The Irish Empire

While several recent series about the Irish experience have focused more on the events leading to the mass emigration during the famine years in the 19th century and the rise of the Irish in prominent positions in industry and politics in America during the mid-to-late 20th century (notably The Irish in America [VL-7/97] and The Irish in America: Long Journey Home [VL-3/98]), The Irish Empire differs in several ways. Produced by the BBC for Northern Ireland, this series--like its predecessors--looks at how Irish emigrants resisted the "melting pot" and made efforts to preserve their beliefs, values, customs, and culture, but it also presents the Irish experience from the perspective of those who stayed behind. Vol. I, "The Scattering," opens with a look at the diverse landing places of the Irish emigrants (Australia, Canada, United States, Barbados, etc.) throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, examining the historical exigencies (such as the potato famine) and the social pressures and aspirations that prompted families to send their children off in search of a better life. Successive volumes explore the reshaping of the physical and social landscapes by Irish hands and minds, the experiences of Irish women who emigrated (and the huge economic impact on Ireland, as 30% of the Irish economy during the early 1900s came from wages sent home earned by family members living abroad), and the struggles of the Irish Catholics and Protestant Catholics to preserve their respective faiths and peaceably co-exist. The final volume, "Dreams of Home," asks what it means to be Irish today, emphasizing that "Ireland" is located all over the world in the hearts of the Irish who preserve their cultural identity. Combining newsreel footage, stills, home movies, and interviews with historians and immigrants, this outstanding series is highly recommended. Note: This is also available as a 2-disc DVD for $59.98. Aud: H, C, P. (L. Stevens)