Crown, Empire and Home Rule

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Portsmouth's Irish community in the period 1880-1923 was a significant minority of the town's population. Unlike most other Irish settlement in Britain, they were present largely because of service to the crown and empire, whether through the army, navy or royal dockyard. This book examines this community within the broad context of diaspora studies, especially, the historiography of Irish migration to Britain. Portsmouth, the home of the Navy, prided itself on its patriotism and contribution to the integrity of a Protestant British Empire. In this period, when tensions over nationalism and empire were apparent, the presence of a mostly Roman Catholic Irish community who supported Home Rule for Ireland presented an ambiguous situation. Not only did they contribute to the upkeep of empire but they also maintained a distinct Irish ethnic identity through their culture, religion and politics. Despite the existence of prejudice, the Irish sought an accommodation with their hosts by espousing both British and Irish culture. This work adds a new dimension to Irish settlement in Britain and will also interest scholars of migration.