Who are the Irish?

   The “Irish” people are a mixture of the Celts and the Gaels. The Celts spread from eastern Europe to the British  Isles around 900 BCE. These people were very linguistically tied, more so than tied nationally. The Celts spread across the British Isles, including Ireland, Scotland, Cornwall, Brittany, Wales, and the Isle of Man. Today, these countries have formed what is called the “Celtic League.”
    The Gaels are a people who have a variation with the Celtic peoples. The Gaels blend with the Celts, as well as the local inhabitants of the islands. This occurred around the 5th century CE, which was also during the time of the Christianity spread in Ireland. This spread, especially by the help of the Gaels, helped develop Catholicism to become a strong cultural identity in Ireland. Therefore, the “Irish” people are a combination of the Celts and Gaels. They are extremely Catholic, even today.