THE RACES OF IRELAND.
(To THY EDrfOR or THE "SPECTATOR.") Sot,—In a letter recently published in the Times Mr. Francis H. Skrine suggests that the Irish Provinces should be given separate local Legislatures like those of the Swiss Cantons, under a central Government in Dublin. May I ask what reason the writer has for stating that "certain Northern Counties of Ireland are inhabited by a Scotch race which differs widely from the Celtic population of the rest of Ireland "1 Mr. Skrine can hardly doubt the historical fact that the Scots emigrated from Ireland to Western Scotland (Dalriada) under the descendants of Conn, the great Irish warrior; and perhaps in replying on this point Mr. Skrine will also say why he assumes that the inhabitants of other parts of the country— including those of the south-western part (by so many believed to be descendants of the old Mediterranean race, predecessors of the Celts), the mixed populations of many coastal regions, the settlements of Northern tribes. Danish colonies about Dublin, Normans of Waterford, Cromwellian soldiers, and so on—are more purely Celtic than those Scots who occupied the western parts of Scotland in such a powerful body as to give their name eventually to the whole country.—I am, Sir, Ac., G. T. PLUNKETT.
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