- Immigrants have traveled from Ireland to America for over two hundred and fifty years. This traffic is usually thought of as one-way, flowing in a westerly direction across the Atlantic ocean. Today I wish to challenge that assumption!
As I read more stories of the Irish in America, I have come to realize, not every immigrant stayed in their newly adopted land.
Frank McCourt’s book Angela’s Ashes tells his parents’ tale of immigration to America, where he was born. Their return to Ireland was prompted by the unexpected, tragic death of their daughter in 1935.
They left New York as America tried to emerge from the Great Depression, only to suffer further impoverishment in Ireland. As I read this beautifully crafted memoir, I could not help but question McCourt’s parents’ decision to leave America.
Until I read this book in 1997, I always considered an immigrant’s return to Ireland, a very rare occurrence.
During research for my post on The Old Woman Of The Roads, a poem by Padraic Colum, I discovered the poet’s father spent three years working in the United States. The young Padraic, his mother and siblings remained in Ireland while his father joined the Colorado gold rush. Unlike most immigrants, the elder Colum returned to Ireland in 1892. The norm would have been to send passage fares for his family to join him in America.
I started to wonder how frequently Irish immigrants returned to the land of their birth, choosing an Irish life over the possibility of achieving the American Dream. Was the road to American success not paved with gold as they originally envisioned?
I did not need to look beyond my own family to find evidence of bidirectional immigration. When I discussed this topic with my parents I learned two of my great-grandfather’s spent time in America in the late 1800’s, before returning to Ireland to live out their lives.
My maternal great-grandfather Henry Browne was born near Skibbereen, County Cork. He spent close to twenty years working near Salem, Massachussets, before returning to Ireland to marry my great-grandmother, Margaret Leahy in the early 1900’s. I have no details of his American life. He returned to farm the family land and to marry, when many might have thought him a confirmed bachelor. The motivating factor for his return was land. No matter how far from home an Irishman may wander, the thought of family land being lost forever, will always tug on his heart strings.
My paternal great-grandfather, William Geary was born near Kildorrery, Co. Cork in 1852. He spent close to a year in the United States in the late 1880’s. The purpose of his trip is a family mystery. In his absence, his wife Teresa Carver and my great-grandmother worked the family farm with great efficiency, creating prosperity the family had never before known. She was probably delighted not to have to cover her husband’s bar tab, while he was off gallivanting the world.
We thought perhaps he was part of an Irish group of athletes from the newly formed Gaelic Athletic Assocation, who traveled to America on an unsuccessful fund raising trip. This “American Invasion” was a display of Irish games and athletics for Americans organized in 1888.
My great-grandfather was a weight lifter, a founding member of the Kildorrery GAA, with a liking for a drink or two, and a wander lust he could never quench. Upon further investigation, his name did not appear on the list of athletes who participated in the GAA tour. The dates of his absence did not quite coincide with this trip. Where he went, what he did, or whatever notion took him across the Atlantic ocean remains a mystery to this day. All we know is that he returned, and took up life where he left off.
And so my question today, is how often did immigrants return to Ireland, after spending some time in America?
If you have an immigrant tale of two-way traffic between Ireland and America, I would love to hear it. Please feel free to share your family stories here on this blog.
If you think you may have a story that might be great material for a blog post, just leave a message in the comment section, or send me an e-mail via my contact page.
If I ever find out where my great-grandfather visited in America, I will be sure to share the story with you.
Slan agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Irish American Mom
My grandmother, Catherine Hurley, went to the States in the 1920’s and returned about 10 yrs later. She said she ‘never settled’. I myself went first to Birmingham, UK and then London, UK and returned after 10 yrs.
Martine – It took me over twenty years to really “settle” in America. I understand how your grandmother “never settled”, even after ten years in America. When you are born in Ireland, it is always difficult to think of another place as “home”.
Mairead
Interesting to think about. It does seem the pull of one’s homeland would be very strong when you stop and think about it.
Cheryl – Mother Ireland tugs on our heart strings forever, making us feel guilty for leaving her.
Mairead
My Great grandfather was born in New York, but his parents came back to Ireland too. Good thing too, because I wouldn’t exsist if they hadn’t. Funny how things happen.
Niamh – it is amazing how many people have told me about their parents or grandparents returning to Ireland from America in the first part of the 1900’s. My Mom told me our neighbors grandfather returned and I have two granduncles that also returned. It must have occurred far more frequently than realized.
I’m very late to this post but I was searching Irish immigrants who went to America but then returned to their homeland. I just discovered that my 2nd great grandfather took his family to Pennsylvania somewhere between the years of 1889 to 1896 after their first child was born, they then had two more children then the whole family returned to Ireland and six more children were born. It’s quite fascinating to me that they would undertake such a big move, twice, within seven years. I can’t seem to uncover a reason but I’m sure there’s one there somewhere.
I share your fascination with these tales of Irish immigrants to America returning to Ireland at the end of the 19th century. I hope someday you uncover the mystery behind your family’s transatlantic crossings. I have no idea why my great-grandfather came to America for a year or two in the late 1870’s, leaving his wife and family behind. Someday, I would love to unravel that mystery too.
Best wishes and thanks for stopping by my website and adding to this discussion.
All the best,
Mairead
I came across your site while googling about Irish people going to and fro to America. I have just discovered that this happened in my family and couldn’t understand how that could happen, as they were all so poor – how did they afford the travel? How much did steerage class cost, does anyone know? Or perhaps the American government paid all or part of their fare? I never knew that my grandfather went to America (Lowell Massachusetts) in 1911 where his sister Jane had settled in 1900. He must have returned to Ireland because he married my grandmother in Ireland in 1917; they eventually moved to Scotland in 1922 with their 4 children. Jane had herself made two journeys to America, according to ships manifests – first time in 1895 she traveled with a friend to Boston from Derry, and then she must have returned because the second time in 1900 she traveled with her brother from Liverpool to live with their cousin. They both stayed in America and descendants are still in the Boston area. I was always puzzled by Frank McCourt’s biography, where the family seemed to travel back and forth when they were so poor. I would like to know how they managed to do this. Thanks for the blog – very interesting 🙂
Thank you so much for letting us know about your family’s travels between Ireland and America. It amazes me to hear from others whose relatives also returned to Ireland after sometime working in America.
I checked out ticket prices for the Titanic and a third class ticket cost on average £7 in 1912. That was quite a bit of money back then, so it really amazes me how many of our ancestors did travel back and forth across the Atlantic.
Thanks for stopping by,
Best wishes,
Mairéad
My grandfather and four brothers emigrated to the USA in the early part of the 20th century. My grandfather and a brother returned to Ireland after they saved enough money to buy land. My father and brother came to the USA in their early twenties in the 1930s. My father returned to Ireland after 3 years.. My mother, a widow, came to the USA with her children, in the 1950s and returned home 30 years later. In the area I came from, I know many who emigrated to the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada only to return home, sometimes after retirement and sometimes before.
Hi Jane – Thanks so much for sharing your family story with us. So many of your family left Ireland, only to return to Ireland to fulfill their Irish dreams. It’s amazing how many stories of returning immigrants there are in Ireland.
All the best, and thanks again for stopping by.
Mairéad
Hi, Mairéad…
After doing some further research, it seems that my gg grandparents lived in America for a short while, but then decided to return home. My g grandfather was born in Kildare in 1888, and when he was old enough, he also went to America for a short time. After spending a few years over there, he decided to return, and then moved to Scotland, where he met my g gran who was from Meath. They settled in the town where I was raised, and the rest is history. 🙂
Le meas
Seán Mór
Hi Seán Mór – Thanks for adding your family’s stories of travel over and back between Ireland and America and onwards to Scotland. I truly think far more people than we may believe, returned from America during the late 19th century. I always enjoy reading comments that share a little piece of history. I checked out your website – thanks a million for the link. I’ll be reading some more of your poetry once I get a spare moment. Your work is beautiful.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Hello.
My family did this also between Ireland and Australia. He immigrated to Australia with his wife and had a family in Australia but would often revisit Ireland even when his wife was due to give birth. I suspect he was taking money back to Ireland to relatives there as apparently as much as one third of Ireland’s money in the 1870’s came from relatives abroad. I also suspect he may have been politically involved in trying to bring about independence for Ireland but I have no firm proof of this at this stage.
Hello from Kentucky – Thanks for sharing your story. Your Irish ancestor must have felt a deep draw to his homeland to leave his pregnant wife. Irish women were expected to take care of themselves even towards the end of pregnancy. In our family the story goes that my great-grandmother was a far more industrious farmer than her husband, and while he was off galavanting across the US she never had so much money in her pocket.
It’s incredible to think how much money was sent to Ireland around the 1870’s. And I believe much of it was used to pay for passage to America and Australia for other family members, and also to support the Fenians. Wishing you every success with your family history search and do let us know if you ever discover a good story behind all those trips to Ireland so many years ago.
All the best,
Mairéad
I’ve just been reading Stephen McGann’s book and his forebears went to the US for a few years then returned home, only to subsequently emigrate to England. In my family history search we have found others who did the same, bringing an American wife back to England. My great great gandfather’s family had come to England during the famine, wandering round the country following work, he went off the America, were not sure when and when he came back ,he did have a son who stayed in England with his grandfather who finally settled down. We suspect that he left under a cloud, but the pull of family must have brought him back, but not with pockets full of money. I suspect the lack of any welfare system might have had something to do with it, and family. At least in England he had family to help h as he got older.
Hi Helen – thank you so much for sharing your family story of movement between Ireland, England and the United States. There is an immigrant’s quotation posted at Ellis Island that goes something like this… “not only were the streets (of New York) not paved with gold, but we discovered we were expected to pave them.” I think many immigrants to the US in the 19th and 20th centuries were faced with hard work and labor. For many life on the other side of the Atlantic was no better, or maybe even worse than the life they left behind. Family was the only social safety net for many, especially as they aged. I’ glad to hear your great great grandfather had family near when he grew old. Thanks so much for stopping by.
All the best,
Mairéad
Dear Mairéad,
I discovered that my great x2 grandparents came to the US around or before 1870 (don’t know when or if they were together) had their first child, landed on the 1875 NY census and then were back to Athy, Kildare by 1876. They had 4 more children in Athy.
I have a question – I am working with a local genealogist and she’s convinced that the family would have challenges STAYING in Ireland after their return because the husband, my great x2 grandfather was naturalized in the US. Do you know what the laws at the time allowed for? I am trying to find out what happened to my great x2 grandfather.. did he return a 2nd time to US or die in Ireland (?)
We only know that my great grandmother and kids in tow RETURNED again to NYC by 1883.
Would there have been local government pressure in Kildare for them to go back, given their US naturalization? Also, we know for a fact that my great x2 grandfather was sick at this point – ultimately dying from long term affects of the BENDS. He as a dive building the Brooklyn Bridge.
Thank you!
Veronica
Hi Veronica – Today many, like me, are lucky enough to hold dual citizenship between Ireland and the US. There was no such thing back in the 19th century. At that time Ireland was ruled by England so English law would have held sway. I do not know the details about these laws, but perhaps a reader with more knowledge may come across your comment and be able to throw some light on this subject. My great grandfather returned to Ireland at the end of the 19th century and I believe he was a naturalized US citizen. However, he returned to West Cork which is much further away from Dublin than Kildare. There may have been stricter enforcement of the laws closer to the capital. Thanks so much for sharing your family story. I hope to find answers to your questions some day.
All the best, and thanks for stopping by.
Mairéad