Opinion - Local Diaspora Toolkit and Genealogy

The Irish Minister for Diaspora Affairs, Mr. Jimmy Dennihan, TD, recently launched the Local Diaspora Toolkit (Irish Times article about the launch). It was created by the Clinton Institute at University College Dublin and is meant to be a "a practical guide for local authorities and local and community groups to assist in the development of strategies for local diaspora engagement."[1] This toolkit was promised in the Global Irish – Ireland’s Diaspora Policy publication, which was launched earlier this year in March (I wrote a lengthy opinion piece when that document was published about the role of genealogy in diaspora engagement).

The Local Diaspora Toolkit is divided into four main sections in relation to the diaspora - identifying, engaging, communicating, and growing, with a fifth section focusing on funding and investing. Users of the toolkit are first recommended to define their diaspora. Of the five diaspora groups identified—lived, ancestral, next generation, returning, and affinity—genealogy can play a fundamental role with the ancestral group.

The toolkit encourages users to identify clusters of Irish emigrant communities, noting that "local knowledge, supported and enhanced by research, shows that there are often distinctive patterns of emigrant movement and resettlement from a specific area, so that you can find clusters of communities which have significant populations from a particular area in Ireland."[2] Four examples are identified: Mayo's connections with Cleveland, Ohio; Monaghan's twinning with Prince Edward Island; the descendants of Longford emigrants in Argentina; and Ballyoura, County Cork's links with Peterborough in Canada.

Regular readers of Townland of Origin will be familiar with my efforts to highlight these links. Researching those in the area of the U.S. or Canada where you immigrant ancestor settled in one useful strategy if you cannot find out where your ancestor came from in Ireland.

• From Achill to Cleveland
• From Donegal to Philadelphia
• From Tyrone/Monaghan to Providence, Rhode Island
• From Tipperary to Rutland County, Vermont
• Wexford Savannah Axis
• From North Tipp to the Canadas
• A Michigan Gaeltacht
• From Beare to Butte

The idea of  researching links between a part of Ireland and another part of the world that were created due to emigration from Ireland is not new. However, it is encouraging to see it officially promoted in an Irish Government publication. There are very few countries in the world where genealogy forms part of official national Government policy. While that is an extremely positive step, these efforts must continue and be refined further.

Projects in parts of Ireland that aim to connect with diaspora communities through genealogy and local history research can be beneficial in a number of ways. Bringing local residents together to work on a project creates social cohesion and community participation. Such projects can raise the profile of that community in the wider region through local media interest in any books or websites that showcase the research. Funding can be secured for the research which will be spent in the local community and county. Lastly, members of the diaspora will hopefully want to come and visits once the hard work has paid off and links are established.  

Many Irish communities in the U.S and Canada are keenly aware of such links and it has to be said that they have often been the driver in establishing such relationships over the last number of decades. It is good to see that, belatedly, these connections have been more readily recognized in Ireland over the last number of years. There is funding available through the Emigrant Support Programme for organizations outside of Ireland who are interesting in connecting with Irish communities  (the application process for 2015 grant money is now closed).

So if you want to start a diaspora project in your local community how can you get started? Access the Local Diaspora Toolkit here and get reading. The final section of the toolkit outlines a number of organizations that can help with project funding, such as The Western Development Commission, The LEADER Rural Development Programme, The Heritage Council and Worldwide Ireland Funds. Hopefully, increased funding will be forthcoming from these organizations for such diaspora research projects.

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[1] Kennedy, Liam and Madeleine Lyes. Local Diaspora Toolkit. Dublin: Office of the Minister for Diaspora Affairs. 2015. p.5

[2] Kennedy and Lyes. 2015. p. 15.