Skin color is not a very good indicator of race because skin color varies as dramatically withing races as it does between races. However, the people of the Eastern Mediterranean, which would include the ancient Hebrews, are caucausians. Most American Jews are European (Ashkenazi) Jews. While 40 pecent have genetic markers that indicate some genetic heritage from the Eastern Mediterranean, that are basically Europeans. (They score higher on IQ test than any other racial or ethnic group, so they are good to have around.)

The first wave of Irish immigrated to American in the early 1700s. They were Scots-Irish protestants from Northern Ireland. Rather than settle in urban centers such as New York, Philadephia or Boston, they move inland. These are the people who crossed the Appalachians into Ohio, Kentucky , and Tennessee and populated much of the deep Southp; they than kept moving west to Texas and beyond. They met encountered littile prejudice and, today, have little sense of a connection to Ireland or things Irish. The Irish who encountered prejudice were the waves of Potato Famine Irish who began arrive in the late 1800s. They clustered in major cities, where they had a significant demographic impact. These are the Irish who celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.