Publisher's Synopsis
The Irish have emigrated in vast numbers for centuries. More than any other Europeans they have been obliged to transplant, maintain and develop a national culture in novel, indifferent or hostile surroundings. This series of six books is an account of their various experiences all over the world. It is a comprehensive synthesis - drawing on history, geography, social science, and studies of literature, music and the arts to provide a detailed picture of the experience of migration and assimiliation over the centuries to the present day. Thus the series represents a major contribution both to migration studies and to the history of Ireland and the many countries in which the Irish have settled.;The first volume in the series introduces the major themes in the study of Irish migrations: the importance of family, friendship and community in establishing the patterns of migration; the causes of migration; and interpretations of the phenomenon. The book is written around a number of case studies ranging from the 18th to the 20th century and covering Irish mercenaries in Europe, bandits such as Ned Kelly, and the emigrants of today - professionals and the urban poor.
