The Irish-Caribbean Connection: Unmasking Myths with Dr Ellen Howley

The Irish-Caribbean Connection: Unravelling Myths and Historical Realities

In this episode, the conversation explores the complex and often misunderstood historical connections between Ireland and the Caribbean. Dr. Ellen Howley delves into Irish indentured servitude in the Caribbean, the myth of Irish enslavement, and the significant yet nuanced differences between indentured servitude and African slavery. The discussion covers various aspects, including literary influences, historical records, and the impact of British colonialism. The podcast also highlights modern-day perceptions and the ongoing academic work to uncover and disseminate a more accurate narrative of this shared history.

Dr Ellen Howley is an assistant professor at Dublin City University's School of English. Her book Oceanic Connections: The Sea in Irish and Caribbean Poetry will be published by Syracuse University Press later this year. The book examines how anglophone poets from Ireland and the Caribbean write about the sea. She completed her PhD in 2020 and has published work in academic journals and online publications. 

Website

Article: Entangled Islands exhibition explores the history of the Irish people in the Caribbean - an expert review

Resources

• EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum 
• Entangled Islands - Ireland and the Caribbean YouTube video
• Donald Harman Akenson, If the Irish Ran the World: Montserrat, 1630-1730
• Sean O'Callaghan, To Hell or Barbados
• Finola O'Kane and Ciaran O'Neill (eds.) Ireland, Slavery and the Caribbean
• Jerome S. Handler; Matthew C. Reilly, "Contesting "White Slavery" in the Caribbean: Enslaved Africans and European Indentured Servants in Seventeenth Century Barbados" https://www.jstor.org/stable/26552068
• Alison Donnell, Maria McGarrity, Evelyn O'Callaghan (eds) Caribbean Irish Connections: Interdisciplinary Perspectives
• Liam Hogan's work on the "Irish Slave" meme: https://limerick1914.medium.com/all-of-my-work-on-the-irish-slaves-meme-2015-16-4965e445802a
• Liam Hogan, Laura McAtackney and Matthew Reilly. " The Irish in the Anglo-Caribbean: Servants or Slaves?" https://works.hcommons.org/records/wdpth-94k67
•  M. M. O'Connor, Caribbean Slave Owners & Other Lesser Known Histories of County Mayo
• Karst de Jong, The Irish in Jamaica during the long eighteenth century (1698-1836) https://pure.qub.ac.uk

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