Sarah Mitchell
The idea that Irish Catholics were slaves is considered a myth by many historians, who argue that the narrative stems from a misinterpretation of the history of indentured servitude. While it is true that thousands of Irish Catholics were sent to colonies like Barbados, Jamaica, and Montserrat, they were legally and socially distinct from enslaved Africans. The indentured servants, or indentures, entered into contracts to provide labour for a finite period, after which they were free to travel, own property, and accumulate wealth. However, the transport, physical work, and living conditions of these servants have been compared to the treatment of enslaved Africans, and some historians argue that the differences between the two systems of labour have been oversimplified.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Irish slaves | Misinterpretation of the history of indentured servitude |
| Irish indentured servants | Were considered legally human, unlike slaves |
| Irish slave owners | Were compensated by the British government on the abolition of legal slavery |
| Irish slave trade | Began to decline after William the Conqueror consolidated control of the English and Welsh coasts around 1080 |
| Number of Irish servants brought to Jamaica from 1671 to 1675 | 500 |
| Percentage of whites on Montserrat who were Irish in 1637 | 69% |
| Number of Irish on St. Kitt's and Nevis in 1650 | 25,000 |
| Number of Irish transported from 1651 to 1660 | Between 80,000 to 130,000 |
| Number of Irish girls and young men sent to Jamaica in 1656 | 1,000 each |
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What You'll Learn
Irish Catholics in the West Indies
During the 17th century, over half of white immigrants to the West Indies were Irish Catholic servants. Many of these Irish immigrants were indentured servants, political prisoners, or people who had been defined as "undesirable" by the English state. According to historian Thomas Bartlett, it is "generally accepted" that approximately 10,000 Irish were sent to the West Indies involuntarily, while approximately 40,000 came as voluntary indentured servants.
Irish indentured servants were subject to harsh treatment and English settlers' "sense of cultural and religious superiority". They were often targeted with special restrictions and were considered “naturally inferior". Despite this, some Irish people in the West Indies were members of powerful merchant families and had numerous servants themselves. Montserrat, in particular, became a refuge for Irish people fleeing British persecution.
In the 17th century, Irish Catholics constituted the largest block of servants on the island of Barbados. In 1652, Barbados had absorbed an estimated 12,000 Irish political prisoners. In 1656, Cromwell's Council of State voted to send 1,000 Irish girls and 1,000 Irish young men to Jamaica. During this period, between 80,000 and 130,000 Irish people were transported to the West Indies and mainland America as servants and slaves.
While the treatment of Irish indentured servants was harsh, it differed from that of enslaved Africans. Indentured servants willingly entered into contracts, served for a finite period, did not pass on their unfree status to their children, and were still considered fully human. After their period of indenture, they were free to travel, own property, and accumulate wealth.
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Irish indentured servants
The idea of 'Irish slavery' has been referred to as a myth by some historians, who argue that the hardships endured by indentured servants should not be equated with the inhumane system of chattel slavery. However, it is important to acknowledge that thousands of Irish people, most of whom were Catholics, were sent to colonies like Barbados, Jamaica, and the Leeward Islands as indentured servants, and they often faced harsh conditions and cruel treatment.
The treatment of Irish indentured servants varied widely, but some scholars have compared their transport, physical work, and living conditions to the treatment of enslaved Africans. The usual period of indenture for an Irish person was between four and nine years, after which they were free to travel, own property, and accumulate wealth. In Barbados, for example, indentured servants initially worked alongside enslaved Africans in the sugar and tobacco fields. However, by the mid-1660s, white servants were used only in skilled or supervisory roles.
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Irish slave trade in the 11th century
Slavery in Ireland existed long before the 11th century. However, it was under the Norse-Gael Kingdom of Dublin in the 11th century that it reached its peak. The Gaelic raiders had been kidnapping and enslaving people from across the Irish Sea for two centuries after the Fall of the Western Roman Empire. In the Brehon Laws, Senchus Mór, and the Book of Acaill, a "daer fuidhir" ("servile inferior") was a term applied to all who did not belong to a clan, and this class most closely resembled slaves.
The Viking establishment of early Scandinavian Dublin in 841 brought about the creation of a slave market that sold thralls captured in Ireland and other countries, including Muslim Spain. The Vikings also sent Irish slaves to places like Iceland and Anatolia. In 875, Irish slaves in Iceland launched Europe's largest slave rebellion since the fall of Rome, killing their master Hjörleifr Hróðmarsson and fleeing to Vestmannaeyjar.
Slavery became even more widespread in Ireland in the 11th century as the port cities built by the Vikings thrived. Dublin became the biggest slave market in Western Europe. The Irish slave trade began to decline after William the Conqueror consolidated control of the English and Welsh coasts around 1080, and the Normans abolished slavery in 1102. The Irish Council of Armagh in 1171 decreed the liberation of all English slaves in Ireland, but this was linked to the Norman invasion of Ireland.
While slavery in Ireland in the 11th century is well-documented, it is difficult to ascertain how many Irish Catholics owned slaves during this period. The distinction between “servants” and “slaves" in historical records further complicates the matter. It is important to note that the concept of “Irish slaves" in the context of the Atlantic slave trade is a myth that has been propagated by white nationalists and far-right groups to minimize the discrimination faced by African-Americans. While there were instances of Irish indentured servitude, it is misleading to equate this with the hereditary chattel slavery experienced by Africans and their descendants.
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Irish slave myths
The "Irish slaves" myth refers to the idea that Irish people were slaves in the same way that Africans were during the transatlantic slave trade. This narrative is based on a misinterpretation of the history of indentured servitude, which is how many poor Europeans migrated to North America and the Caribbean in the early colonial period. While it is true that life was difficult for indentured servants, and they were often treated brutally, they were legally and socially distinct from enslaved Africans. Servants were considered legally human, and their status was not passed on to their children. Most importantly, their servitude was temporary, usually lasting between four and nine years, after which they were free to travel, own property, and accumulate wealth.
The idea of "Irish slavery" has been debunked by historians, who note that indentured servitude and chattel slavery were two very different labour systems with distinct purposes within the colonial economy and society. The conflation of these two systems has been described as an oversimplification of complex colonial history.
The "Irish slaves" myth has been propagated by non-academic writers and conspiracy websites, who often substitute Irish people for the victims of specific atrocities committed against Black slaves, such as the 1781 Zong massacre. This myth has been deemed racist by critics, who argue that it belittles the suffering of Black slaves and attempts to siphon sympathy towards white ethnic groups.
While the Irish were not slaves in the same way that Africans were, it is important to acknowledge that Ireland has a long history of verifiable tragedies, including centuries of British occupation, famine, emigration, and sectarian violence. Additionally, there is evidence that some Irish Catholics did own slaves. For example, several Caribbean islands have significant Irish communities descended from indentured servants deported from Ireland, and Irish Catholics made up more than two-thirds of plantation owners on the Anglo-Caribbean island of Montserrat in the 17th century.
In conclusion, while the "Irish slaves" myth is not supported by historical evidence, it is important to recognize the complex and often tragic history of Ireland and the Irish people, as well as their involvement in the transatlantic slave trade as both slaves and slave owners.
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Irish slave owners
The idea of Irish slavery has been referred to as a myth by some historians and writers, who argue that it was based on a misinterpretation of the history of indentured servitude. While it is true that thousands of Irish people were sent to colonies like Barbados, they were socially and legally distinct from enslaved Africans. The indentured servants had a different legal status, and their usual period of indenture was from four to nine years, after which they were free. However, it is important to acknowledge that the treatment of Irish indentured servants was often brutal, and some historians have focused on how the Irish were both colonized and colonizers in the Caribbean.
Irish merchants of various religious and social backgrounds profited from the slave trade, even though the Navigation Acts prevented direct participation. They exported goods to overseas plantations and imported slave-produced goods into Ireland. Some Irish emigrants to Liverpool, such as David Touhy and Felix Doran, became wealthy from the slave trade. In the 17th century, Irish Catholics made up more than two-thirds of the Anglo-Caribbean island of Montserrat's plantation owners, and they were known for their harsh treatment of slaves.
The history of slavery in Ireland itself is complex. Early medieval legal texts describe a class system in which those not belonging to a clan were considered "servile inferiors". When the Vikings established Dublin in 841, they began a slave market that sold people captured from Ireland and other countries. Gaelic raiders also kidnapped and enslaved people from across the Irish Sea for two centuries after the Fall of the Western Roman Empire. In the 11th century, slavery became more prevalent in Ireland as Viking port cities flourished, with Dublin becoming the biggest slave market in Western Europe. The Irish slave trade declined after William the Conqueror consolidated control of the English and Welsh coasts, and it was abolished by the Normans in 1102.
While the specific number of Irish Catholics who owned slaves is not readily available, it is clear that some did, particularly in the context of the Anglo-Caribbean island of Montserrat in the 17th century. It is important to recognize the complexities of colonial history and the different forms of labor and exploitation that existed within it.
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Frequently asked questions
While there is a long history of slavery in Ireland, the idea that Irish people were slaves in the American colonies is a myth. Irish people were sent to colonies like Barbados, but they were indentured servants, not slaves.
Indentured servants were considered legally human, whereas slaves were not. Servants had a finite period of service, usually between four and nine years, after which they were free to travel, own property, and accumulate wealth.
Yes, there were Irish slave owners. For example, Felix Doran was an Irish Catholic who moved to Liverpool and became very wealthy from the slave trade.
Yes, there were some benefits. In Jamaica in 1685, the 2nd Duke of Aberlmarle mustered his chief support from Irish Catholic small planters and servants.
Between 80,000 and 130,000 Irish people were transported from 1651 to 1660. In 1652, 12,000 political prisoners were sent to Barbados, most of whom were Irish.
