1823. Bee, Dict. of the Turf. Greek, s.v. Irishmen call themselves
Greeks.
1851–61. H. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, Vol. i., p. 240. We
had the Greeks (the lately arrived Irish) down upon us more than
once.
1872. Standard, 3 Sept. ‘Melbourne Correspondence.’ The most
noticeable point of comparison between the two Administrations is
the presence or the absence of the Greek element from the Cabinet.
Greek, as some of your readers are aware, is colonial slang for
‘Irish.’