Boston Globe articles highlight changing migration patterns

The Boston Globe has run a two-part series of articles focusing on the experiences of the Irish in Boston. By Kevin Cullen, the series opens with a description of a new version of the "American Wake" - a goodbye held in Quincy pub for an undocumented couple as they prepare to head home for Ireland, giving up their Boston lives after seven years. The article describes how the Irish immigrant experience has changed dramatically as the community shrinks and enforcement increases.

The second article in the series describes the experiences of those who have conm home, and how returning emigrants are coping with the changes that have taken place in the last few years.

Read the series:
"Wave of Irish immigration to Boston begins to slow".
"Going full circle: Native land's new prosperity has many reversing their exodus"

Australia celebrates Paddy's Day - without a government representative

The Irish in Australia will not be hosting a government minister this Saint Patrick's Day. First Secretary Aidan Cronin of the Irish Embassy in Canberra said, "This year, for a variety of reasons, it has not been possible to send a minister to represent the Government. We would expect that there would be ministerial representation in future years".

One country that will be celebrating St Patrick's Day in style will be China - Shanghai, the largest city, has been hosting a major week-long festival. Events include the largest exhibition of contemporary Irish art ever held in China as well as Shanghai's first St Patrick's Day parade.

President McAleese pays tribute to emigrant heritage in speech to British Council

President Mary McAleese has paid tribute to Ireland's emigrants and immigrants in a speech to the British Council, entitled "The Changing Faces of Ireland - Migration and Multiculturalism".

In her speech she noted the contribution of Ireland's emigrants, from the past through to today:

The Irish know better than many other races how valuable the emigrants to our shores are. We know these things because of our own extensive history of being emigrants. We are proud of the contribution our emigrants made wherever they went and though the Irish word for exile 'deoraíocht' comes from the Irish word for tears, we have lived long enough to see our emigrants and their offspring power their way into every sphere of civic life around the world, first-rate ambassadors for Ireland and effective bridges between Ireland and so many countries and peoples. The success of our emigrants in politics, business, education and the arts inspired our self-belief at home through very fallow periods and their remittances of hard-earned shillings and dollars helped lift the quality of life of their families left at home. In every generation they too have filled the wells of Ireland's cultural heritage, bringing huge dynamism and fresh imagination – in this generation I think of Thomas Kenneally in Australia, author of Schindler's List, Tony award-winning playwright Martin Mc Donagh in London, dancer-choreographer extraordinaire Michael Flatley in Chicago and a list that would wrap itself around Ireland several times.

President McAleese also noted the challenges inherent in developing a vision for a diverse society, but noted that Ireland's heritage as an emigrant nation would be an asset:

As one of the world's great exporters of people, as a culture steeped in the emigrant experience, we have both the challenge now, and the chance, to make the emigrant experience in Ireland something to be truly proud of. We have a written constitution which pledges us to assure the dignity and freedom of the individual. It guides and informs us in formulating the vision we have for our country, a place where it is possible to love Poland, China, Latvia, Nigeria, Somalia and to love Ireland too, to be at home though far from home, to live comfortably within Irish culture and yet be free to showcase and express your own culture, for ultimately these are the great gifts each newcomer brings – the gift of difference and of curiosity. Our gift in return is our welcome for the otherness of others and our acceptance of each as our equal.

Read the entire speech on the Aras an Uachtarain website.

Services meet final needs of emigrants

Also on a funereal theme, the Galway Independent is carrying a story on "a mysterious Galway man", now a New York resident, who has made a most unusual purchase - he has spent $100,000 so that he can be buried under Irish soil in America, where he has spent most of his life.

The Independent reports that Pat Burke from Tipperary and Alan Jenkins from Cork decided to start their website, www.officialirishdirt.com, when they realised that there were many Irish emigrants who wanted Irish soil as part of their funeral commemorations.

While most are contented with a three-quarter-pound bag of the specially-treated soil, which costs $15, the Galway-born businessman had a different idea. Mr Burke says the weathly New Yorker was "in two minds as to where he wanted to be buried (either in his native Ireland or his adopted USA), so he contacted us and got the best of both worlds".

Pat added, "People living abroad get very sentimental about things and the idea of buying the soil or shamrock seed lets them feel a bit closer to home".

Visit www.officialirishdirt.com.
Read the whole story at the Galway Independent.

There's also another company that aims to meet the needs of emigrants contemplating what should happen to their remains - Ashes is a family-run service that will scatter cremated remains in Ireland.

See www.ashes.ie.

Online funerals aimed at far-flung relations

A Belfast firm of undertakers has launched what is reportedly the first online service to allow mourners to view funeral services from abroad, the AP has reported. Clarke & Son say their service came out of requests that tapes of services be sent abroad to far-off relations.

"We have one camera to give you the perspective of the minister looking out to the congregation, one showing the hearse and cortege of mourners outside, and one that looks like you're sitting in amidst the mourners," said Jim Clarke of Clarke & Son undertakers in Newtownards, an eastern suburb of Belfast.

The report added,

He said the service last year proved invaluable for two brothers - one living in New Zealand, the other in the United States - who had traveled back to Northern Ireland to visit an ill relative who then died.

"They said, 'There's no way we can get our wives and families here at such short notice,' and we had the solution to hand. It really removes a burden for some families," Clarke said.

Read the full report.

Visit S. Clarke & Son's website.

Politicians to make annual pilgrimage to global Irish communities

This year's plans for the annual St Patrick's Day trek by Irish politicians to sundry locales around the world has been announced by the Taoiseach.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern will visit Washington, DC, where they will celebrate the day at the White House and meet with the President and key Congressional leaders; they will discuss the issue of the undocumented, as will other Government Ministers visiting other American cities. The Taoiseach will also address the American Ireland Fund Dinner.

On the trip the Taoiseach will also travel to New York where he will meet with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. He will meet with the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, visit the Twin Towers Memorial Centre and meet with leaders in the financial services industry.


United States
Taoiseach – New York and Washington
Tánaiste – Savannah
Minister Dermot Ahern - Washington
Minister Mary Coughlan - New York
Minister Brian Cowen - Chicago
Minister Martin Cullen – San Francisco
Minister Noel Dempsey – Dallas and Houston
Minister Mary Hanafin – Boston
Minister Éamon Ó Cuív- Phoenix
MoS Pat the Cope Gallagher – Atlanta and Philadelphia

Canada
Toronto - Minister Dick Roche

Britain
Minister John O’Donoghue – London
Minister of State Brendan Smith – Manchester
Minister of State Seán Power – Birmingham
Minister of State Conor Lenihan – Edinburgh

Rest of Europe
Austria – Minister of State Mary Wallace
France – Minister of State Brian Lenihan
Italy and the Holy See – Minister Seamus Brennan
Norway Sweden and Denmark – Minister Harney
Poland – Government Chief Whip Tom Kitt
Romania – Minister of State Noel Ahern
Russia – Minister of State Seán Haughey

Asia-Pacific
China – Minister of State John Browne
Japan – Minister of State Tim O’Malley
India – Minister of State Frank Fahey
Kuala Lumpur and Singapore – Minister of State Michael Ahern
Vietnam – Minister of State Batt O’Keeffe

South America
Argentina – Attorney General Rory Brady

Africa
South Africa – MoS Tom Parlon – Cape Town and Pretoria


For more details on each of these trips, see the Taoiseach's department website.

An Post stops service aimed at emigrant market, encourages immigrants to write home

An Post says declining emigration is the reason that the postal service will not produce its St Patrick's Day cards this year. The Irish Independent reports that a spokesperson called the move "a sign of the times", adding:

We introduced the cards in 1984 at a time when emigration was very high in Ireland. Sales and distribution followed the emigrant trail at the time. Over the 1990s and since 2000, there has been a very definite and steady decline in sales.

An Post is not in the card business but this was our annual foray into greeting cards. It's a commercial decision.

In recent years, sales in no way cover the outlay of production costs, marketing and distribution to upwards of 1,400 post offices around the country,

Instead, the comapny will concentrate on encouraging immigrants to send cards home on their national holidays. Post offices will remind customers to send cards for such holidays as America's Independence Day and China's National Day on October first.

An Post will not produce these cards, however - perhaps the nation's holiday card makers will step up their production of international holiday cards?

Éan chair visits Washington

Fr Alan Hilliard, Director of the Irish Episcopal Commission for Emigrants (IECE) and the chair of Éan's board, attended yesterday's rally in Washington DC.

Today's rally is an example of people taking responsibility for their own futures, and while this has not been easy, it is both necessary and commendable.

He spoke of plans for information provision that would be necessary in the future:

"One flaw of the immigration reform of the 1980s was a lack of clear communication of rights and this was coupled with the propagation of misinformation. Partly - perhaps due to living on the fringes of society - many were uncertain, nervous and were consequently afraid to come forward. Many immigrants did not fully understand what was available to them. However, on this occasion we will provide information to those in need so that they can make informed decisions. What must be avoided are 'enticements' and other so called 'quick-fix' solutions which will be advertised by some unscrupulous people whose motive is profit and whose style is to prey on the vulnerable. We are presently upgrading our Irish Apostolate website to enable browsers to access the legislative changes, if and when they happen, as they become available online."

"Yesterday, members of our Apostolate met with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network to discuss the implementation of whatever legislation is put in place. Despite the uncertainty, we have to live with the expectation that legislative change will happen and, please God, a pathway of hope will open up."

See more of Fr Hilliard's comments on the Independent Catholic News website.

ILIR sponsors DC rally, lobbying

Thousands of people marched on Washington yesterday in support of legislation that would benefit the undocumented Irish in the US, along with their 11 million counterparts of all nationalities. The ILIR gathered 2,500 supporters, mainly Irish undocumented from all over the US, to lobby members of Congress on Capital Hill and attend a rally. Democratic Senators Hilary Clinton, Edward Kennedy, and Chuck Schumer were among those who addressed the crowds.

Senator Kennedy, along with Republican Senator John McCain, will introduce legislation that includes a path to legalisation to benefit most of the nation's undocumented immigrants. He told the rally, "This is basically an issue of defining our humanity, how we treat each other. I can't wait for this battle".

The Irish Echo has reported that the introduction of the bill may coincide with next week's St Patrick's Day activities. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will visit Washington next week for the annual shamrock presentation to the US president; Mr Ahern will also be lobbying on behalf of Irish immigrants.

For more information, see the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform website.

Limerick man's visit home results in US visa trouble

A 35-year-old Limerick native has been prevented from returning to his pregnant wife in Iowa by US immigration authorities. Jimmy Murphy of Newcastle West has been married less than a year to Iowa native Rachele Murphy; he was employed in the US and had applied for adjustment of status, which he was told would take nine months. He had all his papers in order when the couple decided to take a New Year's trip to Ireland; Mr Murphy was detained at Dublin Airport because he had breached the terms of his status upgrade application.

Attempts to resolve the situation have so far failed. The US embassy in Dublin no longer has the authority to process the case, and Mr Murphy has been told he needs to present himself to authorities in the US, although he has been prevented from re-entering the country. Local officials are hoping that Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern may assist in resolving the issue.

Mr Murphy told the Limerick Leader:

"My wife is three months pregnant. We were starting off on a new life, with our first child on the way and had never been happier. I had always had my papers in order. The packet of documents which I had received when applying for adjustment of status did not say that I was to remain in America while the application was being processed. The first I knew was when I was turned back at Shannon."

See the Limerick Leader for the full report.

Self-proclaimed "plastic Paddy" weighs in on rugby controversy

The Irish Times carries a letter today regarding the rugby match between England and Ireland this evening at Croke Park. Much has been made over the controversial matter of "God Save the Queen" at the stadium, which was the scene of a massacre of 14 innocent people by British paramilitaries in 1920. Dr Richard Lanigan writes from Surrey, England to say that he was the grandfather of Dick Lanigan, who stood
beside Mick Hogan for a team photograph moments before Hogan was shot dead in that travesty.

He goes on to say, however,

On Saturday Grandad would also recall that England gave his son and many other people a living when the Irish Republic could not provide work for the m in the 1950s and 1960s. I spent many happy times with Grandad when my parents broke up in the 1960s and he never commented that his grandson considered himself to be English back then. Today his great-grandchildren have an English mother and a "plastic Paddy"
for a father.

If he were alive, I am sure he would be cheering on the Irish with the rest of the family, hoping sportsmen can set an example where politicians have failed.

The letter was favourably commented on during RTE's morning show on Saturday.
Read the letter at the Irish Times website.

Irish prisoners exempt from deportation

Irish prisoners will not be deported upon completion of their sentences, according to a decision announced yesterday by British Home Secretary John Reid. A campaign by the Irish Commission for Prisoners Overseas and the Irish Government has resulted in the exemption of Irish nationals from the policy, announced last April, of deporting foreign national prisoners.

The Irish Commission for Prisoners Overseas, an Éan member organisation, submitted a dossier of more than 30 inmates with strong family ties in Britain. The organisation estimates that there could be as many as 1,000 Irish prisoners in English and Welsh jails. Grainne Prior of ICPO told the Guardian newspaper that many of the Irish prisoners were fully integrated into English life after living there for years; some had families and some had lost all family ties in Ireland.

Fr Gerry McFlynn of the London ICPO office said,

"Many families who contacted the ICPO over the last 9 months have been at their wits end due to the confusion and anxiety around the issue and the continued detention of their loved ones. Today's statement in bound to bring reassurance and comfort to many".

Bishop Seamus Hegarty, chair of the Irish Episcopal Commission for Emigrants, commended the support of the Irish Government in the matter, adding,

"I wish also to commend the dedication of the staff at the London and Maynooth offices of the ICPO. They have worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome on behalf of Irish prisoners in Britain, and their families. Contemporary migration brings with it the challenge of upholding human dignity while at the same time we respond to our mission to minister to people on the move".

"The Country Boy" tours nation with 1950s emigration tale

The Country Boy, a play written by John Murphy in 1959, is on tour around Ireland. The Irish Times calls it “a gentle, old-fashioned hymn to the Irish emigrant, a theme which, five years later, would receive a more sophisticated and cutting-edge treatment in Brian Friel’s 'Philadelphia, Here I Come!'".
The play tells the story of a Mayo-born emigrant who returns home for a visit, fifteen years after he left for New York. On his visit home, his troubles are revealed, including alcoholism, unhappy marriage and regret.

The play is getting good reviews and after its opening in Armagh, is touring Virginia, Coleraine, Roscommon, Belfast, Cookstown, Dun Laoghaire and Tallaght.

See a review at Roscrea Online.

US Embassy encourages J1 applicants

The American Embassy in Dublin is campaigning this year to fight the decline in J1 applicants. Numbers of students applying for the programme have dipped since the September 11 attack, reaching a low point in 2004, when only 4,500 applied, down from figures well over 10,000. In 2005 the figure jumped to 6,800, but was down about 1,000 last year.

This year, US authorities have loosened restrictions. Final year students can participate this year, even if they are not going on to further study, although they do need proof of other alternatives, such as a job offer.

USIT is finding more students are choosing to go further afield than the traditional destinations of New York and Boston. The agency also found that over half the students who went through their programme last yuear had jobs before they arrived, with a third having sorted out accommodation. 90% had found somewhere to stay within two weeks of arrival.

Full report on the Irish Times website (subscription required).
More J1 resources at:
Usit's J1 website
Sayit's J1 website
www.go4less.ie

US candidate releases statement on Ireland

US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama released a foreign-policy statement on Ireland shortly after he officially declared his candidacy. In the op-ed, which was carried in full by New York's Irish Echo and the Irish Times, he praises the contributions of Irish immigrants and expresses his support for comprehensive immigration reform to benefit the 12 million undocumented in the US.

He says, in full:

"My family's story may be familiar to Irish Americans -- a distant homeland, a journey across an ocean in search of opportunity. Like many Americans of Irish descent, I too have made the journey to my family's homeland.


"In 1987, I first traveled to Kenya, the birthplace of my father. I discovered a warm sense of community. I discovered a land with an unforgettably haunting beauty. I discovered a people determined to grab hold of hope. In short, I made discoveries that are familiar to scores of Irish Americans.


"The determined optimism of the Irish people has enabled them to grab hold of hope in the United States, from South Boston to the south side of Chicago. It's an optimism expressed in three issues so important to Irish Americans today: a lasting peace in Northern Ireland, an American immigration policy that keeps faith with our tradition of offering opportunity to those who seek it, and strong economic and cultural ties between our two nations.


"As I chair the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on Europe, and as I travel around the country learning from and listening to the American people, I will be advancing ideas and policies to meet these goals.


"After years of hard-earned progress, Northern Ireland is now poised to take another step forward. The IRA has abandoned violence and arms and Sinn Fein has now voted to support the PSNI. They have, in the words of Tony Blair, made a commitment that 'has been historic and has been real.'


"To seize this hopeful moment, the Democratic Unionist party should take the next step outlined in the St. Andrew's agreement: a commitment to a power-sharing executive after March elections, so Northern Ireland can continue the process of peace that its people so clearly wish to follow.


"The gains of the last decade were in part made possible by U.S. engagement. Going forward, we should continue the practice of having a special envoy for Northern Ireland, and the our president should personally engage on where America can play a constructive role, working closely with the Irish Taoiseach, the British prime minister, and party leaders in Northern Ireland.


"We must also pursue immigration policies that keep open the doors of opportunity in our own country. My father's experience has informed my own views on the issue, and I have seen the enormous contributions that Irish immigrants have made to this country. Last summer, I joined hundreds of thousands of people in Chicago to march on behalf of immigration reform, walking shoulder to shoulder with many Irish Americans who shared their own personal stories of hope and opportunity.


"Yet our system is broken, and fixing it demands a comprehensive approach. Last year, I reached across the aisle to work with Republicans on this. Our proposal would strengthen border security and prohibit employers from hiring illegal immigrants, but it also recognizes that the deportation of 12 million people is impossible.


"That's why it proposes a tough, earned path to citizenship for those in the United States illegally; replaces the flood of undocumented workers with a new flow of guestworkers; and ensures that law-abiding immigrants are welcome to pursue their dreams.


"The ties between America and Ireland go far beyond bloodlines. U.S. investment in Ireland helped create the Celtic Tiger, and Ireland's economic success has in turn led to a boom in Irish investment in the United States. Incalculable cultural exchanges draw us together, as do common causes and common beliefs.


"In 1963, John F. Kennedy made his own journey in reverse and addressed the Irish Parliament. He cited the principles that unite our countries, quoting George Bernard Shaw's command to 'dream of things that never were, and ask why not,' and paying tribute to an Ireland that 'sent their doctors and technicians and soldiers and priests to help other lands to keep their liberty alive.'


"Today, President Kennedy would be pleased - but not surprised - to find the Irish working to lift up other lands from east Africa to east Asia, and to find an Ireland that has come so very far on its own. The story of our two countries is constantly evolving and joined together. I welcome this opportunity to be a part of that story, and look forward to hearing your concerns in the months ahead."

Éan working to ensure radio included in broadcasting legislation

Éan has been working to ensure that Irish radio broadcasts will be available to Irish communities in Europe as part of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2006. The original bill as it was introduced in the Seanad made provision for television broadcasting, but not radio. Ean and Éan member Enda O'Kane worked to contact senators to explain the importance of radio to Irish communities abroad, and, in particular, the value of DRM digital shortwave. A number of amendments have now been added to the bill to include radio.

The relevant Seanad discussions are on the Seanad website.
January 31 debate
February 7 debate

Another bill is looking at the overall issue of broadcasting - Enda and Éan worked to contact a number of groups and individuals to make contributions during the discussion period at econsultation.ie. To see these contributions, visit the econsultation.ie website.

US immigrants face application fee hikes

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services this week announced proposals for major hikes in application fees. The increases, in some cases amounting to 500%, are expected to go through in June.
The proposed application fee increases include:
- $905 for a green card application; thecurrent fee is $325.
- $1,370 for adjustment of status from temporary to lawful permanent resident, up from $180.
- $340 for work authorization, up from $180.
- $595 for naturalized citizenship, up from $330.
- $290 to replace a lost or stolen green card, up from $190.

"We're confident that this fee adjustment will enable the type of exceptional immigration service our nation expects and deserves," said a statement from USCIS Director Emilio Gonzalez on Wednesday.

Immigration advocates, however, say the price hikes will pose a significant obstacle for many immigrants.

The proposals are subject to a public comment period; to comment, visit www.regulations.gov; use the “agency” box to click on “U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services” and hit “submit”. You will then be shown the document, “Adjustment of the Immigration and Naturalization Benefit Application and Petition Fee Schedule”. Click on the “Docket ID” to read the comments submitted, and “Document ID” for instructions on making a comment.

Irish Abroad Unit outlines its work

The Irish Abroad Unit updated the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs about their work and the current status of Irish emigrants earlier this month. Their update focused on the achievements of 2006 and their plans for 2007.

Ray Bassett of the Unit spoke of the possibility that immigration reform could be passed by the US Congress in September or October, but warned of the importance of caution in these matters. He paid tribute to the work of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, and said that the Irish presence has been helpful as part of the wider campaign for immigration reform aimed at the wider group of undocumented immigrants in the US.

Mr Bassett also spoke of the improvements in the status of Irish emigrants in Britain with €40 million spent since 1984, 80% of that since 2000. The Simon Community credits increased funding for the fall in the number of Irish homeless from 600 to 100 since 1999.

He spoke of establishing good links with the GAA, referring to its ability to bring community together as “sport plus social inclusion”. He also spoke of how the Unit has extended funding to Australia, Canada and Argentina, as well as South Africa and Zimbabwe. The Unit has been given €15.1 million for funding next year, an increase of €3 million.

During the question period, Mr Bassett responded to the issue of free travel and broadcasting to emigrants by saying:

On issues such as RTE, free travel, etc., the Government is in favour. It is a question of how we proceed from here. We have extended the centenarian’s bounty outside the State for those who reach 100 years of age. It will take imaginative thinking to get around some of the obstacles, but we are committed to work with the relevant Departments to assist these people. There is a political and administrative will to do it, but we need the mechanisms to get there.

The update sparked a wide-ranging discussion on the status of the Irish around the world. Senators raised such issues as the special problems of Argentinians who feel a very strong link with Ireland and who would like to get citizenship, but who are too many generations removed under the current system. Senator David Norris spoke of a letter he had received from a young Irish man living in Paris who felt rejected by Ireland because he could not vote here. Senator Paschal Mooney raised the issue of differences between the professional Irish of the more recent generation of emigrants and the traditional Irish emigrants; he suggested there might be some sort of structure developed that would encourage the professional Irish to get involved with those from previous generations.

For the full transcript, see the Oireachtas website.

Sligo County Council says returning emigrants have right to build homes

The Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council has told the Sligo Association in London that the county is helping to bring emigrants home, according to a story in the Sligo Weekender.

Councillor Jim McGarry said, “From Sligo County Council’s perspective, I am pleased that the status of returning emigrants has been actively promoted in our County Development Plan. This plan outlines an explicit entitlement for returning emigrants to build their homes in their native community, and I feel this is a right that is fully deserved”.

He also praised the volunteers working with the emigrant community: “I have the highest regard for the many volunteers who give of their time and energy to assist our people in London.”

See the report on the Sligo Weekender website.
http://www.sligoweekender.ie/news/story.asp?j=31409&cat=business

Leeds report highlights needs of homeless

The Leeds Irish Health and Homes book has recently published a report on homeless Irish people called “Gan Didean” (“Without a Place to Stay”). The report highlights the importance of cultural awareness in service provision and makes a number of recommendations. These include:
- Consultation with Irish organisations in the planning stages of initiatives to deal with homelessness.
- Better ethnic monitoring to provide data for improvements in service provision.
- The inclusion of Irish ethnicity in diversity-training curricula
- Action plans by statutory authorities for culturally sensitive services to the Irish community
- Consultation with Irish organisations by statutory organisations to provide support
- Provision of culturally specific supported housing and care for Irish people.

The report also includes an overview of the work of LIHH and several case studies. It is available through LIHH at http://www.lihh.org.