Special Collections: A Brief History of Irish Migration

Extracts from article 'When did you come over?' by Liam Ryan

During the 20th century, Britain has been the main destination for people leaving Ireland. Between 1951 and 1961 over 500,000 Irish migrants came to Britain, whereas approximately 90,000 went to the United States in same period. By 1971 the Irish population resident in Britain had climbed to 957,830 (including those from Northern Ireland) and represented the largest migrant minority in the country. The best estimate is that in the 1980s about 60 per cent who migrated from the Republic of Ireland came over to Britain. During the past 30 years Britain has also been the primary destination for those leaving Northern Ireland.

One of the main reasons for these levels of migration are economic factors. Until recently there were fundamental deficiencies in the Irish economy: declining domestic industry, under-exploitation of natural resources, small-scale and inefficient agriculture, poor dispersal of resources and a weak infrastructure.

During the 20th century, travel to Britain was largely by three crossings of Larne to Stranraar, Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead and Rosslare to Fishguard. The biggest change occurred in the 1980s with the advent of the 'Ryanair generation', cheap flights enabling quicker journeys.

In the 1950s most of the new Irish migrants went to the English Midlands, the ''corridor'' south, taking in Bedford and Luton, and to London. The migrants of the 1980s were even more concentrated, with the vast majority settling in the south-east of England and especially in greater London.