Irish Speakers and their Experience of Emigration to North America
Abstract
In historical work on emigration from Ireland to the New World, it has become widely accepted that Irish speakers were more passive and fatalistic than English speakers, and that they felt that emigration was a form of exile. This article challenges this assumption. In the first part, it is shown that the linguistic argument for this claim lacks both theoretical and empirical foundations. The evidence for Irish, it is shown, does not indicate any passivity on the part of its speakers. In the second part of the article, accounts of life in America by Irish speakers are drawn upon. On the whole, these suggest that Irish speakers, like English speakers, had a wide range of experiences in their new environment. However, they fail to show that language played a significant role in any feelings of alienation among emigrants.
References
Beckett, Colm. Aodh Mac Domhnaill: dánta. An Clóchomhar, 1987.
Breatnach, R. B. Sean-Chaint na nDéise II. Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1961.
Carney, Michael, and Gerald Hayes. From the Great Blasket to America: The Last Memoir of an Islander. The Collins Press, 2013.
de Bhaldraithe, Tomás. Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge: An deilbhíocht. Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath, 1953.
de Bhaldraithe, Tomás. English-Irish Dictionary. Oifig an tSoláthair, 1959.
Doyle, Aidan. A History of the Irish Language. Oxford UP, 2015.
Doyle, Aidan. “Language and Literacy 1730–1880.” The Cambridge History of Ireland 3, edited by James Kelly. Cambridge UP, 2018, pp. 353–379.
Doyle, Danny. Míle míle i gcéin: The Irish Language in Canada. Borealis Press, 2015.
Feiritéar, Breandán. Blasket Roots, American Dreams. RTÉ, 1997.
Kenny, Kevin. The American Irish: A History. Longman, 2000.
Lúcás, Leaslaoi. Cnuasach focal as Ros Goill. Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann, 1986.
Mac Clúin, Seosamh. Réilthíní óir. Comhlacht Oideachais na hÉireann, 1922.
Mahon, William J. Thomas Griffin (1829–96) of Corca Dhuibhne and the Irish Community of Lawrence, Massachusetts. Department of Welsh, Aberystwyth U, 2007.
McCaffrey, Lawrence J. Textures of Irish America. Syracuse UP, 1992.
McKenna, Lambert. English-Irish Dictionary. Oifig Díolta Foillseacháin Rialtais, 1935.
McQuillan, Peter. Modality and Grammar: A History of the Irish Subjunctive. Department of Old Irish, Maynooth, 2002.
McQuillan, Peter. Native and Natural. Cork UP, 2004.
Meagher, Timothy J. Inventing Irish America: Generation, Class, and Ethnic Identity in a New England City, 1880–1928. U of Notre Dame P, 2001.
Miller, Kerby A. Emigrants and Exiles: Ireland and the Irish Exodus to North America. Oxford UP, 1985.
Moreton, Cole. Hungry for Home: Leaving the Blaskets: A Journey from the Edge of Ireland. Viking Press, 2000.
Ní Bhroiméil, Úna. Building Irish Identity in America 1870–1915: The Gaelic Revival. Four Courts Press, 2003.
Ní Dhonnchadha, Aisling, and Máirín Nic Eoin, editors. Ar an gcoigcríoch: díolaim litríochta ar scéal na himirice. Cló Iar-Chonnachta, 2008.
Nic Craith, Máiréad. The Vanishing World of the Islandman. Palgrave Macmillan, 2019.
Nic Congáil, Ríona et al., editors. Litríocht na Gaeilge ar fud an domhain. LeabhairComhar, 2015.
Nilsen, Kenneth. “Thinking of Monday: The Irish Speakers of Portland, Maine.” Éire-Ireland, vol. 25, no. 1, 1990, 6–19.
Nilsen, Kenneth “‘The Language that the Strangers do not Know’: The Galway Gaeltacht of Portland, Maine in the Twentieth Century.” They Change their Sky: The Irish in Maine, edited by Michael C. Connolly. U of Maine P, 2004, pp. 297–339.
Nilsen, Kenneth. “An Ghaeilge in Oirthear Cheanada.” Séimhfhear suairc: Aistí in ómós don Ollamh Breandán Ó Conchúir, edited by Seán Ó Coileáin et al. An Sagart, 2013, pp. 262–279.
Ó Buachalla, Breandán. Cnuasach Chléire. Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath, 2017.
Ó Conaire, Pádraig. Deoraidheacht. Connradh na Gaedhilge, 1910.
Ó Cuív, Brian. Cnósach focal ó Bhaile Bhúirne. Institiúid Ard-Léighinn Bhaile Átha Cliath, 1947.
Ó Curnáin, Brian. The Irish of Iorras Aithneach. Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 2007.
Ó Dónaill, Niall. Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla. Oifig an tSoláthair, 1977.
Ó Foghludha, Risteárd. Pádraig Phiarais Cúndún 1777–1856. Oifig Díolta Foillseacháin Rialtais, 1932.
Ó hAnnracháin, Stiofán, editor. Go Meiriceá siar: cnuasach aistí. An Clóchomhar, 1979.
Ó Máille, Tomás. Liosta focal as Ros Muc. Irish Academic Press, 1974.
Sumner, Natasha, and Aidan Doyle, editors. North American Gaels. McGill UP, 2020.
Ua Conmhacáin, Uáitéar. ‘Caoineadh an deoraí ó Éirinn.’ An Claidheamh Soluis: 533, 1899.
Wagner, Heinrich. Gaeilge Theilinn. Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath, 1959.
Copyright (c) 2021 Roczniki Humanistyczne
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
