Irish immigration to Yorkshire dates back to the 16th century and continued during the age of mass migration. Over the years, people from the Emerald Isle have brought aspects of their unique culture over to God’s Own Country, and some of it has become intertwined with our own beliefs, values, and language.
There are plenty of ways that the Irish have influenced things around these parts, and some Yorkshire folk might not even be aware that certain things originated over there. Various words and phrases, music, and celebrations have all been exported from Ireland.
Ways That Irish Culture Has Permeated Yorkshire
The connection between Ireland and Yorkshire goes back a long way, with many people coming over here in the 19th Century during the Industrial Revolution. When these people moved to places like Leeds, Bradford, and Huddersfield, they started to have an impact on cultural organisations in these locations. There are still events celebrating this to this day, with the Leeds Irish Festival having taken place in the past. Unfortunately, the event was later cancelled because of funding concerns.
When Irish people first started moving to Yorkshire, they came with their own language. Some aspects of it gradually started to stick in the region and developed into common words in Yorkshire dialect. For instance, some researchers believe that lugs – our word for ears – first came over from Ireland. Mither could have also come from Ireland, and it’s used over here to refer to bother.
Some Irish music styles managed to take off in Yorkshire, with the introduction of instruments like the fiddle and tin whistle to people in the county. There are now countless Celtic groups and Ceilidh bands for hire, often found in pubs and at parties. Irish cuisine spread throughout Yorkshire over the last few hundred years as well. Stews and pies are hugely popular in both places, with potatoes being a staple inclusion of most meals.
Internet Has Made Sharing Culture Easier
It’s easy to see how Irish and Yorkshire cultures have blended seamlessly over the years to create what we have today. Nowadays, thanks to the rise of the internet, it’s easy for the cultures of Yorkshire and Ireland to share similar features.
People based in Ireland can still enjoy many of the things that we have here and get a taste of this great county without having to visit. For example, they can watch Happy Valley on Netflix or see Sean Bean in a range of Hollywood pictures. People can even bet on UK Lotto from Ireland using lottery betting sites, enabling them to feel a sense of inclusion in a pastime that has become intertwined with British culture and is hugely popular in Yorkshire.
In the age of online sharing, it’s interesting to think how cultures of different regions could become intermixed in the future. In another 100 years, it may be much harder to define the differences between standout locations like Yorkshire and Ireland.
You may have already been aware of the way Irish culture spread through Yorkshire. However, if this is all new to you, you can try to keep an eye out for instances of Irish influence from now on.
