Caring for migrants : policy responses to Irish migration to England, 1940-1972
Large-scale interstate migration raises questions about where the responsibility for migrant welfare lies, whether with the sending state and its institutions, the receiving state or both. Across the middle decades of the twentieth century, around half a million people left Ireland, the majority for England. This study analyses the policy responses of governmental, Catholic church and voluntary organisations in both countries to Irish migrant welfare. Using records from Irish and English diocesan archives and the National Archives of Ireland and England the study identifies the policy claims that were made to church and state in the two countries and the responses that resulted. The majority of migrants were young, single and migrating alone. A distinctive feature was that, for much of the period covered, female migrants outnumbered males. The young age and gender of these migrants made moral welfare a major concern. The Irish Catholic hierarchy, led by the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Charles McQuaid, accepted responsibility for Irish migrant welfare and understood their needs through a discourse of âfaith and moralsâ. This interpretation led to solutions designed to support religious faith and practice
Ewart, Henrietta
DA Great Britain ; JV Colonies and colonization. Emigration and immigration. International migration
Caring for migrants : policy responses to Irish migration to England, 1940-1972. Large-scale interstate migration raises questions about where the responsibility for migrant welfare lies, whether with the sending state and its institutions, the receiving state or both. Across the middle decades of the twentieth century, around half a million people left Ireland, the majority for England. This study analyses the policy responses of governmental, Catholic church and voluntary organisations in both countries to Irish migrant welfare. Using records from Irish and English diocesan archives and the National Archives of Ireland and England the study identifies the policy claims that were made to church and state in the two countries and the responses that resulted. The majority of migrants were young, single and migrating alone. A distinctive feature was that, for much of the period covered, female migrants outnumbered males. The young age and gender of these migrants made moral welfare a major concern. The Irish Catholic hierarchy, led by the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Charles McQuaid, accepted responsibility for Irish migrant welfare and understood their needs through a discourse of âfaith and moralsâ. This interpretation led to solutions designed to support religious faith and practice
caring migrant policy response irish migration england large_scale interstate migration raise_question responsibility migrant welfare lie whether send state institution receive state both across people leave ireland majority england study analyse policy response governmental catholic_church voluntary_organisation country irish migrant welfare using record irish english diocesan archive national ireland england study identifies policy claim_make church_state two_country response result majority migrant young single migrate alone distinctive_feature much period_cover female migrant male young_age gender migrant make moral welfare major_concern irish catholic hierarchy lead archbishop dublin john charles accept responsibility irish migrant welfare understood need discourse faith moral interpretation lead solution design support religious_faith practice