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Originally posted by Al Hanif
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It is these Protestants that eventually settled in Ireland, in the North. In summary thus, the religious split in N.I. comes from the natives (Celtic Irish Catholic) and the descendants of Celtic Scottish (Protestant) settlers. It is ironic, thus that the once-rebellious Scots who settled in Ireland should favour a strong alliance with London, given the Scottish history of resistance.
Both groups in N.I. have original Celtic/Gaelic histories, though by and large EIRE (Southern Ireland) has kept the language. It has been easier for them, being independent though the Gaelic language, pretty much dead in the rest of Europe where there were Celts is now fighting for survival there too.
Religion is a badge in N.I., though communities were forced to live apart. Even though both communities have a shared Celtic history, how they got to Ireland is different and they have heros based on their religious outlook. In the South more people are followers of Catholicism, but many 'escape' to London where the divorce/abortion laws are free and easy and remain there. Religious Poles and Lithuanians are the new addition to Southern Ireland, but even though they share Catholicism with the Irish, they can be marginalised for being from the outside.
On the point of 'different' features for the Scots - way too much mixing between European settlers and the Celts for any marked difference, although it is said that red/ginger hair, very pale skin and freckles are Celtic/Scottish features. The thing that effectively ended Scottish independence was the absorption of the Scottish kingdom into mainland Britain through the marriage of the English and Scottish royal families. There have been several claimants to the Scottish throne since 1700, including the African dictator, Idi Amin. There is currently a movement for Scottish independence that is likely to result in the separation of Scotland from the United Kingdom.
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