. Its just shallow of you to assume just because I like European culture that im a sell out eventhough im trying to stick up for African culture. Im not into Norse culture because I think its superior to African culture.
Felisza
Dont give me that rubbish I have had to deal with alot of racism too. “Dont give me that You dont understand how it feels nonsense.” All im saying is we all have things to be proud of. If you starts claming to be superior to whites you become just as bad as they are. Is that hard to understand.
Another thing my nickname means Black God in old norse….but nevermind im still a sell out.
I don’t know why people get so worked up over history if it’s true! It’s a beautiful thing that Nubians reached the shores of Ireland. Weather they were Egyptian, Phoenician, Nubian, or Zulu they just names for black people from different areas! This should be taught in schools. Why? because all you read about is Slavery which creates a slave mentallity. One must know there own history and how it effects other people history. It’s a small world we all live in it no one is superior to anyone but the Nubians need to wake up learn who and where we came from and Im not talking about land. I respect history because you have to take the good with the bad, Off the subject I was at a ralley in Las Vegas and the subject was Would christians still belive in Jesus if he was Black. Well the speaker proved that jesus was indeed not european he was as we say today BLACK, but that caused such a fuss almost created a fight when someone said black folk love jesus when he was white but once you find out he was of a black race you don’t love him that means you never loved him in the first place. Knowledge is power and it can be used to corrupt. God Bless
aw damn, damn, damn.
I wish I have half the knowledge of things and history as you guys have demonstrated, but one thing I know for sure is that Africa is not the way it is because african people want it that way. I remember when eko(lagos) was a thriving land until the british came with guns and gunpowder, and what did they do? they ruin it all. When I learn the chinese invented gunpowders, my admiration for these ingenious people almost turn into hatred, but thank God, chinese are holding it down in Africa of today. And someone here is talking about Michael Angelo!! I suggest you look into other cultures and see thier artistic expression, view it with an objective mind- I know that is quite impossible for this person because of the perpetual consumption of the narcisstic and corruptible eurocentrci culture that has subjugated other cultures of the world- and then tell me they don’t compare.
You Black …. could not be farther from the truth. The Formorians were Grecians who were White. Get over yourselves. Black is the color of Evil and White is the color of Good.