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Tuesday, March 20th, 2007The Boston Globe has run a two-part series of articles focusing on the experiences of the Irish in Boston. By Kevin Cullen, the series opens with a description of a new version of the “American Wake” – a goodbye held in Quincy pub for an undocumented couple as they prepare to head home for Ireland, giving up their Boston lives after seven years. The article describes how the Irish immigrant experience has changed dramatically as the community shrinks and enforcement increases.
The second article in the series describes the experiences of those who have conm home, and how returning emigrants are coping with the changes that have taken place in the last few years.
Read the series:
“Wave of Irish immigration to Boston begins to slow“.
“Going full circle: Native land’s new prosperity has many reversing their exodus”
President McAleese pays tribute to emigrant heritage in speech to British Council
Thursday, March 15th, 2007President Mary McAleese has paid tribute to Ireland’s emigrants and immigrants in a speech to the British Council, entitled “The Changing Faces of Ireland – Migration and Multiculturalism”.
In her speech she noted the contribution of Ireland’s emigrants, from the past through to today:
The Irish know better than many other races how valuable the emigrants to our shores are. We know these things because of our own extensive history of being emigrants. We are proud of the contribution our emigrants made wherever they went and though the Irish word for exile ‘deoraíocht’ comes from the Irish word for tears, we have lived long enough to see our emigrants and their offspring power their way into every sphere of civic life around the world, first-rate ambassadors for Ireland and effective bridges between Ireland and so many countries and peoples. The success of our emigrants in politics, business, education and the arts inspired our self-belief at home through very fallow periods and their remittances of hard-earned shillings and dollars helped lift the quality of life of their families left at home. In every generation they too have filled the wells of Ireland’s cultural heritage, bringing huge dynamism and fresh imagination – in this generation I think of Thomas Kenneally in Australia, author of Schindler’s List, Tony award-winning playwright Martin Mc Donagh in London, dancer-choreographer extraordinaire Michael Flatley in Chicago and a list that would wrap itself around Ireland several times.
President McAleese also noted the challenges inherent in developing a vision for a diverse society, but noted that Ireland’s heritage as an emigrant nation would be an asset:
As one of the world’s great exporters of people, as a culture steeped in the emigrant experience, we have both the challenge now, and the chance, to make the emigrant experience in Ireland something to be truly proud of. We have a written constitution which pledges us to assure the dignity and freedom of the individual. It guides and informs us in formulating the vision we have for our country, a place where it is possible to love Poland, China, Latvia, Nigeria, Somalia and to love Ireland too, to be at home though far from home, to live comfortably within Irish culture and yet be free to showcase and express your own culture, for ultimately these are the great gifts each newcomer brings – the gift of difference and of curiosity. Our gift in return is our welcome for the otherness of others and our acceptance of each as our equal.
Read the entire speech on the Aras an Uachtarain website.
Éan chair visits Washington
Thursday, March 8th, 2007Fr Alan Hilliard, Director of the Irish Episcopal Commission for Emigrants (IECE) and the chair of Éan’s board, attended yesterday’s rally in Washington DC. The rally brought Irish immigrants living in the US together to lobby politicians for comprehensive immigration reform.
“Today’s rally is an example of people taking responsibility for their own futures, and while this has not been easy, it is both necessary and commendable”, he said.
He spoke of plans for information provision that would be necessary in the future:
“One flaw of the immigration reform of the 1980s was a lack of clear communication of rights and this was coupled with the propagation of misinformation. Partly – perhaps due to living on the fringes of society – many were uncertain, nervous and were consequently afraid to come forward. Many immigrants did not fully understand what was available to them. However, on this occasion we will provide information to those in need so that they can make informed decisions. What must be avoided are ‘enticements’ and other so called ‘quick-fix’ solutions which will be advertised by some unscrupulous people whose motive is profit and whose style is to prey on the vulnerable. We are presently upgrading our Irish Apostolate website to enable browsers to access the legislative changes, if and when they happen, as they become available online.””Yesterday, members of our Apostolate met with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network to discuss the implementation of whatever legislation is put in place. Despite the uncertainty, we have to live with the expectation that legislative change will happen and, please God, a pathway of hope will open up.”
See more of Fr Hilliard’s comments on the Independent Catholic News website.
Returning emigrant finds Irish peculiar
Tuesday, January 2nd, 2007Today’s Irish Times Health Supplement takes a look at a returned emigrant who, recently diagnosed with cancer, is seeking to set up a centre for people who are looking to cope with a “life challenge”.
While the focus of the article is on business consultant Joseph Daly’s fight against his ailment and intentions to set up the Tamhnach Center, it also contains some interesting thoughts on his return.
Joseph came from Longwood, Co Meath and left Ireland to see the world after finishing school. He lived mostly in South Africa but also in Germany and Greece, and traveled extensively. Of his return he says:
We found settling into Ireland one of the most difficult things we had ever done. It is my home country but so much has changed in the past 20 years. We found it easier settling into a completely foreign country like Greece where we knew nobody and spoke a different language.
The Irish are peculiar. If you have been abroad and have been successful in any way, there is a certain begrudgery; you are seen as coming back with fancy ideas.
Read the article on the Irish Times website.
Justice for Immigrants newsletter
Thursday, December 7th, 2006The Justice for Immigrants campaign, a Catholic church group advocating US immigration reform, has published its December newsletter. This issue gives an update of the campaign and the effect of the US elections, giving tips for legislative advocacy. The newsletter profiles the National Council of Catholic Women in its “Participating Organisations Showcase”, and highlights the campaign’s work in San Jose, California.
The newsletter also provides details on National Migration Week, which will be held January 7-13, 2007.
Read the newsletter at the Justice for Immigrants website.
Irish Times profiles Irish in Turkey
Tuesday, November 28th, 2006The Irish Times profiles the Irish in Turkey today, coinciding with the first day of the Pope’s visit to that country. Journalist Aengus Collins says there are about 60 Irish people who have moved permanently to Turkey, with most settling in Istanbul. About the same number are living in Turkey for the short term, with most of those teaching English. About 1,500 are registered as having bought holiday homes.
The report notes that many of the Irish who came originally intended staying only a short time, while others came because they had a Turkish spouse or parent. It also says that the Irish community is well-integrated into Turkish life, and socialising tends to be with Turkish friends rather than other Irish expats; at Eamonn Lehane’s Irish bar, none of the clientele are Irish. The low costs of living and accommodation are reported to be attractions for many of the Irish.
Most of the Irish interviewed for the article report no religious tension in the Muslim nation, with one woman saying that “For anyone that I know here, it just doesn’t affect their daily life.”
The full article is available on Ireland.com (subscription required).
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