Irish-Scots

Irish-Scots

Total population
49,428 (as stated in the 2001 Census)
Regions with significant populations
Coatbridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee
Languages
English (Irish/Scottish), Scots, Scottish Gaelic, Irish
Religion
Predominantly Roman Catholic, Some Protestant
Related ethnic groups
Scottish, Irish; Welsh, Manx, Cornish, Bretons, Scots-Irish, Ulster Scots

Irish-Scots are people who live in Scotland who are of immediate or traceably distinct Irish ancestry. Although migration between Ireland and Scotland has an established history owing to their close proximity, Irish migration to Scotland increased exponentially in the nineteenth century, and was particularly strong following the Great Famine. In this period, the Irish typically settled in the large industrial cities such as Glasgow and its satellite towns like Coatbridge, Edinburgh, Dundee.

In the United Kingdom Census 2001, almost 50,000 people, fewer than 1% of the population in Scotland, identified their ethnicity as Irish.

The term Irish-Scots should not be confused with Scottish-Irish, a term used to denote those in the Irish province of Ulster who are descended from Scots who settled there in heavy numbers during the Ulster Plantations.

Famous Irish-Scots include author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, actors Sean Connery, Brian Cox, Gerard Butler comedians Billy Connolly and Frankie Boyle.

Background

Attitudes to the waves of immigration from Ireland to Scotland were mixed, as evidenced by the following quotations:

• "In our opinion, the Irish have as much right to come to this country to better their lives as the Scots and English have to go to Ireland or any other part of Britain for the same reason. Let us hear no more complaints about the influx of Irish having a bad effect on Scotland unless it is to do something about tackling the problems which caused the emigration."

The Glasgow Courier, 1830

• "The immigration of such a number of people from the lowest class and with no education will have a bad effect on the population. So far, living among the Scots does not seem to have improved the Irish, but the native Scots who live among the Irish have got worse. It is difficult to imagine the effect the Irish immigrants will have upon the morals and habits of the Scottish people."

Report from the Scottish Census of 1871 [1]

Difficulties also arose due to differences between the typically Catholic immigrants and the predominantly Protestant native Scots population. Towards the end of the eighteenth century, it was reported that, in Glasgow, there were only thirty-nine Irish-Catholics, but forty-three anti-Catholic clubs (see [2]).

In the UK census of 2001, the new category "Irish" was added to the list of ethnic background. In Scotland, results showed that 49,428 (0.98%), fewer than 1% of the population, self-described as being of Irish background.

The Irish-Scots were instrumental in the formation of Celtic Football Club, Hibernian F.C., and Dundee United F.C. (which was originally known as Dundee Hibernian). These teams were originally formed to provide recreational facilities for the Irish immigrants.

Scots and Irish

The terms Scots and Irish, while they have a settled meaning today, are not always readily distinguished. Sellar & Yeatman's spoof history 1066 and All That highlighted the confusion that these words can cause when used to refer to the past :

“

The Scots (originally Irish, but by now Scotch) were at this time inhabiting Ireland, having driven the Irish (Picts) out of Scotland; while the Picts (originally Scots) were now Irish (living in brackets) and vice versa. It is essential to keep these distinctions clearly in mind (and verce visa).

”

See also

• The Irish Scots and the Scotch-Irish - John C. Linehan (ISBN 0-7884-0788-0)

External links

• Material in "Mi Deireadh Fomhair" (October 2004) includes the full text of the song "Hello! Patsy Fagan" (or "The Dacent Irish Boy") by T. P. Keenan, describing the experiences of an Irish immigrant in Glasgow