Comments on: Comments on 14607

Post number 14607

Lanternjmk — Fri, 08 Feb 2002 10:42:08 -0800

Muhammad O' Ali. Geneologists have uncovered his Irish roots. His great grandfather was an Irish emigree who married an African American woman in Kentucky.

By: UncleFes

UncleFes — Fri, 08 Feb 2002 10:59:29 -0800

That explains the fighting. Bwa! I'm here all week.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Fri, 08 Feb 2002 11:03:36 -0800

We micks always knew that The Greatest was one of us. Where do you think he got his gilded tongue?

By: bittennails

bittennails — Fri, 08 Feb 2002 11:08:53 -0800

Hmmm, interesting, as a thread on white men can't jump runs, this post appears...hmmmm ;)

By: Zootoon

Zootoon — Fri, 08 Feb 2002 11:20:09 -0800

A little more detail here.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Fri, 08 Feb 2002 11:20:40 -0800

bittennails - that same thread mentions another great Black/Irish athlete, hockey pioneer Willie O'Ree. Interesting phenomenon.

By: Postroad

Postroad — Fri, 08 Feb 2002 11:49:49 -0800

I had not know Ali was an Irish name. No wonder he changed it from Cassius Clay.

By: jennak

jennak — Fri, 08 Feb 2002 13:36:35 -0800

allaboutgeorge authored an interesting article about the "Black Irish" back when he was writing for Salon.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Fri, 08 Feb 2002 13:56:51 -0800

Thanks for the great article george and jennak, although they forgot to mention another great Black Irishman, Thin Lizzy vocalist Phil Lynott.Another great peice of work that points out(among other things) the parallels between the Irish-American and African-American culture is Michael PatrickMcDonald's memoir of his South Boston childhood, All Souls. Along with being an astute examination of a number of social phenomena, McDonald's book is also a deeply moving family saga. And George, top o' the mornin' to ya, lad.

By: jpoulos

jpoulos — Fri, 08 Feb 2002 14:21:24 -0800

although they forgot to mention another great Black Irishman, Thin Lizzy vocalist Phil Lynott. troll. :-)

By: Dreama

Dreama — Fri, 08 Feb 2002 17:16:59 -0800

Last time I checked, I was equal parts African and Irish too. Lots of people -- especially people of colour -- have multiple ethnicities in their backgrounds. Why/how is this news/discussion worthy?

By: jonmc

jonmc — Fri, 08 Feb 2002 18:34:06 -0800

Dreama - Not newsworthy perhaps, but discussion worthy in the spirit of ethnic reconciliation of two historically oppressed groups who have both created vibrant cultures. Unfortunately, African-Americans and the Irish have often clashed, as in the NY draft riots of the 19th century and the incidents surrounding busing in Boston back in the seventies(discussed in detail in the aforementioned McDonald book. I thought cultural cross-pollination was a good thing and in the case of Black and Irish cultures, it's yeilded some interesting results, witness Thin Lizzy, Afro-Celt Sound System, House of Pain, in music, not to mention the vocal support many Irish nationalists gave the civil rights movement back in the day. It's not a debate it's a celebration of it.

By: tomcosgrave

tomcosgrave — Fri, 08 Feb 2002 19:14:44 -0800

Another one - Paul McGrath, one of the finest soccer players in the 80s and 90s. He made the world XI as well.