Somewhere, way back, I have some ancestors from Ireland. My last name of Barry is certainly very Irish. Imagine my surprise when I first saw the name Barry as a surname among a few Argentines. Of coure, it’s pretty rare and these folks have first names like Juan or Luis. I just imagine that my cousins back in Tennessee might find the idea of a Juan Barry rather humorous but the Irish/Argentine blend does exist. I aim to find out more about it and see if I can locate any long, long lost cousins. The best place to start such a search is with the Irish Argentine Historical Society, an international group that is examining the lives, settlements, and achievements of the Irish in Argentina. I don’t know why but genealogy and family history are big things for anyone with Irish roots.
Founded only in 2003, the Irish Argentine Historical Society is busy working on a number of research projects and educational programs. The executive committee consists of researchers and individuals from around the world who are interested in Irish migration patterns. (When I moved to Miami I also was surprised to learn that the Irish had also went to Cuba).
The Irish Argentine Historical Society’s web site consists of several fascinating sections. An introduction provides background for those with little knowledge of Irish emigration to Argentina. Another section provides information about the Irish counties with high rates of emigration to Latin America. The “Journey” section has articles about 19th and early 20th century travel to South America including a list of 7,000 names of Irish who arrived in Buenos Aires. The “settlement” section has an extensive list of Irish settlers in Argentina as well as burial records. Some oral histories are also available.
What an incredible resource! I’ll be spending a lot of time with this material!
July 11th, 2005 at 7:30 pm
[…] Jeff Barry discusses the history of the Irish in Argentina. […]
January 17th, 2006 at 5:17 am
Irish surnames are common here in Argentina Irish is the fourth ethnic group after Italians, Spanish (mostly Basques and Galicians) and Germans.
O’Connel, O’Connor, Lynch, Murphy just to name afew of the people I know with irish surnames.
Friday, 18 March 2005, was Saint Patrick’s Day.
The Irish Community and St Patrick’s in Buenos Aires …….
The fifth largest Irish community in the world is in Argentina, and it’s important to point out that Argentina is a non-English speaking country.
Hence the more than 500,000 Irish-Argentinean families living in Argentina today are a great example in terms of traditions and cultural heritage power, surviving after over a century and a half taking in consideration the huge and inevitable language barrier.
But Argentina was, and still is an official Catholic country with freedom of cult -for all the other religions and cults-, and this was a great input for those Irish catholics who were running away from the British protestant power.
All and all, it were the broad and huge pampas who welcomed the new immigrants into a world of work in the fields and the posibility of surviving on something else than potatoes. The west frontier was still open -alike in the US- and by 1850s the sheep cattle grew at an amazing rate, together with Spanish and Italian immigrants, the Irish population that set in Argentina were helping this upcoming country to develop into a Nation.
Argentina was built on those pilars of hard work and great tolerance, our culture has always been a melting pot in which all recognize their differences and similarities, were homeland traditions are preserved and new, local ones, are included, bringing up to life a unique combination. It shall raise no eyebrows then the great deal of importance St Patrick’s day has in our country, not just for Irish families, but to us all in general -Irish, French, Italian, Spanish… all Argentines in one sense… Ireland patron, St Patrick is known worldwide for his works converting the Irish to Catholicism, he then -during the 5th century AF- needn’t to root off the Celtic customs, but to lead them into a broader universe of beliefs in Catholicism, his didactic means to teach Godspeed using the shamrock have become a symbol of Catholic Ireland, and throughout the world March 17th it’ s the day of festivity to recall upon their Saint -who’s also said to have taught the Irish how to distillate alcohol from malt and barley, hence the importance of beer in this celebration.
Yesterday on March 17th 2005, Buenos Aires’s most Irish quarter in Retiro area dressed up in Green and over 60,000 people celebrated St. Patricks, not with a parade but a street party throughout 10 blocks… During the days masses were celebrated at BA’s Irish churches and throughout the Buenos Aires province, were the largest part of the Irish community is located.
I was a superb party, filled with joy and excitement, loud and beautiful Irish folk music being plaid until early hours of the morning, dancing and celebrating. For the last 15 years this has been the preferential location for St Patrick ‘s celebration in BA, specially growing in terms of non Irish participants for the great impact of Irish culture worldwide.
But even before the great flow of immigrants came to Argentina, our history has been tied to Irish outstanding personalities ………
But did ytou know why we should celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day in Argentina ?
………..such as one of our nation’s forefathers Admiral William Brown born in Foxford in 1777 he was to command a squadron of seven ships with which on Saint Patrick’s Day in 1841, he captured the fort of Martin Garcia, called “The Gibraltar of the La Plata”.
Following many successful battles, he acted as Argentine Commissioner throughout the Independece wars and even more he’s doings seatled – when at the close of the war- the Liberty of Buenos Aires by the treaty of Montevideo on October 4th 1827.
Just an example, not that we’d tell each Irishmen and women’s life’s in our country, for not all are as renamed as Admiral Brown, but each and every one of them with their hands and loving heart helped this country, their country, to become a nation.
Happy St. Patricks and may the luck of the Irish be yours today!
Email Bob Frassinetti.
February 20th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
I have become interested in trying to trace the descendants of my great uncle Bernardo Mahon who went to Argentina from Longford Ireland he is mentioned in Rosario census of 1895 can anyone help
April 21st, 2008 at 1:11 pm
[…] someone with Irish ancestry (way, way back), I’ve written a bit before about Irish immigration to Argentina. A great resource for this topic is the wonderful Irish […]
April 5th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Hi, I am from Cork City in Ireland and would like to know do you have an Irish newspaper for Irish immigrants or do you have a society were you meet up?
kind regards
Linda
April 5th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Hi Linda, you should check out the web site for the Irish Argentine Historical Society: http://www.irishargentine.org. They can probably answer your question.
June 23rd, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Anyone interested in Irish ancestral research might also be interested in Irish Roots magazine. Irish Roots magazine is completely dedicated to Irish ancestry and incorporates the entire island of Ireland. Irish Roots magazine is a valuable resource tool for anyone tracing their Irish ancestors.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:12 pm
With the downturn in the Irish economy today, are you seeing a new, if not tiny, wave of immigration from Ireland to Argentina. It would be kind of ironic as not long ago some of Irish descent were trying to come to Ireland to work — and they’d have been most welcome. I live now in the U.S. but when I lived back in Ireland about 25 years ago, I ran into some families who had strong family ties to Argentina. For instance, a friend in Ireland had an elderly aunt from Longford who emigrated to B. Aires. Also, I had the distinct pleasure of once meeting an elderly returned Irish-Argentine gentleman who settled out his last days in a nursing home in Co. Longford. His parents, then deceased, were originally from Longford and I was fascinated as he recalled their and his familu experience –including the language of communication. Any feedback welcome. I’d love to take my family to BAires and have my daughters step dance in the Irish club there one day — and take in a side visit with some friends from Argentina I’ve gotten to know in recent years.
Feedback?
November 15th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Is there a record available on the lives of these people from Ireland who emigrated to Argentina in the 1920s? (Can’t help thinking you are seeing a trickle of Irish people emigrating today to Argentia, given the state of the Irish economy?)
From your Time on 1920:
New wave of Irish emigration to Argentina owing to social upheaval in Ireland, particularly young professionals and employees from Cork and Dublin, some with Church of Ireland background (1923).
November 16th, 2009 at 5:45 am
I suggest checking the Irish in Argentina web site mentioned in comment 6 above.
I haven’t personally encountered any Irish settling here lately, but I wouldn’t be surprised. There’s quite a number from the U.K. & U.S. that have moved here for the lower cost-of-living. Of course, there are few jobs in Argentina, so either a Web-based income or savings is needed.
January 11th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
I am beginning family research on my great grandfather’s 2 brothers and 1 sister [FAMILY NAME —MCCORMICK ] who immigrated from Ireland to B A about 1850 -1870. We have very little info other than a ‘ tin ‘ picture of the 2 brothers and understand one of the brothers married the daughter of a rancher in the late 1800’s .
I am also having difficulty accessing your data bases, any help would be most appreciated ,regards , Jim Mcgee
October 13th, 2012 at 3:25 pm
Hi Everybody in Argentina,
I am the author of the Irish contemporary music a song show Celtic Cry which has just been invited to Brazil for Saint Patricks day in 2013.
We would be interested in playing your venue while in South America. For more information check out http://www.celticcry.com . A sample of some of our tunes from our CD is attached and we have a face book page Celtic Cry or you may check Murty Brennan . We are interested in making a number of visits to South America over the next few years and we feel your Venue would benefit from us playing in it as we would from playing there.
We are a very professional outfit as you will see when you check our web page including James Blennerhassett from Van Morrisson’s band and also the tour event manager Noel Clifford from the legendary Dubliners. entserve@yahoo.co.uk is Celtic Cry’s Manager
I look forward to hearing from you if you are interested or not as I would like to open a communication pathway between your venue and Celtic Cry,
Kind regards,
Murty Brennan
info@celticcry.com
murtyb_63@hotmail.com
March 14th, 2013 at 8:27 pm
my grandmother went to buenos aires in approx 1910. she worked as a nanny for i think family, her maiden name was Annie Moran from Westmeath when she later returned to ireland she married Jack Tumelty. iwould like to find out more about her time in BA and wonder if anyone can advise how i go about this?
April 28th, 2013 at 11:45 am
You might be interested in reading my debut novel, Water WIll Find its Way, set in Argentina and Spain, about 3 generations of Armenian women.
I’m from County Tyrone, currently living in Sicily. I visited Buenos Aires in 1998.
Abrazos,
Bronagh Slevin
http://bronaghslevin.com/books/
June 4th, 2013 at 7:07 pm
Words of literature…..spread the WORD…….
10th Annual Bloomsday 2013
WEAR YOUR BRIGHTEST COLOURS
A Celebration of Literature – Words – Wit – Wisdom – Where?
James Joyce’s book ‘Ulysses’ depicts the events of one day
when Stephen Dedalus and Leopold Bloom took their epic
journey through Dublin.
For millions of people, June 16 is an extraordinary day. On
that day in 1904, Stephen Dedalus and Leopold Bloom each
took their epic journeys through Dublin in James Joyce’s
Ulysses, the world’s most highly acclaimed modern novel.
“Bloomsday”, as it is now known, has become a tradition for
Joyce enthusiasts all over the world. From Tokyo to Sydney,
San Francisco to Paris, Trieste to…. Northampton, dozens of
cities around the globe hold their own Bloomsday festivities.
The celebrations usually include readings as well as staged
re-enactments and street-side improvisations of scenes from
the story.
To celebrate that special day, known as Bloomsday, the Irish
Community Arts Project will present a reading by invited
literary figures at the graveside of Lucia Anna Joyce who died
in Northampton in 1982. Like many of us the Joyce family are
part of the Irish Diaspora and as such we remember this family.
The event will take place at 3pm on Sunday 16th June 2013
at Kingsthorpe Cemetery, Northampton.
The Triskelion Theatre Company will perform in period
costume.
Further details from
Peter Mulligan.
Project Co-ordinator
NCA Arts Project
Northampton Connolly Association
5 Woodland Avenue
Abington Park
Northampton NN3 2BY
Tel. 01604-715793
e-mail: ca-projects@gmx.com