Irish Memories

As part of our on going research into the Social Integration of the Irish in Great Britain we are looking for memories & stories that inform us of what it was like living and growing up in Ireland and then the experience of leaving the homeland; family life, school, work/job etc; why did you decide to leave the home-place and move to the United Kingdom, how did you get the fare/money, how did you travel and why did you come to the United Kingdom, where did you live, what job did you get and where did you socialise?

If you feel that this would be of interest and it is something that you would like to contribute to, then we’d like to hear from you – the results of the research and study will be published in 2008. If you know of any other person who would like to write (or record) a memory/story then please feel free to give them our e-mail or postal address.

What is your name?
What is your email address?
What year were you born and where are you originally from?
What did your parents do work wise?
Did/do you have any brothers and sisters – tell us about them
What are your memories of school? Teachers and class mates
What was it like growing up in Ireland at that time?
What was your first job in Ireland? How much did you earn?
Why did you leave Ireland?
How did you get the money to leave?
Tell us about the day you left – how old were you?
Describe the journey - car, bus, train, boat, plane
Why did you decide to go to United Kingdom?
Did you have family/friends in United Kingdom?
Describe the first/early day(s) you arrived in the United Kingdom?
Who met you? Where did you live? What job did you do? How did you find the job/place to live?
How did you find it trying to settle down in a strange country?
What kind of problems did you encounter?
What do you miss most about Ireland?
Would you ever go back and live in Ireland?
What is your favourite Irish song and singer?
If you could have taken a bit of Ireland with you when you left, what would it have been?
What have we forgotten that you've remembered?