Summary: Catholic Emigration
Key dates:
The armies on the Continent were an outlet for Irish Catholic soldiers who had no prospects at home. After the defeat of the Jacobites in 1691, many took advantage of the opportunity to go to France as The Wild Geese and join the army of Louis XIV. This Irish Brigade fought for French kings until the Revolution of 1789. At that time most Irish Brigade soldiers were royalists. There was also an Irish Brigade in Spain from 1709. The Lacy family from Co Limerick went to Russia where one became a Field Marshal for Peter the Great.
Students for the priesthood had to travel to colleges on the Continent and many of these Irish Colleges were to be found until the Jesuits were expelled from Spain in 1767 and the French revolution took place in 1789.
|
