An diaspóra — where your people went

Trails of the Irish

Ireland's greatest export was always its people. Follow the trails: monks to the Alps, slaves to Iceland, soldiers to France and Spain, coffin ships to New York, sheep-farmers to the Pampas. Tap a trail for its story.

70 million+people worldwide claim Irish descent — more than ten times the island's population.

1 in 4people born in Ireland between 1850 and 1950 emigrated.

8.2 → 4.4 millionthe island's population fall from 1841 to 1911 — the only European country to shrink through the whole 19th century.

31 millionAmericans reported Irish ancestry in the US census — the second-largest ancestry group.

Arcs are schematic. Figures are commonly cited estimates — each story links to its source.

Choose a trail

Where did your people go?

Tap any glowing point on the map — or pick from the list — to read that journey's story.

All trails