The Irish Slave trade.

During the 17th Century, African and Irish natives were sent to the island of Barbados.
Slaves first arrived on the island in the 1620’s with the first white settlers and continued
to be brought there as the need for labour created a new market for the international slave
trade. Oliver Cromwell “barbadosed” the Irish who refused to move off their land and
transported to Barbados.Those who were barbadosed were sold as slaves to British
planters. They lived in slave conditions and had no control over their lives.The number
of barbadosed Irish not known but estimates suggest between 12,000 and 60,000 men,
women and children were forced to a life of slavery. The Irish and the African suffered
harsh conditions and joined together in revolt against the British settlers.The enslavement
of Africans in Barbados continued until the 1834 when they emancipated. By then the
Irish had disappeared into history and the Census of 1880 did not identify any barbadian as Irish.What did remain was a small population of poor whites, often called ‘Redlegs’ who many be the descendants of the barbadosed Irish.

What is difficult to understand is the fact that the Irish Government cannot come to terms with this peiod in Irish history. Yes, it is noble to have statues to the An Grota Mor, the Famine, but the early involvement of the Irish in the slave trade needs to be acknowledged and recognised. If you wander around the Slavery Museum in Liverpool what is absent is a reference to the Irish slaves in the 17th Century. Why?

If you would like to view something about my journey to raise awareness about Irish Slavery visit the storyfinder site,click on NEWS and scroll down to Poetry launch for Newry Storyfinder. Do drop a comment!

Please click here for storyfinders.co.uk