The British colonisation of Australia in 1788 marked the beginning of the Irish presence in the region which would continue to rise throughout the long nineteenth century.[1] The influx of Irish immigrants entering the country as both convicts and free settlers led to a varied perception of the Irish populace. This is evident when examining the media portrayal of events taking place between 1800 and 1880 in New South Wales and Southern Australia in cities such as Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, and events such as the Earl Grey scheme, the famine relief system, the relationships between Irish and aboriginal settlers, as well as how the Irish Catholic Henry O’Farrell was perceived by the Australian media.
While each of these depictions provide an insight into the perception of the Irish people within Australia, it is increasingly evident from the evaluation of newspaper achieves such as The Sydney Chronical, Newcastle Morning Herald, Ovens and Murray Advertiser, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Argus, that certain details contradict the overall Irish immigrant experience. There were numerous inconsistencies between newspaper articles regarding the same event, suggesting that the evidence provided was reflective of the political background of the newspaper.[2] In addition, the varying perception of the Irish can be related to the emergence of a new generation of Irish settlers who were born in Australia, resulting in their sense of ‘Irishness’ evolving which was no longer rooted in the soil of Ireland.[3]
The Earl Grey scheme which consisted of over four thousand Irish girls being transported to Australia during the Great Irish Famine, shares certain similarities with the famine relief system.[4] While both events succeed in increasing general and political awareness in Australia of Irish issues, the response they receive by the media varies. Accounts relating to the Earl Grey scheme analyse how the girls were integrated within Australian society, while the fundraising efforts of the Irish population are chiefly commended and encouraged by the media. A corresponding depiction of how the Irish perceived themselves within society is evident through the lens of the media proving an interesting insight regarding Irish relations with the indigenous populace. The perception of the Irish Catholic Henry O’Farrell was perceived due to his assassination attempt on Prince Alfred will further exhibit the varying sense of ‘Irishness’ within the media. Overall, these perspectives will highlight the complexity of the Irish identity within Australia during the nineteenth century.[5]
A plethora of primary sources will be examined to support these research findings. A variety of Australian newspapers as previously mentioned will be analysed throughout this work. In regard to secondary sources, there has been a recent surge in historical research concerning the representation of the Irish emigrant experience within Australia. A number of historians were made use of in order to complete this objective. However, it was Michael Campbell, Patrick O’Farrell, and Joseph Robbins who served as focal points of reference throughout this endeavour.
[1] James Jupp (ed.), The Australian people: An encyclopaedia of the nation, its people and its origin (Cambridge, 2001), p.447.
[2] Laura Basu, Ned Kelly as memory dispositif: Media, time, power, and the development of Australian identities (Berlin, 2012), p.56.
[3] Cian T. McMahon, The Global dimensions of Irish identity: Race, nation and the popular press, 1840-1880 (North Carolina, 2015), p.10.
[4] Joseph Robbins, The lost children (Dublin, 1987), pp 200-1.
[5] Andrew Jakubowicz, ‘Media in multicultural nations: Some comparisons’ in John Downing (ed.), Questioning the media: A critical introduction (New York, 1995), p.178.
Irish Aussies: historical perspectives 