What is the origin of the term “Scotch-Irish”?
The term “Scotch-Irish” was first used in the American colonies. It was originally applied to Lowland Scots who settled in Ulster and who, after a stay of some generations, moved on to the American colonies. Some may argue (uselessly) that the description “Scotch-Irish” was not an accurate one. These American immigrants were Scottish, and their only connection with Ireland was during the period of the intense Scottish colonization of Ulster. To be sure, some of the Scotch-Irish were born in Ulster, but they maintained their lineage unalloyed. Some were Scots who for several generations had not been in Scotland. They were bound to Scotland by a common religion and a common tradition. They were proud that not a drop of Celtic blood flowed through their veins. The Scotch-Irish had lived in Ireland as the Hebrews lived in Egypt. The Scotch-Irish had lost all sense of nationality – and they were not loved in a broad national sense by either the thoroughbred Scot or the pure Irishman. Questi
