‘People are less defensive about being Irish now,’ wrote Bob Scally in The New York Times, back in the 1990s. That obviously referred to America, but applied to Australia also, now as then. Although ‘Irish’ was the third highest reported ancestry in the 2016 Australian census, at 10.2%, only 0.4% of the population in 2016 … Continue reading
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A Brief History of the Irish in Australia
A summary of Irish role in history and literature of Australia, written prior to more recent research and publications in the area. Continue reading
Ghosts of Irish-Australia
A voice from the next life recalls his time with use Continue reading
The Irish Travellers
Travellers have been acknowledged as a distinct ethnic group within the Irish population. Continue reading
From the Papers
Snippets from the Irish newspapers. Continue reading
New Irish Fiction
Three more novels from Irish women writers, the first one set in Sydney Continue reading
Learning about Australia from John O’Brien
For many in Ireland, ‘Around the Boree Log’ was our introduction to Australia. Continue reading
The Report on the Mother and Child Homes
In the culture of the time, the father, considered the boss of the household in a patriarchal society, felt compelled to do his duty by barring his umarried pregnant daughter from living with the family. Considerations of familial love wilted when faced with the condemnation of neighbors, community and church. Continue reading
From the Papers
Snippets from the Irish press by Frank O’Shea Continue reading
New Irish Fiction
Some good fiction reads for lockdown or self-isolating. Continue reading
