What is the origin of the term 'Luck of the Irish'?

I agree with the person who wrote below that the other answers which have been deleted had there own merits, some better than others, but should have remained. Prof. O'Donnell does good work, and his answer which the submitter quotes is an interesting one, but only one possible answer for a puzzling question that can probably never be fully answered.

There were a lot more answers to this question each with its own merit - whomever deleted them has no right to do so.

Surely the term "The luck of the Irish" originated from the fact that despite hundreds of years of prosecutuion by the British, land grabs by the British, occupation by the British, the very fact that Ireland still exists is kind of "Luck" in itself.

Answer

The saying refers to the fact that the Irish people have come through such overwhelming adversity and have come out on top and kicking! It must be luck... or true perseverance.

Answer

Some suggest that the term "Luck of the Irish" refers to the abundance of good fortune long enjoyed by the Irish.

Really? What sort of luck is it that brings about 1,000 years of invasion, colonization, exploitation, starvation and mass emigration? In truth, this term has a happier, if not altogether positive, American origin. During the gold and silver rush years in the second half of the 19th century, a number of the most famous and successful miners were of Irish and Irish American birth. For example, James Fair, James Flood, William O'Brien and John Mackay were collectively known as the "Silver Kings" after they hit the famed Comstock Lode. Over time this association of the Irish with mining fortunes led to the expression "luck of the Irish." Of course, it carried with it a certain tone of derision, as if to say, only by sheer luck, as opposed to brains, could these fools succeed.

--- from a very informative article on History New Network (hnn.us) by Edward T. O'Donnell, Associate Professor of History at Holy Cross College (www.edwardtodonnell.com)

By the way, I didn't delete the previous "Answers" referred to at the top but I did see them. They were nonsense... fine examples of why only a well administered Wiki, which this one is certainly not, is useful in practice. People will write any silly thing that pops into their heads. Once written, the invention becomes "fact" as if my magic. Whoever did delete the rubbish, good job!

Because Irish people have had bad luck (reasons stated above) the Luck of the Irish means a luck that happened to an unfortunate person.

First answer by ID1093179003. Last edit by GoldenJasmine. Contributor trust: 1 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 281 [recommend question]