Stages of migration patterns in
Ireland.
In-migration or out-migration in Ireland:
1: (1840–1960) – post famine
population decline = out-migration
 Stage 2: (1961–1979) – the first economic
boom = in-migration
 Stage 3: (1980–1990) – global economic
recession = out-migration
 Stage 4: (1990–2006) – the Celtic tiger era
(second economic boom) = in-migration
 Stage 5: (2007–present ) – global economic
recession = out-migration
 Stage
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There was a major post famine decline in population in Ireland
due to outward migration/emigration. The famine was the
catalyst to a wave of emigration that did not cease until the
1960s. During this period the population of the 26 counties
declined from 6.5 million in 1840 to 2.8 million in 1960.
It is estimated that up to nearly 3 million people
emigrated from Ireland during this period. Ireland consistently
had a natural decrease in population despite having the highest
birth rates in western Europe, i.e. high rates of emigration were
offset by high birth rates.
In the 1950s a lack of job opportunities was the key ‘push
factor’ to the exodus of over 400,000 people. Economic
prosperity and the availability of jobs in the UK, USA and
Australia was the key ‘pull factor’ to attract Irish people there.
The consequences of emigration for Ireland were as
follows:

Rural depopulation

A near collapse of social life in rural areas

An increasing dependency ratio

A decrease in the size of the consumer market
The first Programme for Economic Expansion was
introduced by the then Taoiseach Sean Lemass in the early
1960s and through the IDA (Industrial Development
Authority) MNCs (Multi-national companies) were attracted
to Ireland, thus creating the backbone to Ireland’s
manufacturing industry.
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This programme was successful in attracting modern
footloose industries and thus began Ireland’s industrial
revolution. This resulted in stemming the flow of emigration
as jobs were created and Ireland experienced its first wave of
net inward migration since the famine of the 1840s.
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Economic expansion accelerated into the 1970s when
we joined the EEC (now the EU) in 1973 and this gave
Ireland a larger market for exports, an inflow of money, a
reduced reliance on the UK market and consequently a
positive balance of trade.
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Increasing world oil prices triggering a
global downturn saw the return of economic
recession in the 1980s and emigration increased
once again with over 200,000 people leaving
Ireland.
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This emigration was different from the
previous years as it was predominantly the more
highly educated and skilled people who left, thus
creating a brain drain from Ireland.
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The 1980s also witnessed a decline in the
total number of births as the country was reaching
stage 4 on the demographic transition model.
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The early 1990s saw the beginning of the Celtic Tiger, i.e. a
period of unprecedented economic growth. The economy
boomed and there was a shortfall of workers in the labour
market, which was filled by immigrants predominantly from
the former soviet dominated Eastern Bloc countries that
entered the EU in 2004. This resulted in a net in-migration
rather than net out-migration.
Ireland through a combination of good luck, good timing
and good policies caught the crest of a geographical and
technological wave and has ridden it to a prosperity that
nobody expected.
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This period up to 2006 saw an increase in population
through immigration by nearly 500,000 from mostly nonIrish citizens and this led therefore to a large increase in the
overall population. According to the 2006 census, 14% of
people living in Ireland were born outside the state.
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In late 2007 global recession returned and
consequently a dramatic slowdown in the Irish
economy has resulted in annual growth rates way
below 2006 levels.
 High levels of unemployment seem at present to be
enticing non-native immigrants to leave Ireland in
search of employment elsewhere, despite the fact
that other countries are suffering the same economic
fate. This will lead to a net out-migration for the
foreseeable future until economic fortunes turn
favourable again.
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