JOURNAL OF THE IRISH LABOUR HISTORY SOCIETY

A PASSAGE TO BRITAIN 27clothing._Demand for seasonal migrants in Britain was not annually dependable but varied with periods ofprosperity in British agriculture. Nevertheless it could be crucial as a cushion against distress; in 1868Swinford labourers were saved from starvation by money brought home from EnglandY It workedto the mutual advantage of parties on both sides of the Irish Sea, providing labour on tap for Britishagriculture. 16 Table 1: Seasonal)\1igration By Counties, 1880-1890. - - -. ~Year 1880 1882 1884 1888 1890Mayo 10,198 7,918 6,586 7,291 8,490Donegal, 2,435 1,594 1,603 954 1,075Roscommon 1,579 1,459 1,096 754 1,109Galway 1,935 1,954 1,357 1,416 1,376Ireland 22,200 6,836 13,140 12,028 14,081Table 2: Seasonal Migration From Poor Law Unions, 1880-1890Year 1880 1882 1884 1888 1890Castlebar 1,158 1,162 1,095 1,067 1,058Castlereagh 1,318 1,372 1,159 %7 1,098Claremorris 1,783 1,245 1,047 1,308 1,290Dunfanaghy 847 404 344 199 288Glenamaddy 481 554 546 573Glenties 552 623 600 355 333Swinford 4,862 3,523 3,557 3,193 3,795Newport* 554 474 435Westport* 349 491 162 627 1,262*In 1885 Newport and Westport Unions were amalgamatedThe late 1870s produced a downturn in the demand Jor agricultural labourers in Britain, and the1880s accelerated this trend. In the early 1880s, about eighty-eight per cent of regions in EnglandandScotland indicated a declining demand for Irish migrant labour. The primary reasons offered werereduced wages, a prejudice against Irish migrants,17 and the rise in permanent emigration. This last wasinaugurated by state aided emigration from centres such as Swinford which had previously providedlarge numbers of seasonal migrants. However, economic depression, mechanisation, and the changingstructure of British agriculture were crucial long term factors.The greatest problem facing migrants was the periodic economic depression. Under normalcircumstances the loss of the potato crop was offset by remittances from Britain. The agricultural andeconomic depression which hit Britain in the late 1870s highlights the precarious nature of the migrants'existence, and also the problems created throughout the whole community. Aslandlords lost rents,migrants became destitute and a burden on the poor rates. This is reflected in 1880 when the poor rateincreased dramatically in those poor law unions with very high numbers of seasonal migrants. lsPlummeting employment opportunities in Britain resulted in greater numbers being relieved by the