Very true. Lewis was most emphatically not English, and I think many details of his life - right down to having many worries in living with his brother, who declined into alcoholism - were all too typical of his ethnic background.
There is a book published on the Ulster background to Narnia. It has not been picked up by the critics, but they only support the big publishers. I recommend it:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3040627/posts
Cheers, will try and get a copy.
As a Protestant Scotsman, with Ulster Scots blood (some of my Hamilton (dad) and Campbell (mum) forebears both went to Ulster in the 17/18th C’s, the former returned as white collar workers to Saltcoats in Scotland in 1850, the latter didn’t return and I have NI relatives in Belfast) and as I am a pro-British, pro-Union man, I have an unending interest and soft spot for the Ulster people and NI.
Went on holiday a few years ago to the Glens of Antrim, gorgeous.