Irish migration to Great Britain - Research Paper Example

Research Paper, English Topic: Irish migration to Great Britain Introduction: Irish people have a long and profound history of migration to Great Britain. The migration is due to economic necessities, political compulsions and geographical location. The historic aspect that accelerates the migration process since the eleventh century has varied impact on the economy of Great Britain. After many political and geographical adjustments and divisions, the present position is that Ireland has two entities. Independent Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, that remains part of Great Britain. This long association and disassociation, has resulted in millions or Irish people becoming residents of Great Britain and they can be identified through their Irish ancestry. As the migration process continues unabated, Irish people have become the largest minority group in Great Britain and this position is being sustained for centuries. Apart from others, proximity and employment factors are the important reasons for Irish migration to Great Britain and it is going on unabated with intermittent high and lows. Economic conditions dominate the scene of migration With the Great Famine of the 1840s and potato crop failures on a recurring basis, exoduses on a mammoth scale occur. About a million people migrate and an equal number of them die in Ireland due to hunger and poor economic conditions. Migration on a big scale occurs for the second time during the period 1930-1960, as the Irish people are trying to escape from the desperately poor economic conditions, following the establishment of the Irish Free State. On the other hand, conditions are favorable in Great Britain that facilitates migration from Ireland. With the rapid industrialization in Great Britain, demand for labor is intense and the domestic and constructions companies depend on labor. Especially in the construction industry, the contribution of the Irish labor is magnificent and this has been acknowledged by the concerned authorities in Great Britain. Seasonal migration for a specific period is also in vogue and they are known as harvest labors. London accounts for the biggest Irish population and they are concentrated in the County Kilburn area of North West London. Liverpool, Birmingham, and Manchester are the other important cities in England that own a good chunk of Irish population. Irish population in Scotland and Wales is also substantial. There are an unspecified number of people of Irish ancestry in Great Britain and some other cities with Irish population are, Cardiff, Coventry, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Coat bridge, Leeds, Lupton, Middleborough, Preston, Portsmouth and Sunderland. “Genealogy has become hugely popular throughout the world in recent decades but has long had an important position in Ireland. Many of the surviving medieval Gaelic manuscripts are accounts of the pedigree of important, powerful Irish families.”(Murphy) Due to some profound reasons that are not part of the culture of normal procedures of migration, it is impossible to decide the exact dimensions of Irish migration to Great Britain. Ireland remains under British rule for centuries, and notwithstanding the legal provisions to render the process of assimilation of the Irish in the mainstream society by barring them from owning land, the sense of kinship persists. “Emigration has been a feature of Irish society for centuries. There is another myth that emigration began during and after the "Great Famine" 1846 - 52. But in fact the Irish had been upping sticks and moving long before that.” (Murphy) The process has been unstoppable due to one or the other reason. It is often forgotten that until 1922 Ireland was part of the UK, The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. As such they were one and the same country and migration between the two islands was commonplace. Consequently records of Irish born are common in British civil, parish and other records. Indeed one-sixth of all residents of the UK currently claim an Irish grandparent. (Murphy) Another feature of this migration process is that it is not a one-way traffic. Some studies indicate that the migration process responds to differences in the unemployment rate between the two countries and the differences in wage rates. This observation is purely from the perspective of economics but migration is such a complex process that the interplay of many other factors affects the projections. Moreover it is not possible to predict the future migration flows on the basis of economic factors alone. There is an undeniable link between the Irish and British labor markets. Further studies reveal that “Over time, there has been a balance between the proportions of males and females emigrating, although in certain sub-periods, there have been imbalances. Emigrants have typically been in the 15-24 year age bracket, although at times of particular economic depression older individuals have left also”(Barrett). Improvement in the educational standards and industrialization and with options available to the younger generation to migrate to other countries, the migration process takes a new turn. Finally, whereas before the 1970s emigrants would have been largely unskilled, reflecting the population in general, emigration in more recent years has been more skilled in nature. This is partly because of improved educational levels in Ireland, but it may also be because emigration became more selective of the better educated (Barrett) Other factors that contribute to the process of migration Significant depletion of population has been the feature of migration from Ireland since long. Heterogeneous factors contribute to this historical process. During the major part of the twentieth century Ireland’s economic development continues to be slow in comparison to other countries. Ireland has a comparatively high birth rate that affects the job opportunities. Irish people have ready access to Great Britain as they have contacts with the network of previous migrants some of whom were their blood relations. That makes changeover to the new country much easier. So, the process is not a serious problem as such for the one who wishes to migrate. Apart from the economic aspect, how sociological considerations also play their part in the process of migration has been established though a sample study. “The most comprehensive study of the migratory decisions in the 1960s is that of Hannan (1970). In 1965, Hannan set about interviewing over 500 young people in a rural part of Ireland. The area selected was typical of many rural areas at the time in that it had experienced significant outflows over a long period” (Barrett).The young people, who are intelligent enough to decide about their future, are asked whether they will stay on or choose to migrate. Each one is grilled with twelve questions to enable the interviewing individual to learn their attitudes towards their community, their future plans and ambitions and their goal in life. Their backgrounder information about the level of education of their parents, social class etc. is also ascertained. Hannan concludes the survey with two important observations as a result of his efforts to establish links between an assortment of variables and the plan to migrate. The first and the important one is the youngsters are convinced that their occupation and income aspirations will not be fulfilled through their existing community. “He also found that alienation from the local community lead to an intention to migrate but that family obligations reduced the likelihood of planned migration.”(Barrett) A follow up survey conducted in 1968 throws more light on the issue of migration. The objective of the survey is to assess the veracity of the findings of the 1965 survey. Whether the youngsters have translated their objectives in to real life applications? Some of the results of the survey and the subsequent analysis are, educational level has a favorable effect on the likelihood of emigration. Contacts in the intended country, that can help in the period of transition, like in Great Britain, are the positive factors that contribute to the process of migration. Father’s occupation and family wealth also work against the likelihood of migration. Surprisingly, mother’s attitude increases the possibility of migration. The survey also reveals the importance of joint decision making process within the family. Apart from the youth at the time of economic depression, the elders also opt for migration. Finally, whereas before the 1970s emigrants would have been largely unskilled, reflecting the population in general, emigration in more recent years has been more skilled in nature. This is partly because of improved educational levels in Ireland, but it may also be because emigration became more selective of the better educated. (Barrett) The changing pattern of immigration in Ireland Technological innovations, internet revolution and the impact of the materialistic civilization on the combustible younger generation have impacted the pattern of immigration in Ireland since 1960s. The process of migration has slowed down and the sociological changes have taken over the scenario. With improvements in the standard of living, the priorities in the family have changed. “The hegemonic rural discourse has all but disappeared …….. New voices are being heard and alternative realities are being evoked. Irish emigration continues, but the options chosen are no longer the same, and many return. For the first time in two centuries, immigration is beginning to have an impact, modest as yet, on a hitherto relatively monolithic culture.”(Piras Mac Einri) Demographic transition is taking place at Ireland rapidly. Traditional Irish migration Traditional Irish migration has mostly been to Great Britain. People from underdeveloped rural areas availed the migration option as they are from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The preferred destination choice is Britain of which Ireland is the part. Of the 32 countries to which the people from Ireland migrate, 80% prefer Britain. Ireland thus suffers from loss of population due to constant migration. In the 1950s half a million from Ireland migrate. A new pattern of migration is emerging in the 1970s. Several favorable factors relating to the economy of Ireland slow down the process of migration and change its pattern. Ireland secures EEC membership, with new industries being set up the organizations experience skills shortages, the government t introduces “the guaranteed price support system under the Common Agricultural Policy,” and enormous sums of capital are injected into the Irish economy. Migration of the prime age group of 18-25 is still on, but on a decreasing scale. Another interesting development is, a large number of skilled persons return back to their motherland with their families. A new equation is formed thus. One full-fledged family replaces the vacuum created by the migration of one individual. It is a proven fact that the economic conditions have direct bearing on the migration process. Its impact is seen in the 1980s. The economy of Ireland faces a tough issue relating to mounting of the public debt. The election promises of the General Election of 1977 relating to abolition of local taxes at a time when the Irish industry is going through the process of restructuring and Common Agricultural Policy is taking shape, employment opportunities dwindle, the migration process begins again. Many have thought that migration is the issue of the past but it rises sharply and the immediate and convenient destination is Britain. Migration returns with a vengeance in Ireland in the 1980s.Social and economic factors are working in tandem to create this unprecedented phenomenon. The baby boomers of the 1960s have attained the age of 20 and rearing to go into the already overcrowded employment market. But with unfavorable economic conditions to retain the existing employment is a problem. New job creation prospects are impossibility under the conditions that prevail. With no prospectus for them in the country the youngsters choose the path of migration again and in one year alone in 1989 more than 70,000 people left the country. Though USA is the most favored country for migration, Britain continues to accept majority of the Irish migrants. Migration in the 1990s takes a new turn. According to the newspaper reports migration has ceased. The real position is otherwise. The gap between the numbers leaving Ireland and those arriving back to the country is narrowing. For example, if 60,000 people migrate and 55000 people arrive, one cannot conclude that migration is dwindling. The economic factors that encourage the incoming population and the perspectives of those who are migrating are different. The under-qualified Irish continue to choose Britain as their destination country. Conclusion In relation to Britain, Ireland is turning out to be a country of immigration as well as that of continuing emigration. Ireland is part of the labor market of Britain. What happens in Britain affects Ireland, and the economic conditions in Ireland affect the mobility of labor there. As compared to Britain, Ireland has limited employment opportunities and the growth of employment generating industry is slow. As such the migratory movement is significant, especially the under-skilled persons. Of late extraordinary volatility is seen in the migration related activities. Migration is not a decision done on purely economic considerations. Though there is an obvious linkage between high migration to Britain and unemployment in Ireland, migration, in the ultimate analysis, is an individual decision. Works Cited Barrett, Alan. Irish Migration: Characteristics, Causes and Consequences. Web. June 15, 2013 Einri, Piaras Mac. Some recent demographic developments in Ireland. Department of Geography, University College Cork. Web. June15, 2013 Murphy, Philip E. Irish Family History - A Lost Cause? - Ezine Articles, July 5, 2012. Web. June 15, 2013 . Read More