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Anthropological Question regarding the Origins of the Occupants of the Aran Islands

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  • 24-11-2005 4:15pm
    #1
    iceman_2001_ie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 157 ✭✭


    I have heard that the origin of the occupants of the Aran Islands has been traced by to Morocco.

    Is this a true statement, backed up either by genetic profiling or by archealogical evidence?

    If so, does anybody know where I can get information about it.

    Thanks


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    #2
    Aidan1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 624 ✭✭✭Aidan1


    Sounds like one of Bob Quinns ideas ... he has argued for years that there were close links between many of the communities living on the Atlantic fringe in pre history, and that this has left some genetic and cultural markers in Ireland. Its a bit wild in some of its conclusions, but there is plenty of other evidence to support the basic thesis.

    http://www.readireland.ie/botmnf/nfic-feb05.html

    "The thesis is refreshing in that it states that the Irish are not a homogenous fiction called 'celtic' but an energetic mongrel people inhabiting what for thousands of years has essentially been an island trading post. "


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    #3
    valen
    Registered Users Posts: 216 ✭✭valen


    Aidan1 wrote:
    "The thesis is refreshing in that it states that the Irish are not a homogenous fiction called 'celtic' but an energetic mongrel people inhabiting what for thousands of years has essentially been an island trading post. "

    Though its well worth keeping in mind that the islands population is very static, compared to the continent. That Blood of the Vikings documentary mentioned that in 2000, 95% of the inhabitants of the midlands was unchanged since mesolithic times.

    The native population of the coastline would be anyones guess. That said, Morocco is considerably closer, in the ancient sea-road sense, than central France, so it's more likely than Ireland being Celtic, in anything else than a linguistic sense.

    john


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    #4
    luckat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,366 ✭✭✭luckat


    I vaguely remember hearing that

    a) Aran people are typically blood group A, whereas other Irish people are more often group O

    b) the islands were a concentration camp for priests at one stage (though of course they wouldn't have any descendants....

    c) the islands were occupied by a Cromwellian garrison - some versions of this story suggest that the garrison was forgotten and its descendants continued to live there.

    Take a look at some of Tim Robinson's books, and also ask in the Folklore Commission, or whatever it's called at the moment.


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