Around 70 million people claim Irish heritage worldwide and many can trace back their ancestry back to France in some way.
French-Irish ancestry can be traced through baptisms, marriages, burials, legal documents and census records. One helpful tool in tracking them down is Tanguay, an online genealogical dictionary freely available through Bibliotheque et Archives nationales du Quebec.
French Settlement
Following the repeal of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, many Huguenot refugees fled France for Ireland where their settlement was welcomed by Parliament and many large settlements were created in cities like Dublin, Cork and Portarlington as well as smaller towns such as Lisburn Waterford and Youghal. Here they enjoyed various religious privileges while helping establish linen manufacturing industry in Ireland.
Descendants of these migrants can be found all around the world, contributing to politics, the arts and business in their adopted nations while proudly upholding their Irish roots. Over 70 million people claim some form of Irish ancestry worldwide and searching the Findmypast website will give you plenty of results with plenty of useful information available – it’s free too!
Huguenot Refugees
Huguenots were French Protestants who fled persecution due to religious divisions caused by Reformation, which also brought profound social and cultural transformation to Europe.
After the Revocation of Nantes Edict, Huguenots sought shelter across Europe and beyond. England was particularly welcoming for refugees; and an estimated 10,000 Huguenots settled in Ireland alone.
Huguenots settled primarily in the Dutch Republic, Germany (particularly Brandenburg-Prussia), Switzerland, and Scandinavia. Many skilled Huguenot craftspeople remained active in their trade in their new countries of residence.
Have you heard of Sheridan Le Fanu or Samuel Beckett, both Huguenot descendants? Some of the original settlers established churches and various organizations – Friendly Societies, Mutual Aid Groups, Hospitals and Schools. Calvinist religion strongly influenced their practice which placed individual responsibility for worshipping God at the forefront. These personal decisions ultimately had an impactful influence on community formation efforts.
French Influence on Irish Culture
Those of Irish heritage may find their ancestry has French connections at one point or another in its history, thanks to massive migration in 17th and 18th century Ireland that brought many French descendants with them.
One of the most significant contributions of Huguenot refugees was revitalizing Ireland’s linen industry through their skills and expertise, leaving an indelible mark on Irish culture and society.
Irish and French relations remain integral parts of everyday life, from street names to cognac houses – there is an impressive legacy of influence between them that continues to affect lives around us.
Mary Pierse, an expert on George Moore, fin de siecle literature and Irish feminisms has written extensively about how French has had an effect on Irish language and culture.
Irish Migration to Canada
Ireland was plagued with abject poverty and Penal Law discrimination that drove families abroad in search of better lives. While some rich Irish emigrants could afford the journey to America, most found shelter in Canada.
Immigration increased rapidly following the Napoleonic Wars, with ports such as Grosse Ile, Montreal in Quebec, and St John’s, New Brunswick serving as embarkation and arrival locations.
Irish immigrants made a profound mark on Canadian society and culture. They quickly rose to become the fourth-largest ethnic group and greatly shaped Quebecois political beliefs, becoming especially influential in Montreal where they dominated local politics for decades. Two exhibits feature stories from this time: Traumatized Survivors in Niagara recounts how Irish emigrants survived travelling on some of the worst coffin ships to establish themselves in Niagara County Ontario while Caregivers for Irish Famine Orphans: Kingston/Toronto explores this dimension of Irish Famine orphan caregiving relationships through virtual exhibits that cover these lives both locations as well as their Canadian caregivers’ caregiving capacities in Kingston/Toronto/Caregivers/caregivers’ lives during this time period.