Emigration should not always be seen as a tragedy; it can be an opportunity

Who better to speak about emigration than a former emigrant? Me. I'm talking about beautiful Putney by the Thames in London in 1960-'61. A teenager in "swinging London", living in the home of a kind uncle and his two sons who made sure I got out of bed in the morning to go to work (in various men's fashion shops, including Burton's) and kept a general eye on me. The Great Train Robbery was yet to take place (1963) but "those in the know" around Putney knew that two of the heist gang drank in the Spotted Horse pub just across the road from my digs. Being just a teen at the time, I didn't drink with them. Did I like London? Loved it. Was I lonely? Extremely. Did I gain anything from the experience? Vast amounts. Would I go back again if I had to? Definitely. It taught me how to get around on my own, to embrace the city's diversity, to enjoy its sights and its culture. Most important of all, it took me off the island of Ireland away from its insularity to a place where the mind was broadened on every waking day. Each dawn brought a new experience. Our insularity has exhibited itself in some of the recent debates about emigration. Pity the politican who muses on the subject and takes up a position against the prevailing view - the ochóne ochóne school of music with its one-note chant 'emigration a tragedy'. The late Brian Lenihan senior had opprobrium poured on his head when he expressed the view that perhaps emigration might be good for us. Of course, he went further and said that we can't all live on a small island such as Ireland. And recently, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan talked himself into a tight spot when he suggested that "lifestyle choice" was prompting many people to emigrate. Abuse poured down on his head and only came to a stuttering halt when the Irish Times came up with its survey on emigration. It asked respondents: "Did you feel forced to emigrate or was it your choice?". Some 59 per cent said 'choice' and 41 per cent said 'forced'. Asked "why did you leave Ireland?", 42 per cent said a change/experience, 40 per cent said "work" and 17 per cent said "personal reasons". According to the survey, 53 per cent of men said that it was their choice to go abroad while 47 per cent said they had been forced to do so. Some 67 per cent of women surveyed said they went by choice while 33 per cent said they had been forced. There are two sides to this debate. There is a history of emigration in this country, with a rapid increase in numbers going abroad shortly after the Famine. The number of people in the country has never recovered from pre-Famine levels (eight million). The majority of these people fled the country to seek economic recovery abroad away from a country in the tragic grip of starvation, and they never returned. Today, cheaper travel and a keener sense of adventure and finding out how the other half lives have prompted many young people to get away from Ireland for a while. The words of Will Keena (quoted alongside the survey results in the Irish Times) encaptures that thrill of being out on one's own on the great ship of life, experiencing everything that life throws at you - "Mornings are beautiful down here at Melbourne's majestic, tranquil Brighton beach. I'm awake just after dawn and there's an inky blue sky that just runs and runs. The depth of the shade is striking, its freshness replenishing. I'm up early because I'm anxious. "Today, I will find out whether Tuesday's second interview went as I hoped" and he added: "The employment positivity here is infectious. Triumphant stories abound among my acquaintances, a welcome change from the gruelling death-match for opportunities in Ireland." There is another side that we must acknowledge also. For those "forced" to emigrate to find employment, the going can be tough indeed. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence of young fathers or mothers having to leave their children in Ireland while they seek some economic relief in other countries. It would be foolish to ignore the fact that they plough a lonely and stressful furrow. We all have to remain hopeful that the Republic will turn the economic corner, that we can recover to a position where we can provide work for our citizens who want to work. In the meantime, there is a place for emigration.