You should study Irish history more. Irish people with the surnames McDonnell, McCabe, McSweeney, Sheehy and Gallagher are descended from Scottish Gallowglasses who fought alongside the Irish against the Normans.Originally posted by Lionel Hutz
Always thought the cultures of both countries parted to a large extent with the arrival of the reformation and its ideals to Scotland.
Dunno about helping each other in battles either, think ye may have seen Braveheart one to mant times!![]()
Alot of the misery inflicted on Ireland (specialy in the last few hundred years) has been at the hands of Scottish people IMHO.
Edward Bruce the brother of the Scottish hero, Robert the Bruce was even crowned King of Ireland. The Blarney Stone was part of the Stone of Scone given in reward to the McCarthys who fought in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, so Braveheart isn't complete fiction.
In fact the Scottish-Irish Gaelic link wasn't completely broken until Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. The commander of the prince's army was a Kerryman John O'Sullivan and many of the descendants of the wild geese fought in that battle.
About misery being inflicted. The Scottish people suffered a lot under British rule too, after Culloden and during the Highland Clearances.
You can still see the similarities in cultures today in the Irish and Scottish Gaelic languages. The Gaels of the Scotland are descended from the Irish. In fact Scot originally meant Irishman. Ireland was once known as Scotia Major and Scotland was called Scotia Minor. So no one can deny the strong links between the two countries.
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