A Reflection on Migration and the EPIC Museum | Examine in Eire

Pupil Ambassador Javier Donoso explores Irish historical past, discovering stunning connections between Eire and his house nation, Chile. Learn extra on the weblog!

EPIC, the Irish Emigration Museum, is a spot I visited a few years after arriving in Dublin. Studying the historical past of Eire and its individuals has been an enriching journey since I got here as a pupil, as language and a bachelor’s diploma imply little with out understanding the previous and standard tradition.

Generally we expect that distant nations, reminiscent of Chile and Eire, might need unrelated histories, however the reality is that, on this world, we’re all in some way linked. Do you know that the primary Head of State of Chile (Supreme Director) was of Irish descent? Bernardo O’Higgins, a frontrunner in Chile’s independence, was the son of Ambrose Bernard O’Higgins, who was born in County Sligo and later moved to Spain earlier than working for the Spanish in Chile.

The extra I study Irish historical past, the higher I can perceive the fashionable society the place I research, work, and dwell. One of many features that astonished me most at EPIC was discovering how the Irish had been pressured to flee their nation as a result of Nice Famine within the mid-1800s. Though it’s a unhappy second in Eire’s historical past, it has now turn into a part of the Irish identification. You may see this within the streets: there may be at all times somebody—a volunteer or a passer-by—caring for the homeless and guaranteeing they don’t go hungry. There may be at all times a sizzling meal, at all times a cup of tea, and at all times solidarity and hope. It reveals that individuals know and bear in mind their collective story.

Lastly, on the subject of migration basically, realizing that so many individuals left Eire for the broader world within the harshest circumstances, usually with a one-way ticket and the hope of survival and a brand new starting, makes me mirror on how lucky we’re as we speak emigrate on this technological period. At any time when we really feel homesick, we are able to name or textual content our households, or get a aircraft ticket to return house if an emergency arises. Up to now, individuals left with solely the hope of sooner or later seeing their family members once more. This a part of historical past teaches us resilience and gratitude, qualities that we are able to carry ahead to be stronger and extra appreciative of what we’ve got.

Javier Donoso is finding out Bachelor of Arts at Impartial School through Training in Eire.