IRISH IN AUSTRALIA

Labelled Irish ‘convicts’ by the British, in reality most were Fenian Rebels numbering 155 who were deported from Ireland at County Cork, arriving in Sydney in 1791. A further 7,000 or so, so called 'convicts', arrived during the remaining years of transportation. This ended in 1868 with the last boat, The Hougoumont, arriving in Fremantle.  

Between 1840 & 1914, some 300,000 other Irish settlers migrated to Australia. Relatives and friends in Australia sponsored several of the assisted Irish immigrants, many of whom were single females. 

2021 Australian census

The 2021 Australian Census recorded 80,927 Ireland-born people in Australia, 66% holding both Irish and Australian citizenship. New South Wales had the largest number with 27,001 followed by Western Australia (18,147),Victoria (17,456) and Queensland (12,611). Following the collapse of the Celtic Tiger economy, many Irish left their homeland after 2010, numbers reaching heights unseen since the late 1980's. 

This Census reveals 38% of Irish born in Australia hold a bachelor degree or above compared to Australians’ 23%.

The average of the median individual weekly income for the Ireland-born in Australia aged 15 years and over was $1,335, compared with $784 for all overseas-born and $823 for all Australian-born.

Irish people are overrepresented in occupations such as Professionals, Managers, Technology & Trades categories.

Note: Australian data captures Ireland as Republic of Ireland only. An additional 22,995 people in Australia were born in Northern Ireland.

2023 irish migration on the rise  

After the collapse of the Celtic Tiger, 17,400 Irish people came to Australia. In 2018 that number dropped to 4,500 as Ireland edged closer to full employment.

2022/23 With the Covid-19 virus pandemic subsiding and the opening of borders, lifting of travel restrictions and lockdowns has seen an increasing flow of Irish Working Holiday Visa (WHV) holders, tourists and many who plan to stay here long term.

According to ABS statistics, 30,000 Irish passport holders arrived in Australia between Jan - June 2023 the biggest number in over a decade.

Irish unemployment was 4.9% in December 2023 compared to Australia's 3.8% in the same period.

Australian 'Anthem' written & performed by Irishman 

Mark Callaghan wrote the lyrics for this iconic Australian anthem. It's chorus 'This Is 'Aus tral i a ' is known by most Aussies. Mark told Celtic FM he wrote it as a poem while living in Kirribilli, a harbourside suburb of Sydney. It was a reflection of the impact living in Queensland made on him after leaving Blackrock College boarding school in South County Dublin. In 1984, Gangajang was short a song for a new album. One of the band members found the poem and, despite Mark's skepticism it would work as a song, the band persuaded him to give it a go. The rest as they say is history - Australian & Irish! 

POETRY

you don’t get to be irish & racist

Liberties & Dublin’s own Imelda May

Féachaint ar an spás

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