Flemmi and Matorano are both Italian / Irish Americans
I found that fact interesting. Did they care that the other Irish hated the Italians so much? Also interesting that they were both stone cold killers.
shareNeither Stevie Flemmi nor Johnny Martarano had any Irish ancestry in them, Both liked that the Winter Hill Gang didn't have the hierarchy and bureaucracy the Mafia had. They were able to move up quicker in the ranks in the Winter Hill Gang than they could in the Mafia.
shareWikipedia says they have both Irish and Italian blood.
shareWikipedia is not always right. Anyone can edit it. There is mixed reports as to what nationality Stevie's mother is and where she was born.
This one says she was born in the US. Looks like she lived a long time and died after Stevie was in prison.
https://www.geni.com/people/Mary-Flemmi/6000000002575839522
This biography of Stevie's brother says she was an Italian immigrant.
http://www.thefullwiki.org/Vincent_Flemmi
As for Matorano, I have seen sources that said his mother was Portuguese descent.
In the movie one of the mobsters referred to Stevie as a half breed. Weather he was or not people seemed to think he was.