The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, has met with representatives from the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) in New York to discuss the campaign on behalf of undocumented Irish immigrants in the United States. The minister reiterated the Government’s strong support for the ILIR’s campaign. He added, “The plight of the undocumented gets… Continue reading Minister for Foreign Affairs meets with ILIR, NY groups
Eavan Boland comments on emigrant experience
RTE’s radio programme Rattlebag ran a rerun of an interview with Eavan Boland, in which she spoke extensively about her experience as an Irish woman abroad, beginning with her childhood as a diplomat’s daughter. She read her poem “The Emigrant Irishâ€?. She characterized her own experience by saying, “I was never an emigrant. I was… Continue reading Eavan Boland comments on emigrant experience
Film to focus on 1970s-era emigrants in Britain
Colm Meaney will be one of the featured actors in “Kingsâ€?, a film focusing on a group of Irish emigrants living in London. Based on Jimmy Murphy’s play “The Kings of the Kilburn High Roadâ€?, the film focuses on several friends who emigrated to England in the 1970s; they are reunited at the funeral of… Continue reading Film to focus on 1970s-era emigrants in Britain
17,000 left Ireland last year
The latest set of CSO stats on emigration and immigration for the year up to April 06 has been released. There were an estimated 17,000 emigrants – interestingly reversing (though not by much) the downward trend of the last several years; the figure hit bottom last year at 16,600. There were 87,000 immigrants – the… Continue reading 17,000 left Ireland last year
Cork monument uses sound to commemorate
An innovative monument to Irish emigrants was unveiled on Cork’s Penrose Quay on September 9th. “Listening Posts”, designed by sculptor Daphne Wright and writer Johnny Hanrahan, consists of four sleek metal posts positioned at the traditional point of departure for emigrant ships. The City Council’s press release explains, While striking in themselves, these ‘posts’ function… Continue reading Cork monument uses sound to commemorate
Returning emigrants featured in The Dubliner
Returning emigrants are the subject of an article in the oft-controversial The Dubliner magazine. In an article entitled “Lame Geese”, reporter Angela Long details the experiences of several returning emigrants. She highlights particular difficulties in getting job searching, along with some culture shock as emigrants who left in pre-boom times come back to confront the… Continue reading Returning emigrants featured in The Dubliner