On the other hand, while Ted's beard is redish, and we both are fair-skinned, I don't think either of us look particularly Irish. We have some Irish heritage, but as much Welsh and English and a bit more Scottish plus some German/Scandinavian/Prussian - it's really just easier to say Northern European mongrel because it's all from back when the borders were different and the countries were different and most of the records were about other people's families anyway, etc. and so forth.
So the upshot was that neither of us could come up with a good reason for either variation, and we were left (and left) in puzzlement.
More social primate wierdness for your amusement, and mine...