Life ireland science

“The big Irish head on you” – one student’s scientific attempt to see if there’s any truth to the phrase

Poke Reporter. Updated January 11th, 2025

It’s a phrase that Irish people and their descendants/relatives around the world (and really just anyone with a large head) have heard many a time, as both insult and compliment: “the big Irish on you!”

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But is there any scientific truth to the phrase?

Enter young student Farrah Corbett, from Co. Limerick, in Ireland, who took part in the country’s annual Young Scientist of the Year competition.

Farrah’s project was to test the idea that Irish people do, in fact, have bigger noggins than other ethnicities.

And her conclusion?

Well, Farrah looked at four groups for comparison: Africa, Asia, Eastern European and Irish. She found Ireland is bigger than some in the average head circumference to shoulder width ratio, but ultimately it’s inconclusive.

Results be damned, people are loving Farrah’s quirky approach to scientific research – even if some dispute that the said Irishness of the head is more about a look than actual size.

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Source: Twitter/X/hannahmurphnews