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Compelling Reasons Why The Irish Emigrated: Difference between revisions
Compelling Reasons Why The Irish Emigrated (view source)
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You see '''[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dunseverick_Harbour_-_geograph.org.uk_-_24159.jpg Dunseverick Harbour]''' in the image above. Many local people began their long emigration trail during the 1800s, being rowed out to catch a passing schooner bound for Glasgow or Londonderry where they would embark on one of the many emigrant ships to Australia, New Zealand or the Americas. | You see '''[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dunseverick_Harbour_-_geograph.org.uk_-_24159.jpg Dunseverick Harbour]''' in the image above. Many local people began their long emigration trail during the 1800s, being rowed out to catch a passing schooner bound for Glasgow or Londonderry where they would embark on one of the many emigrant ships to Australia, New Zealand or the Americas. | ||
If the 17th and 18th century Penal laws of the Royal Crown leveled at mostly Irish Catholic Society could be summed up in one word, the word "brutalisation" just might be the more accurate one to employ. From at least as early as the year 1603, laws then enacted, seemed to focus on their society perhaps as much as any non-parochial one in the whole realm. For example, imagine that family homesteads upon lands which prior to this time, were once held for several centuries, and were suddenly ripped out from undeneath your feet and families were forced out onto the 'street' in abject poverty almost overnight. | |||
These and other intolerable conditions in Ireland forced Irish (especially Catholic) emigrants to leave the country. | |||
Here is a more graphic view and perspective of four core reasons that motivated or forced our Irish ancestry to turn their backs on their homeland, in order to forge a new existence abroad''':''' | |||
=== Political Culture of Persecution === | === Political Culture of Persecution === | ||
*Austere taxation and tithes policies | *Austere taxation and tithes policies | ||
*Continual doctrine of ‘Conquer and divide’ policies | *Continual doctrine of ‘Conquer and divide’ policies enacted over centuries seized and evicted lands from native Irish Catholics | ||
*Cruel landlords (not all) | *Cruel landlords (not all) | ||
*Sponsorship of land price increases ('rent-racking')--allowed to unbearable levels--tossed hoards of already poor families, ‘out onto the street’ | *Sponsorship of land price increases ('rent-racking')--allowed to unbearable rate levels--tossed hoards of already poor families, ‘out onto the street’ | ||
*Disallowance of land ownership for all Catholics | *Disallowance of land ownership for all Catholics | ||
=== Economic === | === Economic === | ||
*British government backed England’s grain exportations—but not Ireland’s; farmers | *British government backed England’s grain exportations—but not Ireland’s; farmers emigrated | ||
*New farming techniques increased output, decreasing the need for agricultural laborers | *New farming techniques increased output, decreasing the need for agricultural laborers | ||
*Manufacturing industries sprang up, causing less emphasis in farming | *Manufacturing industries sprang up, causing less emphasis in farming | ||
*Irish poor-law | *Irish poor-law provided means by which vast numbers were granted mostly free passage to countries abroad | ||
=== Social and Religious === | === Social and Religious === | ||
[[Image:Ireland Church Tower.jpg|thumb|right|290x230px | [[Image:Ireland Church Tower.jpg|thumb|right|290x230px]] | ||
A culture of social and religious persecution by the local Protestant-led and British Crown government was manifest in— | A culture of social and religious persecution by the local Protestant-led and British Crown government was manifest in— | ||
*total distrust of Catholics’ loyalty to the Crown | *total distrust of Catholics’ loyalty to the Crown | ||
*Harsh Penal laws enacted by the Crown government from 1695, stripped many Nonconformists and all Catholics of their rights to— | |||
Harsh Penal laws enacted by the Crown government from 1695, stripped many Nonconformists and all Catholics of their rights to— | |||
*vote | *vote | ||