Why are there a lot of redheads in ireland?

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hodekin2000

i would guess it probably does have something to do with viking heritage as it's common in both Ireland & Scotland (celtic countries which had viking incursions/settlement) but not so much in the other celtic areas Wales (overwhelmingly dark people) & Cornwall (tend to be dark) where the vikings did not go.
That said, the Roman's described Queen Boudicca as red-headed,so it could well have been a celtic trait as well. Despite what many think, the ancient celts were described as a FAIR haired people, blondish to light brown, though they would dye their hair with lime or an ash/urine mixture to make it lighter.
The very dark strain you often see in celtic countries (esp Ireland and Wales) is not celtic (and not from the Armada survivors) but from the earlier prehistoric people of these countries,whose genes are still in over 90 percent of the population!

plz_yuprvoknofeeln

It's of Irish trait, and it's Beautiful!

averagecypress

Genetics.

Edit - From Wikipedia: "Today, red hair is most commonly found at the western fringes of Europe. It is associated particularly with those in Scotland, Ireland , Wales, and England. This matches the movement of the Celts and Picts as they were pushed westward and northward in Britain and Ireland during the Roman conquest of Britain, as well as the pattern of Viking settlement in the north of England."

Julie

Red hair is the rarest type of natural hair color in humans. The pale skin associated with red hair may be of advantage in far-northern climates where sunlight is scarce. Studies by Bodmer and Cavalli-Sforza (1976) hypothesized that lighter skin pigmentation prevents rickets in colder latitudes by encouraging higher levels of Vitamin D production and also allows the individual to retain heat better than someone with darker skin.[16] Rees (2004) suggested that the vividness and rarity of red hair may lead to it becoming desirable in a partner and therefore it could become more common through sexual selection.[17]

Harding et al (2000) proposed that red hair was not the result of positive selection but rather occurs due to a lack of negative selection. In Africa, for example, red hair is selected against because high levels of sun would be harmful towards fair skin. However, in Northern Europe this does not happen and so redheads come about through genetic drift.[13]

Estimates on the original occurrence of the currently active gene for red hair vary from 20,000 to 100,000 years ago.[18][19]

A DNA study has concluded that some Neanderthals also had red hair, although the mutation responsible for this differs from that which causes red hair in Homo Sapiens.[20]

Melissa W

Its genetics:

Red hair is the least common hair color. It ranges from vivid strawberry shades to deep auburn and burgundy. Celtic heritage is common with red hair. Red hair is caused by a variation in the Mc1r gene and believed to be recessive.[3] Red hair has the highest amounts of pheomelanin and usually low levels of eumelanin.[

Jennie

It is genetics but redhair does often come from Irish blood so yes. I'm a quarter Irish and a proud ginger!

Bapesta }хорошие ботинки{

genetics

dandidonna63

genetics, friend!

Alex A

strong celtic european routs and they wernt colonized by romans

MUSICGUY

many people in central europe had red hair,and when they(the celts) settled in ireland the red hair spread,also many vikings had red and blonde hair ,therfore contributing to the more red haired people .

elmjunburke

For the same reason that there are a lot of black heads in Japan .

plato

Vikings-we have red hair in our family also jet black- the Spanish influence!

Button

There aren't. That's just a common misconception. A lot of people in Ireland are Brunette. I think you mean Scottland.

Tiger Lily

Actually, it's interesting you should ask.

History shows because we were invaded by Vikings from Sweden that true Irish cailin's are blonde haired and blue eyed rather than red-haired and green eyed.

I've lived in Ireland all my life and can only count on one hand how many red-heads I've known in my lifetime

Billy Ireland79

I don't know, but I do love those Irish, redhead, freckled women. =)
Prob the same reason why north Africa is black, Egypt tan, and china light tan. they just keep having children within their race. and Irish are mainly pail, and freckled. (just a thought)

ξ кαyℓα mαriє ξ

cuz the Red hair genetic trait runs deep in Irish roots!
i'm red-headed & i'm 75% irish! =P

zestychester

It all depends on your genectics. Domanient and recessive genes determine all of this so its pretty much up to your parents. If they have red hair then there's a good chance that you will as well.

slipstreamer

Red hair is relatively rare and is caused by a recessive gene that can skip generations before reappearing. Genetics - the redhead gene, MC1R. (I have attached an explanation of this)

Supposedly the redheads in Ireland came from the Viking invaders, not sure of the truth of that. Scotland has more redheads than Ireland. I have always heard that the original people of the land were dark haired.

Doc

You and hodekin2000 are correct; the genes that produce red hair are from the Northmen, the Scandinavians who colonized Ireland. Celts are typically dark-haired and dark-eyed, though fair of skin. But the towns of Dublin, Wexford, Limerick and Waterford were all Viking settlements originally, and the settlers were assimilated into the general population eventually, so the red-hair genes became part of the Irish gene pool. And I for one am damn pleased about it--redheaded women are the hottest, in my opinion!

gaelicspawn

Simple. The most isolated and Western part of Europe. Because the brunette gene is dominant, it takes over eventually, but Ireland's the farthest West you get in Europe, so it is taking longer.
(I don't understand the thumbs down I got... see wikipedia link above... it's a genetic fact)

iloveshoes

its to do with the sun i think?

Fountain of Youth

inbreeding happens ... now there's an idea for a t-shirt

o and ya i have plenty of irish blood myself btw

molly.maurine

Red hair is like herpes..

it spreds fast...

Its like a nasty epedimic that swept the nations..

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