IE05 – Irish Migrant Workers

Stitcher: Mary Hunter (Dublin).

In the nineteenth century, famine and economic hardship in Ireland conspired to drive large numbers of Irish workers overseas. In Scotland most Irish migrants tended to move to urban and industrial areas in the lowlands. They took up work in agriculture (often seasonally), construction, industry and factory work, mining, transport and domestic work. For some conditions were precarious and in 1937 ten young men from Achill Island, visiting Kirkintilloch for seasonal agricultural work, were killed when fire tore through the bothy where they were housed. The tragedy highlighted the treatment of such workers. Nevertheless, Irish migrant workers and their descendants have made and continue to make a significant contribution to Scottish life.

IE05 In-imrichean à Èirinn
Anns an naoidheamh linn deug, thug cruadalas a thaobh gort agus droch staid eaconamach ann an Èirinn air àireamhan mòra luchd-obrach Èireannach siubhal thall-thairis. Ann an Alba, bha a’ mhòr-chuid buailteach gluasad gu sgìrean bailteach is gnìomhachasail ann an sireadh cosnaidh. Bha coimhearsnachdan mòra de dh’oibrichean Caitligeach a’ tighinn a-steach don dùthaich, glè thric ag adhbhrachadh còmhstrithean ann an sgìrean a bha gu tur Pròstanach, agus dh’fhàg sin dìleab a tha a’ nochdadh ann an cuid de dh’aiteachan air feadh na dùthcha gus an latha an-diugh. Ann an 1937, thugadh fa-near gun robh cairteal de luchdcòmhnaidh Cathair Chinn Tulaich à dualchas Èireannach. A’ bhliadhna sin fhèin, chaidh deichnear Èireannach às a’ bhaile a bha aig obair tuathanais airson an t-seusain, a mharbhadh nuair a sgaoil teine tron bhothan thruagh san robh iad a’ fuireach.