In April 1849, a ship carrying Irish immigrants hit an iceberg in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. John Kernaghan writes on the incident, and of plans for a documentary as Quebec celebrates its 400th anniversary. The crew of the Nicaragua could scarcely credit their eyes when they closed on the iceberg in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Some 120 Irish immigrants clung to a bit of frozen … [Read more...] about The Tragedy of the Hannah
Immigration
A Thousand Welcomes?: Asylum in Ireland
“I lost three of my four children. My son is the only thing I have left,” says a mother, her voice choking with emotion. “In Nigeria, it was all gangs, armed robbers, hired assassins. You were either in or out,” remembers a young man who escaped the violence. “There was no peace in the Congo. You never knew what would happen. You’d hear bullets – grr, grr – during the … [Read more...] about A Thousand Welcomes?: Asylum in Ireland
A Window on the Past
By Katherine Hartnett, Editorial AssistantDecember / January 2008
This book is lovingly dedicated to my son, Max George, whose great-grand-father Edward Conway immigrated to America in 1900 at the age of 18. Arriving at Ellis Island from Ballina, Ireland, he had two dollars in his pocket and listed his occupation as “laborer.” By 1915, he was already living the American dream – he had a family, owned a home, and in one photo, a derby hat sits … [Read more...] about A Window on the Past
ILIR Intensify Lobbying as Immigration Reform is Addressed in the Senate
It has been a busy few months for the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform [ILIR]. Shortly after we went to press on our Top 100 issue, well over 2,000 Irish from all over the country descended on Washington, D.C. for a day of lobbying where they were addressed by Senators McCain, Kennedy, Clinton and Schumer. In what was a memorable display of solidarity, March 8 was the day … [Read more...] about ILIR Intensify Lobbying as Immigration Reform is Addressed in the Senate
ILIR on the Move
Since our last issue the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) has picked up enormous momentum. The ILIR was founded last December to raise the voice for the estimated 40,000 to 50,000 undocumented Irish people in the United States. Since the original meeting in Manhattan on December 9, a series of town-hall meetings have taken place in Yonkers, New York, Philadelphia, … [Read more...] about ILIR on the Move