The Immigration of Irish Lawyers to Australia in the Nineteenth Century: Causes and Consequences

Abstract

In nineteenth century Ireland the Law was an over-crowded profession. Many educated upper-middle class young men, qualified in the Law or in other professions, found that they must make their careers away from their native land. Somewhat surprisingly, the distant Australian Colonies became destinations of choice for Irish lawyers who sought to pursue their profession overseas and to embark on a new life. In Australia many of those Irish lawyers achieved professional success, and often personal fulfilment in other fields of endeavour. Their lives and careers impacted significantly upon their new homeland in its advance to nationhood.