There has been some controversy as to the term, "Scotch-Irish." The term "Scotch-Irish" supposedly originated in mid-eighteenth century America to distinguish the Ulster Presbyterian emigrants of Scottish ancestry from other Irish settlers in the colonies. But the first to use the term, Scotch-Irish, was Queen Elizabeth as far back as 1573 when in a manifesto she said "....We are given to understand that a nobleman names "Sorley Boy," and others, who be of the Scotch-Irish race, and some of the wild Irish, at this time are content to acknowledge our true and mere right to the country of Ulster and the Crown of Ireland...." Its obvious from this that the Scotch Irish as a people have been recognized to have existed some 500 years ago.

And an Anglican minister named George Ross wrote in 1753: "They call themselves Scotch-Irish, and are the bitterest railers against the Church of England that ever trod on American ground."For almost a hundred years the term seems to have disappeared, until the influx of the Catholic Irish during the potato famine of 1845-46.

In order to distinguish themselves and their ancestors for the newly arriving Catholic Irish they revived the rarely used term of Scotch-Irish and it stuck. So now after 150 years of common use it at last expresses a historical reality, no other word is quite able to fulfill.

The term is seldom used in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Britain, they prefer Ulsterman or Ulster Scot but none the less these are the same people separated only by distance and time.

Many Irish in the past and present for reasons only apparent to them selves have always had a problem with the term. As long ago as 1897 Irish American Historical Society tried to debunk the term as a new finagled notion, promulgated in America and born of sheer ignorance and pharisaical Calvinistic pride.

The claim was made that the people who came to America from Ulster were Irish, not only geographically, but also in patriotism for Ireland, this id now recognized as being total fabrication of the truth and as many see it a blatant attempt to "steal" the many achievement's of the Scotch Irish. However the confusion engendered in many minds by this type of propaganda and was encouraged by the negative attitude many of the Scots-Irish had against the British Crown.

Coupled with the last 30 years of anti Protestant propaganda from Irish Nationalists and the constant pressure from the British to make the Ulster man more British than the British themselves and you can begin to see why the idea of the Scotch Irish as a people almost faded away.

Simply put, many of the Scots-Irish in America and in Northern Ireland have forgotten their history, and do not understand what they do know of it.

Thankfully now with the Internet, many web sites and some wonderful books the Scotch Irish history is being revitalized, understood and cherished, not only here but also in Northern Ireland where the Ulster men of today are showing a very keen interest in their American bothers and their history.

Be proud, be very proud,............... your Scotch Irish.