Famines, oppression, political upheaval, wars, disease, poverty......you get the drift.
2007-03-17 18:38:25 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Entertainment & Music ➔ Polls & Surveys
Apparently the origin of the phrase is actually American... go figure. History Professor Edward T O'Donnell offers this:
...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... 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.
Hmmmm... I'm only 1/4 Irish... but maybe I should try my luck at finding some gold in them there hills.
(On a side note, it's also unlikely that St. Patrick was Irish, historians agree he was most likely born in Southwestern Britain.)
2007-03-17 21:44:15 · answer #1 · answered by sueflower 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes, but a large number of the survived it- and got ahead.
That's luck.
2007-03-17 18:41:00 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
bcoz f ur avatar
2007-03-17 18:40:56 · answer #3 · answered by I am an Indian 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
all that and they dont seem to mind.
2007-03-17 18:48:07 · answer #4 · answered by Not here 2 make friends 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
*hic*... allll tht and were stilll herre! *hic*
lcky us eh?
2007-03-17 18:46:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋