On Fri, 3 Dec 2004 12:22:11 +0900, "John Yamamoto-Wilson"
<johndeletethis@rarebooksinjapan.com> wrote:

>Michi something (my computer's configuration won't read the last part of the
>name) wrote:
>
>> [MacHamish's] surname's Irish
>
>What an odd thing to say. MacHamish is about as Scottish as it gets (check
>any information on the Gunn clan, e.g.,
>http://www.yourscottishname.com/gunn_clan.htm, or
>http://www.geocities.com/sconemac/septgunn.html). Have you never heard of
>MacHamish Scotch whiskey (http://www.geocities.com/jordan_m30/malts.html)?
>
>From what I can gather, the name exists in Ireland mainly in the north.
>Without (admittedly) knowing much about it, I'd assume it was brought there
>by Scottish Protestants.
>
>--
>John
>http://rarebooksinjapan.com
>

It is a common and perennial insult in Scotland to say that someone's
name is Irish and that therefore they must be Irish; the Irish not
having formerly been held in great esteem by Scots.

Michil