The Americanisation of Ireland

Book excerpt: Irish emigration to America is one of the clichés of modern Irish history; much less familiar is the reverse process. Who were the people who chose to return to Ireland? What motivated them? And what effect did this have on Irish society? While many European countries were more or less Americanised in this period, the Irish case was unique as so many Irish families had members in America. The most powerful agency for Americanisation, therefore, was not popular culture but circumstantial knowledge and personal contact. David Fitzpatrick demonstrates the often unexpected ways in which the reverse effects of emigration remoulded Irish society, balancing ground-breaking demographic research with fascinating accounts of individual experiences to assemble a vivid picture of this changing Irish society. He explores the transformative impact of reverse migration from America to post-Famine Ireland, and offers many and surprising insights into Ireland's growing population of American-born residents.