Module 4) Primary Sources for Irish Immigration in the 1800s

1. Letter written in 1818 by John Doyle who emigrated to the United States from Ireland. The letter can be found at: http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5798/

This letter was written to John Doyle's wife back in Ireland to whom he describes his new life in the United States. John Doyle emigrated to the US the same year this letter was written, in 1818. Most Irish immigrants came to the US between the 1840-50s to escape the Irish Potato Famine. However, just like the later immigrants, John Doyle was escaping great economic hardship and oppression in his native land of Ireland. In this letter he admits that there is a large number of impoverished Americans but he states that it does not compare to the suffering in Ireland. For example he writes, "but none of the real actual poverty and distress which is in all parts of Ireland." In this letter John Doyle writes that he is actually living relatively well in the United States and has even saved enough money to make a deposit in the bank. For the most part the letter is upbeat although he briefly talks negatively about his father's friends (his father emigrated to the US 17 years prior) and mentions how he deeply misses his wife. I have very little reason to question John Doyle's honesty or sincerity in this letter although he may be overly optimistic about his new life so that he does not worry his wife back in Ireland.

2. Poor Pat Must Emigrate: http://www.hsp.org/files/poorpatmustemigratelyrics.pdf

This is an Irish Ballad that was published in NY probably between 1864 and 1877, during the great wave of Irish immigration to the US. This song describes the distress in Ireland during the 1800s which caused many Irish to seek a better life in the United States. This song has a sad undertone as it describes the oppression Ireland faced from England and suffering and plight of the Irish people during this time period. Although the song refers to Ireland endearingly, it makes it clear that life there is no good. Therefore, although the song writer loves Ireland and has a lot of pride in his native country, he also recognizes the need to seek a better life for himself in the US. For example, he writes "With spirits bright and purses light, my boys we can no longer stay, For the shamrock is immediately bound for America,
For there is bread and work, which I cannot get in Donegal." This song was probably written for other Irish American immigrants during this time period and it almost seems like the author wants to create a sense of pride and unity for his people now living in the United States.

Sources:

1. Journal of the American Irish Historical Society. 12 (1913), 201-204

2. Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 19th Century Irish Immigration. Retrieved from: http://www.hsp.org/default.aspx?id=448