According to the Irish government, around 70 million people in the world claim to be of Irish descent. However, this estimate does not represent that all these people are, in fact, of Irish descent.
So, in search of more accurate data, in 2015, a survey was started to find out how many Irish people and direct descendants of Irish people live in other nations.
It is from this 2015 survey that the government of that country came to official data that approximately seven million people around the world are Irish citizens or native Irish people.
Let’s check, then, which are the favorite destinations for Irish immigrants.
England
With around half a million Irish immigrants, England is the favorite destination for these people. It is easy to understand why England is the country with the largest number of Irish people. In addition to the quick and easy displacement, the culture between the two countries is very similar.
Gastronomy, music and even the similar climate make England an environment very similar to Ireland. Not to mention the proximity, right? Did you miss the “land”, or family members? In a few hours you can return to Ireland.
The cities that receive the most Irish immigrants are Manchester, London and Liverpool, considered the most Irish city in England.
United States
Maybe you’re not an expert on migratory movements, but you must have heard of the Boston Celtics, right? The founding of one of the most successful teams in the NBA has a strong Irish influence. That’s because the city of Boston is one of the favorite cities for Irish immigrants in the United States.
Although in total numbers New York City has the most Irish immigrants, proportionately Boston is the city with the highest percentage of Irish descent in Uncle Sam’s land.
It is estimated that just over 130,000 Irish immigrants lived in the United States
Australia
Since the 18th century, when the Irish began to look for new places to establish themselves, for various reasons, such as religious conflicts or the search for new opportunities, Australia has been one of the favorite destinations of these people.
In addition to the facility of the language, the habits, relatively similar, facilitate the adaptation of the Irish in the land of the kangaroos.
Just over 100,000 immigrants currently inhabit Australia. They are mainly in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
Canada
With approximately 33,000 Irish immigrants, Canada is the fourth country with the largest number of immigrants from this European country.
The biggest motivation is the search for new opportunities for professional growth.
In absolute numbers, the cities with the highest number of Irish immigrants are Ottawa, Toronto and British Columbia cities such as Vancouver and Victoria. However, in percentage terms, Prince Edward Island and the province of Nova Scotia have a higher concentration of Irish people.
Spain
Finally, the fifth largest country with Irish immigrants is Spain. Only country in the Top 5 that does not have English as an official language.
With around 15,000 Irish immigrants, Spain offers a cheaper cost of living and a more attractive climate. Many Irish go to Spain to study and end up staying there.
The favorite cities of Irish immigrants are Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga and Las Palmas.
