Transatlantic: An Irish American History Podcast · Fin Dwyer & Damian Shiels

1. Who Was the First Irish Person in the Americas?

·42 min·4 clips

Finn Dewar and Damian Shields launch a podcast uncovering the deep, 1,000-year-old connections between Ireland and America.

This inaugural episode of Transatlantic explores the earliest Irish presence in the Americas, predating common historical narratives. Hosts Finn Dewar and Damian Shields, both archaeologists turned historians with over two decades of collaboration, launch their series on Irish-American connections. They aim to uncover ordinary stories and transatlantic influences often overlooked in traditional histories. The episode seeks to identify the very first Irish person to arrive in the Americas, challenging the typical focus on 19th-century migration like the Great Hunger. Shields and Dewar discuss their shared interest in Irish immigration and the diaspora's global impact. They reference starting their professional relationship in an archaeological trench twenty years ago. The hosts examine historical records and potential candidates from the early colonial period. They analyze voyages predating significant English settlement in North America. Specific European expeditions and explorers from the 16th and early 17th centuries are considered for carrying Irish individuals. A key insight is that Irish connections to the Americas began centuries before the mass migrations of the 1800s. The search reveals the complexity of defining "Irish" identity in early modern European contexts. The discussion highlights how ordinary individuals, not just famous figures, were part of these early transatlantic journeys. The episode presents the methodological challenge of verifying identities from fragmentary historical sources. It suggests that Irish people may have arrived as crew members, servants, or even unwilling participants on various ships. This research reframes the Irish-American story as a much longer and more integrated historical process. The tone is conversational and educational, reflecting two colleagues reuniting for a deep historical inquiry. The style is investigative, piecing together clues from the past to answer a foundational question. Listeners interested in niche historical mysteries and early modern Atlantic history would love this episode. Those seeking only well-known 19th-century Irish immigrant narratives might find the earlier timeframe less immediately engaging.

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