Thank you for finally clarifying it all so succinctly, JTT. I was really beginning to wonder if there were any folks here who could explain that the term is of Irish American origin and bust some of the myth of it being of Irish origin instead, based upon what me mum and me granny told me. And that the term for black race (as in African black race) in Gaelic doesn't use the word 'dubh'.

As Irish folks have pointed out, any attempts by Irish Americans to match physical characteristics to geographic regions of Ireland, with Spanish sailors or Iberian origins of the Celts, would be met with some skepticism back in the old country. Though it might make for some entertaining craic down at the pub.