I thought this was pretty neat. =)
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Muhammad Ali Said to Have Irish Roots

DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) - Irish researchers said Friday they have found that Muhammad Ali has Irish roots in County Clare.

"We would like to honor Ali as one of the heroes of the 20th century and invite him here,'' said Michael Corley, a council leader in the small town of Ennis where, genealogists say, a great-grandfather of Ali was born 160 years ago.

Ali's publicist Jill Siegel, reached in New Jersey, said the former heavyweight champion was aware of his Irish ancestry.

"That has been known for some time,'' she said. But she wasn't sure if the researchers had turned up new details.

Researchers at the County Clare Heritage Centre in the south west of Ireland said they unearthed documentation that shows Ali ancestor Abe Grady emigrated to the United States in the 1860s, settled in Kentucky and married an African-American woman.

They say one of his descendants was Ali's mother.

"Through research being carried out for the Irish-language TV station TG4 on Ali, we established that Ali's great-great grandfather, John Grady, the father of Abe, rented a house and a small garden in Ennis ... in 1855,'' said genealogist Antoinette O'Brien. "There is no doubt that Abe Grady was Ali's great-grandfather.''

Isn't it amazing how people from such a tiny little place seem to have populated the earth. I'm not sure if I know too many people that don't claim to have at least a little bit of irish in their background. LOL

I don't doubt it one bit that Ali is probably Irish to some degree. Conversely, many people who look Caucasion probably have some African blood coursing in their veins. In a world where the countless ethnic groups have moved into areas that are just a big melting pot as the USA has become, I don't think that any of us here are "pure" anything. We have to go back into the less civilized parts of the world, like deep into Africa, or deep into the South American rain forests, or into the Australian aborigine culture, and the like, to find anything close to a "pure" bloodline, and even those are questionable... especially any that have been visited over the centuries by missionaries, conquering tribes/races, etc. It is quite complex, when you really think about it! We are closer to a Rainbow world that most people like to think we are. This is one of my main reasons not to discriminate against others... for if I do, I am probably cutting off my nose to spite my face! This is all just food for thought.....

azspirit

[ February 10, 2002: Message edited by: azspirit ]

And I thought his roots were just here in Louisville Kentucky.
Suzy

Mare you said that perfectly! I'm so in agreement with you

Very true Mare, my bunch is an example of that very thing.
I couldn't help but think of my little Irish (primarily) grandmother. Nanny always took great pride in being "pure blood" Irish. Years after she passed away and we started delving into the family history, we came across a German ancestor, who immigrated to England, and his descendants on to America. My father was so amused that his beloved mother-in-law was not the "pure-bred" she always claimed to be. He always said that if she were still alive, he would be razzing her that the Germanic blood was what made her so darn good looking!

I've heard it said that many if not most African- Americans do have some white or indian blood.

BTW - Did you know that Adolf Hitler is rumored to actually have some Jewish blood?