{"id":6539,"date":"2014-03-21T14:58:32","date_gmt":"2014-03-21T14:58:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=6539"},"modified":"2023-11-28T13:25:56","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T18:25:56","slug":"everyones-a-wee-bit-irish-around-st-patricks-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/everyones-a-wee-bit-irish-around-st-patricks-day.html","title":{"rendered":"Everyone\u2019s a Wee Bit Irish around St. Patrick\u2019s Day!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/em><\/strong>: In this article, to celebrate March being Irish American Heritage Month, Mary Harrell-Sesniak explains that many of us have at least a little Irish in our family history\u2014including President Barack Obama and Martin Luther King, Jr. Mary is a genealogist, author and editor with a strong technology background.
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With the St. Patrick\u2019s Day celebrations this week, plus March being Irish American Heritage Month, everyone is feeling a wee bit Irish. And, as it turns out, quite a few of us have actual Irish roots\u2014including U.S. President Barack Obama and civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.<\/p>\n

Irish Diaspora<\/strong><\/p>\n

Population estimates vary, but most historians and researchers agree that the Irish Diaspora (persons of Irish heritage living outside of Ireland) is significant.<\/p>\n

By some estimates, at least 10% of the world is Irish (according to the Irish tourism board)\u2014and others report that there are at least seven times as many people of Irish descent in America as the entire population of Ireland! (See Huffington Post<\/em><\/a> article.)<\/p>\n

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Photo: verdant scene from the top of Blarney Castle, Ireland. Credit: Mary Harrell-Sesniak.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So when everyone claims to be a wee bit Irish in March, especially on St. Patrick\u2019s Day, you shouldn\u2019t be surprised. Many Americans, including several prominent African Americans, can trace their Irish genealogy<\/a> to the Emerald Isle.<\/p>\n

The Obamas\u2019 Irish Ancestry<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the first studies on President Barack and Michelle (Robinson) Obama\u2019s ancestry was conducted by genealogist Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak (yes, she is a double Smolenyak).<\/p>\n

She discovered that Mrs. Obama\u2019s third great grandmother Melvinia was the granddaughter of Andrew Shields, a white Irish protestant immigrant, via his son Charles Shields.<\/p>\n

The President\u2019s direct immigrant Irish ancestor was Falmouth Kearney, a native of Moneygall in County Offaly. He left his homeland in 1850 to escape the great famine (which lasted 1845-1852). Once the people of Ireland learned this, there was much celebration and pride in being connected to the U.S. President. See:<\/p>\n