Blair, 1

John Blair

Life in Modern Ireland

Historiographical Essay

7 November 2023

The wave of emigration in the 1950s was a consequential period In Irish history as it

reshaped the country's demographic structure and permanently changed the nation's cultural

identity and economic standing for the rest of the twentieth century. Moreover, the migration

of Irish citizens in the 1950s represents an incredibly complex and nuanced time in Irish

history. This essay aims to put a variety of historians in discourse with each other to

understand how the events of emigration in the 1950s are portrayed in a historiographical

sense. The first portion of the essay will focus on historians portrayal of the motives which

drove people to leave Ireland, moving forward the essay will seek to understand the views of

various historians on those who emigrated, and lastly a brief examination of Irish Diaspora

will attempt to answer why there was differences between the lived experiences of ethnically

Irish people abroad.

When examining the wave of Irish emigration in the 1950s, it is imperative to

understand the motives of those who left. John Braidwood, in his article "Dreary Eden:

Post-War Ireland and the Irish Experience of Exile," enunciates an influential rationale

behind emigration, "As a result of de Valera's idealistic blindness thousands fled the Ireland

he had created. After the Second World War- or the emergency- there was a surge of

emigration" (160)1. It is evident that many Irish citizens detested de Valera's policies, but it is

also essential to consult another source to understand the people's negative disposition toward

their leader. In "Irish Women in London: National or Hybrid Diaspora," author Breda Gray

deftly uses a primary source to convey why many Irish disagreed with de Valera's policies,

1
John Braidwood. “Dreary Eden: Post-War Ireland and the Irish Experience of English
Exile.” Nordic Irish Studies 15, no. 1 (2016): 157–68.
 Blair, 2

"Jenny Beale sets the scene in which emigration from the Irish Republic took place in the

1950s: 'At a time when politicians were praising family life in rural Ireland, when de Valera

was exalting the countryside'"(104)2. After the Second World War, the West was progressing

at an unprecedented pace. De Valera and the Irish government were moving in the opposite

direction of modernization by emphasising rural life and the countryside, which led people to

emigrate due to irreconcilable ideological differences- one side was traditional, and the other

nascent. The two sources corroborate when assigning motives for emigration in the 1950s, as

both Historians identified de Valera's traditionalist domestic policy as the problem.

Braidwood further elucidates another motive beyond disagreeable domestic policy:

economic opportunity. He states, "If a fellow worked his head, he could get on in England, be

promoted to a charge hand or foreman or even become a subcontractor. This was where the

real money was" (165)3. Braidwood presents the ideal of an egalitarian and meritocratic

system in England. Whereby if one 'worked his head,' they could advance up the

socioeconomic ladder. If this was a factor that drove emigration from Ireland to the UK, one

must assume that Ireland had a rigid socioeconomic order during the 1950's. Traditionalism

was a pervasive influence throughout Irish society, not only in domestic policy but also in the

socioeconomic hierarchy, which was an essential factor that drove people to emigrate in the

1950s.

Michael Higgins offers a counterargument to the motives described by Braidwood and

Gray. Higgins claims, "Yet within the social sciences, models of behaviour are frequently

constructed around the usually unstated assumption of sedentary existence"(146)4. A major

deficiency of behavioural sciences is its tendency to oversimplify humans into non-active

2
Breda Gray . “Irish Women in London: National or Hybrid Diasporic Identities?” NWSA
Journal 8, no. 1 (1996): 85–109.
3
John Braidwood. “Dreary Eden: Post-War Ireland and the Irish Experience of English
Exile.” Nordic Irish Studies 15, no. 1 (2016)
4
Michael D Higgins. “Reflecting on Irish Migrations: Some Issues for the Social Sciences.”
American Journal of Irish Studies 9 (2012): 139–50.
 Blair, 3

actors. This means when sociologists try to generalise the behaviour of millions of people,

they tend to miss some of the more human aspects of our decision-making process. Higgins

expands further, "This sometimes leads to over-determined models of migration such as the

push-pull model which informed the commission on emigration in the 1950s" (146)5. The

frame Higgins presents for viewing migration has a great affinity with the economic theory

regarding migration presented by Braidwood. Within the hypothesis, Braidwood posits the

push, which was the rigid socioeconomic system, and the pull was England's economic

opportunity. The grandiose theorising of "push and pull" provides some truth behind the

motives for emigration. However, when operating on that grand scale, historians and

sociologists risk a reductive appraisal of the situation in post-war Irish society. They miss the

human aspects of family strife, general unhappiness with one's environment, or even

positives, such as finding love abroad and moving to start a family. With this in mind, it's

vital to view general theories of emigration with caution, recognizing that it's partially true

but missing a massive piece of the story.

Now that the motives for emigration are partly understood, it is essential to peer into

the minds of historians and discern how they view those who emigrated. Edna Delaney, in her

article "The Churches and Irish Emigration to Britain, 1921-1960," has a decidedly negative

view of emigration in the twentieth century, "Throughout the postwar period until the 1970s,

emigration was one of the most significant issues facing the body politic of the independent

Irish state. Concern about the level of emigration and the consequences of this movement of

population is reflected in public pronouncements of both churches" (110)6. The latter

sentence proves the former's validity. The churches in Ireland have notoriously split on a

wide array of issues throughout its history. Both churches inadvertently coming together to

5
Michael D. Higgins “Reflecting on Irish Migrations: Some Issues for the Social Sciences.”
American Journal of Irish Studies 9 (2012): 139–50.
6
Enda Delaney. “The Churches and Irish Emigration to Britain, 1921-60.” Archivium
Hibernicum 52 (1998): 98–114.
 Blair, 4

raise the alarm about emigration tells the reader that emigration was one of the more

challenging issues faced by the nascent republic— but why? Breda Gray provides part of the

answer when she states, "There is an increasing sense in the 1990s of the Irish as a national

collectivity that has been broken apart by centuries of emigration"(104)7. A lack of national

identity could hurt a new nation-state. When considering Ireland's history and the division

between the Protestants and Catholics, a strong sense of national identity could have unified

these two opposing communities or brought them closer to unification- as it gives people a

sense of identity beyond their religion, region, or familial ties.

University College Cork presents a study on contemporary immigration, which can

help deduce other tangible effects of emigration and can also be used to explain the negative

views put forth by Gray and Delaney. In "Irish Emigration in an Age of Austerity," the three

authors delve into the impacts of emigration on the community, "the majority of the

respondents to the household survey view emigration as having either a 'negative' or 'very

negative impact on their community… A decreasing number of people involved in

community activities and clubs… A detrimental impact on sports teams in the area”(53)8. The

overwhelming majority in the survey (65%) expressed that adverse effects in the community

come from emigration, which tells the reader that the negativity the aforementioned

historians possessed towards emigration in Ireland is a commonly held belief. Further, a

decrease in community activities and participation in sports could be the root cause of the

fragmented national identity described by Gray. Communities are the building blocks of a

nation, and if emigration harms participation in community activities, social cohesion on a

local scale is lowered, leading to significant implications for cohesion on a national scale. For

instance, losing sports players affects the community's ability to bond over shared

7
Breda Gray. “Irish Women in London: National or Hybrid Diasporic Identities?” NWSA
Journal 8, no. 1 (1996): 85–109.
8
Piaras MacÉinrí, et. All .“Irish Emigration in an Age of Austerity - University College
Cork.” UCC.ie, 2013.
 Blair, 5

experiences; this is especially important in Ireland as the GAA and sports play a massive role

in national pride and identity. The University College Cork immigration study, although

primarily a contemporary piece, can help us understand the effects of emigration on a

microscopic scale, which helps provide context to grandiose claims of fragmented national

identity made by Gray.

The study also touches on economic deficits felt at home due to emigration, "In the

1950s, over 400,000 people emigrated. Roughly three out of every five children who grew up

in 1950s Ireland left the country at some stage"(2)9. The mass exodus of people from Ireland

could have reduced the labour force. This is economically impactful because it could result in

a shortage of workers in specific industries, slowing economic growth and inhibiting a fully

functioning economy. Moreover, there was a significant loss of human capital. Ireland used

resources to educate and raise the next generation of Irish people, and the investment would

see a negative return as 60% of the future generation would contribute to other nation's

economies. This portion of the University College Cork study allows one to understand the

pragmatic implications of mass migration, which can help answer why Delaney characterised

emigration as a significant threat to the new nation-state.

Braidwood offers a different perspective when compared to Delaney and Gray; rather

than contempt or negativity, Braidwood expresses sympathy towards certain emigrants. He

views Irish emigration to England from two unique perspectives in his work. The first

perspective is an autobiography penned by Dónall MacAmhlaigh, an emigrant from Galway

who worked in English factories. Braidwood characterises the autobiography of

MacAmhlaigh as seeking "to justify, reconcile and even romanticise the exiled lives of these

navvies by turning them into cheery nomads...But there is something disconcerting about his

9
Piaras MacÉinrí, et. All .“Irish Emigration in an Age of Austerity - University College
Cork.” UCC.ie , 2013.
 Blair, 6

book, at least as it reads now fifty years later. Were these people so naive?" (164)10. The

naiveness referenced by Braidwood ties into the idealisation of the unambitious Irishman's

life in England. The lives of men like MacAmhaigh were likely worse in England as they had

comparable economic standing without the comforts of home and family. Furthermore, the

idealisation of Irish emigrants in England could be purposefully added to the text by

MacAmhlaigh as something which enhances the narrative. However, considering

MacAmhlaigh's limited education and occupation as a low-skilled worker, it seems much

more probable that this romanticization in his writing is a product of a self-coping

mechanism. Braidwood effectively uses MacAmlaigh's primary source to convey the limited

prospects of unambitious men in England while offering another idea to the discourse

regarding how historians view Irish emigrants in the 1950s.

Furthering this conversation, we view the lives of Irish emigrants in England as

portrayed by historians. Braidwood peers into the life of Irish people living in England,

"Every week the Irish Post is filled with photographs of social events from across the Irish

community in England…and of the hybrid identity shared by the British and the Irish which

today is making itself heard as archipelagisation" (165)11. The Irish Post publicising

ethnically Irish events which happen in England for the public to see validates the diaspora

and affirms the importance of people of Irish decent abroad. Moreover, the hybrid identity

showcases the successful assimilation of Irish emigrants into English society, which paints a

generally positive image of Irish emigrants in the 1950s. Despite this positive image of the

Irish Diaspora presented by Braidwood, Breda Gray offers a differing perspective, "Many

feel, however, that their Irish families and friends see them as 'outsiders' in England and

John Braidwood. “Dreary Eden: Post-War Ireland and the Irish Experience of English
10

Exile.” Nordic Irish Studies 15, no. 1 (2016): 157–68.

expect that they will eventually return to live in Ireland" (99)12. The idea of impermanence

could be detrimental, as it could lead ethnically Irish people to invest less in their community

in England, leading to a more difficult assimilation process. Furthermore, the emigrant

families' portrayal of them as outsiders could lead to an identity crisis within the individual,

as they would lack a sense of belonging in their new home. The two sources presented on the

Irish diaspora contrast; however, it is crucial to note demographic differences that could lead

to the differing experiences described. Braidwood chronicles the life of emigrants who were

Irish men, and Gray portrays the life of Irish women in London. Because of the context the

historians were writing in, one can assume the experience of diaspora was impacted by one's

gender.

The first portion of the essay ascribed motives to the Irish who emigrated. These

motives had to do with ideological differences between the people and government, and

economic opportunities. The counter argument presented by Higgins allows one to recognize

the validity of the motives, while also understanding their limitations. The second portion of

the essay starts with a negative portrayal of Irish emigrants by two historians, and the

introduction of a contemporary study on emigration attempts to add more depth to the claims

of negativity surrounding emigration when synthesised. Lastly, a brief discussion ensues on

the different portrayals of Irish diaspora by two historians, and attempts to answer why two

diametrically opposed narratives exist with regard to Irish emigrants' lived experience abroad.

Total word count: 2050

12
Breda Gray. “Irish Women in London: National or Hybrid Diasporic Identities?” NWSA
Journal 8, no. 1 (1996): 85–109.
 Blair, 8

“Works Cited”

Braidwood, John. “Dreary Eden: Post-War Ireland and the Irish Experience of English Exile.”

Nordic Irish Studies 15, no. 1 (2016): 157–68. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44363750.

Delaney, Enda. “The Churches and Irish Emigration to Britain, 1921-60.” Archivium

Hibernicum 52 (1998): 98–114. https://doi.org/10.2307/25484166.

Gray, Breda. “Irish Women in London: National or Hybrid Diasporic Identities?” NWSA

Journal 8, no. 1 (1996): 85–109. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4316425.

Higgins, Michael D. “Reflecting on Irish Migrations: Some Issues for the Social Sciences.”

American Journal of Irish Studies 9 (2012): 139–50. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23333100.

MacÉinrí, Piaras, Tomás Kelly , and Irial Glynn .“Irish Emigration in an Age of Austerity -

University College Cork.” UCC.ie , 2013.

https://www.ucc.ie/en/media/research/emigre/Emigration_in_an_Age_of_Austerity_Final.pd

f.