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Archiver > Scotch-Irish > 2000-06 > 0960336550


From:
Subject: Re: Are the Ulster-Scots Celtic?
Date: Tue, 6 Jun 2000 20:09:10 EDT


Dear Mark:

Probably depends on who you ask. The Greek historian Herodotus mentioned the
Keltoi residing in the area of the Danube during the fifth century BC. Caesar
described the Celts as being one ethnic group living in a very specific part
of Gaul. He never considered all Gauls Celts. He never referred to the
Britons or any other groups as Celts. The term Celt was used by later
Mediterranean authors to describe anyone north of their homeland. Ultimately,
countries such as Wales, England, Scotland, Ireland, Spain may in fact have
no relationship with true "Celts" at all. The peoples of Gaul had very
similar art, and to an extant culture, but this could be due to their close
proximity to one another. Gaulish was not written as a language until the
Romans brought that land literacy, so we really don't know if the language
these ancient Celts/Gauls were speaking was identical. It's worth noting
here that Rome changed the culture of these peoples, and the customs and
beliefs of people in countries such as Wales predating the Romans were
certainly different from the culture practiced by these people after the
Romans left.

Anyway, the Scots-Irish I've met here, in America, mostly consider themselves
Celtic. I think maybe because America has a fascination with Scotland, and
if Scotland is saying it's Celtic, than it's descendants here will follow
their lead. You're right, this is fashionable now. I'm sure there are many
people here who will say their Scottish Lowland ancestors never spoke Gaelic
and that they are Anglo-Norman in origin. I think these people are in the
minority, however. It's much easier to believe what you see in Braveheart
than to go out and read several different books on the subject.

All of this seems like hair splitting to me. Culturally the Celts weren't
that different from the Teutons. Linguistically maybe, but both groups were
heavily influenced by the Scythians. The knotwork many Irish and Scottish
vendors sell can be found in Saxony as well as Clontarf. Artistically both
the Teutons and Celts were heavily influenced by the Scythians, with whom
knotwork in the West originated.

In the ancient world very few wars if any, were fought over ethnicity. There
are British graves next to Saxon graves dating from the sixth century. There
were Norman settlers in the Highlands, who married the natives and became
acculturated. People have used the old "Us and them" propaganda for years.
It seems to have worked very well in the British Isles. Otto Von Bismarck
used this propaganda quite well. I don't think I need to mention WASPS,
Hitler, or others who have misused the term.

Sorry, sort of trailed off there. Like I said, depends on who you ask. There
are probably just as many descendants of Celts in England as there are in
Ireland. Ireland kept in touch with its roots longer, but no one has
practiced a pure Celtic Culture since Christianity spread through Western
Europe.

CW Scott

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