Earliest African Presence in Ireland

The name David Ben-Anna, or ‘Lampo’, might not be familiar to many people in Ireland. We will come back to ‘Lampo’ Ben-Anna and his place in Irish history a little while later.

“You must be the first ‘black’ person in Ireland”, people would often say to this person I know when they are told of the date of his first arrival in Ireland in the early 1980s. 

Disappointingly, however, much as this person would have liked to claim this 'honour', this was not to be the case.

Indeed, over the last decade or two, people of African origin have become more noticeable in Ireland, but to think or presume that the 1980s was when they first arrived in this country would be very far from the reality.

So, my friend having missed out on the distinction of being the first ‘black’ person in Ireland, who then holds this? Well, let’s get back to ‘Lampo’.

I am indebted to Dr. William A. Hart, formerly of the University of Ulster at Coleraine, and who has been researching the history of people of African heritage in Ireland.

Ireland's links with Africa, in terms of the African presence in Ireland, also go back to a period which would surprise many people.

According to Dr. Hart, the earliest definite reference to a named person of African heritage (or ‘black’ / dark-skinned person) was in the Parish Register of St Mary’s Parish, Youghal, Co Cork.

This register was compiled by the Editor of St Mary's Parish Magazine, the Reverend C. Stewart, who was also thanked for the “very interesting” and early notices of christenings, marriages and burials:

“Christenings 1666: April 08 - David Ben-Anna (formerly Lampo) a negro, aged 15 years or thereabouts, born in Mountserat, one of ye Cariby Islands in Mere Del Noova in ye coast of America”.

At about the same time of Lampo’s christening with the new name of David Ben-Anna in the 1660s, Elizabeth, Duchess of Ormonde [1615–1684], was reported as having a 'black' page by the name of Scipio.

Thirty years before Scipio, however, there was Francisco. According to Dr Hart, a petition was made in the 1630s in the name of a 'black' slave called Francisco, who said he had formerly (in the 1620s, perhaps?) been ‘owned' by one ‘the Calvinist Jacob’ in Dublin.

Almost two hundred years later after Francisco, Scipio and 'Lampo' Ben-Anna, the following report appeared in the records of The Journal Of The Kilkenny And South-East Of Ireland Archaeological Society. VOL. II. NEW SERIES. 1858-59:

"About thirty-nine years ago a coloured man, a negro by birth, lived as servant with the Reverend William Fitzgerald, parish priest of Carlow town. This black man dreamed that a copper pan of gold was buried in the ruins of a monastery in Oakpark, the demesne of the late Colonel Bruen; he told the reverend Father, who endeavoured to dissuade him from his purpose of seeking the treasure; his arguments were in vain, so deep were the impressive hopes of success on the man's mind imprinted. He prepared; took some trusty friends by night, and dug for the treasure: after some hours' labour they came to the flag that covered the pan, on which a furious whirling wind came and extinguished their lights: they re-lighted them, on which a company of horse soldiers came galloping up and presented their arms; the gold-seekers stood horror-stricken; but the dreamer, as brave as man could be, continued to labour on while flames issued from the pit. The party fled, leaving the blackamoor man, more daring than a lion, to withstand the horrors of the whole contexture of thrilling objects in the silence and darkness of the midnight hour. He reflected, and, while reflecting, a whirlwind raged around him, and he heard a sepulchral-like voice 'A life is to be lost is that life yours?' He paused for a moment, and mentally said, “What will the treasure avail me if I am dead?’’ On which he left the place. The next day he visited the scene of terror, and, much to his surprise, he could not find the exact spot; no marks of the night's labour remained.” pages 108-109

Mention should also be made here of Frederick Douglass, a Black American, who arrived in Ireland in August 1845. He was reported as having stayed in Ireland and Britain for about two years, during which time Douglass was also reputed as having met and befriended the 'Liberator' himself, Daniel O’Connell.

Francisco’s experience with ‘the Calvinist Jacob’ might not exactly have been a pleasant one, him having been his slave, but we might take a look at this sad and tragic story, which took place eighty-eight years before David ‘Lampo’ Ben-Anna’s christening. 

The following was recorded as having taken place in Kilkenny in 1578:

In the November of that year, sessions were held there by the Lord Justice Drury and Sir Henry Fitton, who, in their letter to the Privy Council on the 20th of the same month, inform that Body that upon arriving at the town "the jail being full we caused sessions immediately to be held. Thirty-six persons were executed, amongst whom were some good ones, a blackamoor and two witches by natural law, for that we find no law to try them by in this realm." It is easy to see why the witches were put to death, but the reason for the negro's execution is not so obvious. It can hardly have been for the colour of his skin, although no doubt a black man was as much a rara avis in the town of Kilkenny as a black swan. Had the words been written at the time the unfortunate negro might well have exclaimed, though in vain, to his judges:

"Mislike me not for my complexion--

The shadowed livery of the burning sun."

Or could it have been that he was the unhappy victim of a false etymology! For in old writers the word "necromancy" is spelt "nigromancy," as if divination was practised through the medium of negroes instead of dead persons; indeed in an old vocabulary of 1475 "Nigromantia" is defined as "divinatio facta per nigros." He may therefore have been suspected of complicity with the two witches. pages 60-61

Source: Irish Witchcraft And Demonology By St John D. Seymour, B.D. Baltimore: Norman, Remington [1913]

So, first we have this poor unfortunate, and unnamed, fellow who was executed in Kilkenny in 1578 for a reason which is “not so obvious”.

Then there was Francisco petitioning for his freedom from slavery in the 1630s, on to the newly christened David ‘Lampo’ Ben-Anna (1666) and Scipio the page in the mid 1600s.

Finally, there was yet another unnamed 'black' man, a servant of the Reverend William Fitzgerald, parish priest of Carlow Town in the 19th century.

These were some of the documented cases, so far known, of the presence of people of African origin in Ireland between the 16th and 19th centuries.

It is also rather noticeable that none of these was female, nor has a female person been identified so far.

A little bit of background history too on the African / ‘black’ presence in Ireland, and a long way from the 16th century to the present day.

Fortunately, unlike our Kilkenny ‘blackamoor’ and Francisco, ‘the Calvinist Jacob’s’ 'slave', Africans in today’s Ireland don’t have to face executions or petition for freedom from slavery.

Still, they face other equally difficult challenges.