Irish Immigrants

• (IRE) Arrived in huge numbers to Glasgow (especially after the ‘potato famine’ in Ireland 1845-49)
• (IRE) Often arrived with little or nothing in terms of money and belongings, and this led to unhelpful attitudes
• (IRE) Commonly found in labouring roles (eg. shipyards, coal mines, railway construction, iron and steel etc)
• (IRE) Often joined up during WW1 in Pals’ Battalions which broke down barriers between Irish families and Scots’ – as did the development of council housing, open to all, in the 1920s.
• (IRE C) Faced hostility due to Catholic faith and the large numbers led to a growth in Catholic churches and schools which caused further tension (especially after Education Act, 1918 which saw government funding for Catholic schools).
• (IRE) Also issues with language, many Irish were Gaelic speakers and others had very strong accents (some even changed surnames to give children a better chance of success).
• (IRE) Often accused of working for low wages and taking Scots jobs – although often based on truth, to an extent, the Irish were the wrong target for this hostility as many Scots employers chose to hire them at the expense of local workers to save money.
• (IRE) Often faced with challenges in housing and living conditions with many landlords refusing to take Irish and leaving many families to share too little space between too many people.
• (IRE C) Often associated with crime and drunkenness – a false stereotype which took many years to challenge effectively
• (IRE P) Usually from Ulster area, often with strong family ties to Scotland, commonly arriving with good prospects of work
• (IRE P) Younger immigrants often came to study at university before choosing to settle.
• (IRE P) The growth of the Orange Order (conservative, British unionist organisation. Thus it has traditionally opposed Irish nationalism) supported these new arrivals, with Orange lodges opening all over the country (first one in Maybole, Ayrshire, 1800)