[zumtar]

> I think it would be hard to find an Irish Protestant at that time, no?

Belfast (and the whole of Ulster) was full of them.

[tankenmate]

And indeed you'll find that Irish protestants in general tended to immigrate to the southern US states and the Catholics were more likely to immigrate to the northern US states (such as they existed at the time). Even till today you'll find a higher ratio of Protestant Irish to Catholic Irish in Georgia than Massachusetts for example.

[vacri]

I was told a while back by a native that 10% of the south was Protestant, though he was talking of the modern day. I don't know how that number would translate historically.

[raverbashing]

I know that, I'm more wondering what was the amount that immigrated to the US (in relation to Catholic Irish)

[azernik]

Many (including at least two Presidents). They just tended not to identify themselves as plain "Irish".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch-Irish_American

[zumtar]

I don't have exact numbers to hand but I am sure the numbers of Protestant Irish emigrants was very high.

Poverty throughout the counties was common and they wanted to find a new and better life just as much as their Roman Catholic neighbours did.

[umanwizard]

Did they really consider themselves "Irish", though?

[zumtar]

Yes, of course they did.

They were Irish, but the unionists agreed (along with Great Britain) that Ireland should be ruled by the King and be under British rule, and subsequently they all adopt the "British" sect of Christianity (Anglicanism).