Welcome to Ireland

  • St. Patrick’s Day in New York

    © stu99/iStockphotos

    Photo of people dressed in green costumes celebrating St. Patrics Day in New York City

  • Potatoe famine

    © The Granger Collection/NTB scanpix

    Illustration showing the huge decline in the population of Ireland from 1841 to 1881

  • Shamrock Imports in Dubuque, Iowa

    © Ellen Glimstad

    Photo of the exterior of Shamrock Imports (where you can buy Irish products) in Dubuque, Iowa

  • Dell Dublin Campus

    © Artur Widak/Sipa USA/NurPhoto/NTB scanpix

    Photo of the Dell Dublin campus

  • Celtic cross

    © manutopia/iStockphotos

    Photo of celtic cross in Cashel Tipperary
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Welcome to Ireland

Before you read

How many people do you think live in Ireland? How many nationalities live there? Write down your answer before you read the article.

Welcome to Ireland

Irish people are very patriotic and they are proud of their Celtic roots. They are also known for their colourful celebration of St Patrick’s Day. However, very many Irish people have emigrated to other countries. What is the reason for this?

Part of the answer is to be found in seven terrible years. The years 1845-1852 are known as the Great Famine or Great Hunger. At that time poor people in Ireland depended on the potatoes they grew. The potato crops failed several years in a row. As a result, people starved or fell ill and about one million people died. Another million emigrated. Did you know that in 1851 about 25% of the population of Liverpool was Irish? The same was also true of New York City and other places in the USA.

Very often the younger members of the family went first. They worked hard in their new country and sent money home. Then another member of the family could emigrate. The Irish often started their own churches, clubs and businesses in the new country. The Irish community is still an important part of American life today.

Modern Ireland is also a country people move to, however. There are people here from Poland, Latvia, Germany, Nigeria and many other countries. In fact, one in nine people in the six counties of Ireland was born abroad. There are now about 200 nationalities here and the population has reached five million. Why is that? People have come to Ireland for work. There are more jobs. For example, there are many American companies like Google, Apple and Dell in Ireland now. Maybe you will work here one day.

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