Just an excerpt from the book by Sam Allen,which does give an insight into how our forefathers seen themselves and their nationality. NO WELCOME ON THE MAT
The people from Ulster who arrived in America in the early 18th century were soon to find that there was to be much opposition and resentment to their settling in particular areas. A lack of goodwill was often sensed by them and this sometimes showed itself in unfriendly remarks to them by some of those already settled there. These, on occasions, called into question their nationality, In one recorded incident a resident official spoke in a slighting way to some new arrivals terming them
“a parcel of Irish,”
“We are surprised to hear ourselves termed Irish people, when we so frequently ventured our all for the British Crown and liberties, and are always ready to do the same when required. We are people of the Scottish race in Ulster, who have given our strength and substance and our lives to uphold the British connection there, It is hard in this new land to be identified with the very people to whom we have always been opposed.”
Thus angrily and emphatically objected one of the Ulster clergymen to the disparaging remark. He had landed in 1718 in Massachusetts along with some 800 of his fellow-countrymen. He, himself, like many who had sailed with him, had taken an active part in the defence of Londonderry. It must have been extremely galling to
veterans of the heroic stand in the “Maiden City”, to be classed as similar in race to
those who had been attacking it and trying to drive them out of Ulster. This careless lumping together of the two distinct races by the official has often been repeated, and has led to much misunderstanding and, even more misrepresentation. It has, especially in America, been very much to the detriment of those of Ulster Scottish blood.
As result of the protest on that occasion and of others later, the settlers from the red hand Province came to be known in America as the Scotch-Irish. Whilst this term did make a distinction between them and the Celtic Irish, It has often been taken as a combination of the two races, part Irish; part Scottish. It is a great pity the term used had not more correctly been used “Ulster Scots” as it would surely have been more accurate and would have prevented in latter times, the Southern Irish and the so-called Irish-Americans from falsely claiming outstanding Ulster Scottish achievements in America to their advantage.
All of the book can be read here.
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