The Scots-Irish... not Irish at all?

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My ancestry is mostly German and Scots and Scots-Irish, and some English.  Notice that word Scots-Irish wasn't used interchangeably with Irish. I've recently learned an interesting fact about what it means to be Scots-Irish, and what it doesn't.

Let's start here; Scots-Irish does not mean a mixture of Scottish and Irish. 
The Scots-Irish were a group of Lowland Scottish Presbyterians who were given claim to an northern area of Ireland known as Ulster as part of a plantation.  This group of people is predominately known as Ulster Scots, or Ulstermen, in other parts of the world besides North America.

So who were they? 
They were lowland Scots, a different group of people altogether than the notorious Highlanders most people associate with Scotland. These lowlanders did not really have need or desire to speak Gaelic, didn't wear kilts, and were often Presbyterian. Even down to the genetics Highlanders and Lowlanders are different, with Highland Scots being far more influenced by Viking and Gael ancestors and Lowlanders being more mixed with other eastern European influences.

Why did they end up in Ireland? 
Well, it's kind of a long story, drawn out by a few generations.  What it comes down to is that the King of England didn't care for Scotsman and didn't like the Irish either, and since he wanted control of both of them he set this group of Presbyterian Scots against the very Catholic Irish Gaels.  These Scotsman did the job of holding Ulster for the crown, but they eventually tired of the religious persecution that seemed to be coming from both the Kings of Ireland and Britain. As a result, some went back to Scotland, some emigrated to the Americas and some stayed put.

An American Story.  
The Ulster Scots that came to the Americas were a strong willed, wilderness savvy, and war experienced people.  They brought all the necessary tools for survival without even knowing it.  They were farmers, woodsman, and explorers, and when it came to the revolution they were predominately Rebels.  Later on, as families migrated through the American Wilderness and Canadian countryside, many of the Ulster-Scots, the Highland Scots, and the Germans would find common ground and move as a group into the Appalachians

So what does this mean for your genealogy?  Are you Irish?
It depends, I guess.  In some respects the Ulster Scots had been firmly planted in Ireland for a few generations. They probably had taken on some Irish culture.  On the other hand, they certainly weren't Irish.  The Irish didn't even like them, and barely tolerated their Presbyterian ways. A lot of references point to the Irish Kings hunting the Scots Irish to get rid of them. They were culturally and genetically identified as being from lowland Scotland, and many went back to Scotland, even generations later.
In my opinion, they were Scots.  I think they deserve their own term, the Ulster Scots, but I am not of the opinion they "became" Irish.
When researching your Scottish and Scots-Irish roots, I think it is important to keep all this in mind. While it may look as though your ancestors immigrated to Canada or the Americas from Ireland, if they were from Ulster, you might want to do more exploring in Scotland.  I think this is especially true for early immigrant Appalachian families, like mine.

Who am I researching? 
I am interested in the MacNeills (McNeal) and MacGeary (McGary) families.  The McNeal family is likely the same from the Barra Islands in Scotland, while the McGeary family were likely Ulster Scots.

Do You know a lot about this subject and maybe I have something wrong?  Let me know!

If you are interested in more detailed explanations (Several Kings of Britain really didn't like the Scots and Irish) I have added some reference links here:

RootsWeb
The Scots-Irish: The Thirteenth Tribe
Scots Irish in Colonial America