One in four in Britain claim Irish connection

One in four British people believe they have Irish blood running through their veins, according to new research.

One in four British people believe they have Irish blood running through their veins, according to new research.

The survey, carried out by Guinness, shows the British are keen to claim Irish ancestry even if they have no real links to Ireland.

Experts estimate the number of people who can truly claim to be Irish is closer to one in 10.

Dr Roy Bradshaw of Nottingham University said: "The figure of one in four people claiming to be Irish is surprisingly high.

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"It may be true for certain areas but is unlikely to be true for the nation as a whole. I can only suppose that the large number of people claiming to be Irish is very much to do with cultural influences.

"For some reason people want to believe they are Irish. The reality is that for most of them it just won't be true."

The survey indicates that the younger you are, the more likely you are to boast Irish roots.

Nearly half (42%) of 18-34-year-olds in England, Scotland and Wales claimed to have Irish connections, according to the report.

One thousand adults took part in the research.

Over three-quarters (77%) of Londoners and those in the south of England claimed they were Irish or had Irish ancestry, while a quarter of all Scots surveyed stated their allegiance to Ireland.

Welsh people were less likely to brag about Irish roots (15%).