Call for emigrant stories from Kenmare to North America

The waves of emigration from Kenmare over the centuries have been spurred by unrest and conflict, famines and land clearances, unemployment and the search for a better life. For some it was a wanderlust - a desire to see more of the world. Emigration has changed from a one way ticket, never to return to today’s frequent flyers.

But as well as success stories there are those from people who have been less fortunate. All have stories waiting to be told; and we want to hear them and see your pictures. The next Kenmare Chronicle will be published in November 2015, featuring stories and photographs connecting Kenmare and North America.

We will be researching the various waves of emigration from the early 1700s with emigrants to America arriving as indentured servants through to the assisted emigration to New York, New Orleans, Boston and Quebec of the 1850s, and reflecting on the undocumented and emigration problems of today in the United States.

We already have stories of Kenmare people who settled and whose families rose through society to become teachers, doctors, successful business men or politicians, and others who fought and died for their adopted country from wars of independence and civil wars, to wars on the world stage.

William Petty, second Earl of Shelburne (1737- 1805), was responsible for bringing about the end of the American War of Independence while he was the British prime minister. In recognition of his efforts in bringing about the peace there are towns and counties in New England and Canada baring the name of Shelburne. There are also descendants of Kenmare emigrants who made their mark on the developing independent US from the very beginning in the army of George Washington and as governors of New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

We have also collected stories about the influence in the other direction from America to Kenmare, beginning with Henry Pelham’s involvement in the early planning of the town of Kenmare and the surrounding area.

The publication will feature as many stories as possible that reflect on the lives of emigrants and how they settled or returned back home to Kenmare.

It is not just old stories we are looking for, but those from the present day as well. We would like to include experiences of those who have travelled to the US and Canada recently - either on student visas or on a more permanent basis, and also the troubles facing those who remain outside the emigration laws.

Interspersed with these stories of Kenmare emigrants we also wish to carry other factual articles or university papers on various aspects of emigration.

If you can help us with this collection, please send your stories and photos to growingweb@eircom.net

Simon Linnell is editor of the Kenmare Chronicle. See Kenmare Chronicle on Facebook