Opinion: The need for an centralised support system for Irish emigrants is imperative

GAA tournament on the beach in Sydney. Image: Ciara Breen 

I have a friend who is planning to emigrate to the US next month and over the weekend, and he asked me a fairly simple question. He asked:

'Mark I was wondering about when I go to buy a mobile phone when I get to America. Do I need to have sorted where I'm living first? Because I know they only do bill phones but does that mean I'll need a proof of address? Seeing as you work with WorldIrish I thought you might know.'

I hadn't the foggiest. 

I've worked for WorldIrish, where we describe ourselves as 'Your place for everything Irish' for nearly a year; having previously completed a Masters degree in NUI Maynooth where the Irish diaspora and migration studies were discussed day in, day out, with much nodding and solemn rubbing of chins. But have I actually learned or done anything that is of much practical benefit to the thousands of Irish who have emigrated in the last few years? Not really. So I have to strive to change that by listening to what they really need.

And what I have learned is that there is definitely a huge need for a centralised resource for Irish emigrants – a resource that can offer advice on everything from finding a place to live in Sydney to what pub is showing Cavan v Armagh on Sunday.

Today sees the start the of the Global Diaspora Forum, and while it is a great initiative, and the fact that we're hosting it is a glowing example of the respect Ireland garners in relation to our strong diaspora network, I fear that my friend's mobile phone query won't be answered at it either.

The people who can answer his question – and many others like it – are fellow Irish emigrants who have already taken the road less travelled by. 

It's no coincidence that entire parishes seem to have relocated to certain places in Australia for example. It's only natural that potential emigrants will move to places where friends and neighbours are already, given that they can offer them the practical advice I've already mentioned.

So rather than relying on a top-down approach, and seemingly endless symposiums and emigration think tanks, let's harness the wealth of knowledge our emigrants already have. 

There are Facebook pages, online forums and Irish groups that provide excellent resources but we need to pull all these together into one place which can serve almost as a phone directory; helping people get the information they need, while at the same time enabling them to network with fellow emigrants, and hopefully ensure that no Irish person has to face into a life-changing voyage alone. 

How can we do this? The National Youth Council of Ireland, in their recent report on youth emigration, called for the appointment of a Minster for emigrant policy, where a strategy could be implemented to help both prospective emigrants and those already moved abroad. Perhaps this is the answer.

In the immediate future, from what I have seen the GAA is by far and away the best organisation through which Irish emigrants can network with each other in practical fashion; with club mates helping newcomers find jobs, offering them advice, and providing them with a way to socialise. This has been shown by the responses of almost every Irish emigrant we have profiled on WorldIrish. Many had never played football or hurling before leaving Ireland but now cannot recommend it highly enough as a way for people to immerse themselves in their new home.

While we must obviously strive to turn Ireland's economy around so that our emigrants can come home, in the mean time it is of the up most importance that we provide them with as much support as possible so that should the Irish Times ask again 'What makes the Irish diaspora special?' can confidently reply 'We're special because we look out for one another.'

Categories: Irish diaspora emigration Global Diaspora Forum