Irish Australians

Common card · No. 380453

Irish Australians (Irish: Gael-Astrálaigh) are ‌‍‍‍‍residents of Australia who are either fully or partially of Irish descent. Irish immigrants and their descendants have had a prominent presence in Australian society since the First Fleet's arrival in New South Wales in 1788. Irish Australians have played a considerable role in the history of Australia. They came to Australia from the late eighteenth century as convicts and free settlers wanting to emigrate from their homeland. Some of those who were transported to Australia were prisoners of war, many of whom had fought in the 1798 Irish rebellion for independence, whereas others were settlers who struggled to establish their lives during the Irish famine and the harsh years in Ireland that followed. They made substantial contributions to Australia's development in many different areas. In the late 19th century, Irish Australians constituted up to a third of the country's population. There is no definitive figure of the total number...

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