The first Irish people were actually blue-eyed Black individuals with dark skin, according to research on ancient genetics. These hunter-gatherers arrived in Ireland around 10,000 years ago and thrived for 4,000 years before a new wave of early farmers with lighter skin migrated to the island. The interaction between these groups shaped the gene pool of modern Irish people, with traces of hunter-gatherer ancestry still present in early farmers. This history challenges common perceptions of the Irish and highlights the diverse origins of the population.