Or more exactly “that from 1600 to 1699, far more Irish were
sold as slaves than Africans”. This is the claim from this article.
Reading the article, there is a certain amount of sense there but I can’t verify any of the facts or info on it as I’m not a big history buff. If it is true, how did I miss this in my Irish history class in school? Why is it something that’s ignored by modern Irish culture? It would seem to me to be a greater tragedy than the potato famine.
The Irish slaves, apparently, even got treated worse than other slaves because they were cheaper and Catholic:
Although the Africans and Irish were housed together and were the property of the planter owners, the Africans received much better treatment, food and housing. In the British West Indies the planters routinely tortured white slaves for any infraction. Owners would hang Irish slaves by their hands and set their hands or feet afire as a means of punishment. To end this barbarity, Colonel William Brayne wrote to English authorities in 1656 urging the importation of Negro slaves on the grounds that, “as the planters would have to pay much more for them, they would have an interest in preserving their lives, which was wanting in the case of (Irish)….” many of whom, he charged, were killed by overwork and cruel treatment. African Negroes cost generally about 20 to 50 pounds Sterling, compared to 900 pounds of cotton (about 5 pounds Sterling) for an Irish. They were also more durable in the hot climate, and caused fewer problems. The biggest bonus with the Africans though, was they were NOT Catholic, and any heathen pagan was better than an Irish Papist.
Is this bullshit, “bad history” (ala “bad science”) so to speak, or is this true?
True to LIFE SHYT HERE man, I am Irish and never knew all of this before research.
The difference in treatment makes sense to me, as most Caucasians back then didn’t look upon black Africans as humans, therefore probably figured weren’t capable of enough thought to uprise. So punishment was probably seen as a deterrent to white slaves and not so to Africans. It could also be that African men were built well from their lifestyles in Africa and then genetically, and were more feared than some white guy their size.
Yeah, It’s true, something history books conviently leave out. Why do you think the black and irsh civil rights movements were so close, and black panthers protester with the us (irish) after bloody sunday.
I am Irish and found this out recently, seems they went through alot! I love my heritage even more now as blacks love theres in the States nowadays. The thing is one is well known, they have a month and we have nothing nor things in history books in schools
I am depressed knowing this here.
I am Irish born also, and yes it’s true. Have know about this for years as have many others.
“the Africans and Irish were housed together and were the property of the planter owners”
Now you also know the true origins of the “black Irish”. Many later made their way to North America from the Carribean.
I’m an African American female and I’m doing the history on my father’s family. In my research I discoverd that my father’s grandmother was and Irish woman, a black Irish woman. Her name was Sara O’Shannessy. Not sure of the spelling. Quite surprised at that. I need to find out what part of Ireland she came from. I love history and plan to do some study on slavery in Ireland. If anyone can help thanks.
why did we ever seperate our struggle from africans? rhetorical question!
That is so incredibly wrong. I learned they were left overs from the Spanish Armada that settled there, but it’s only a theory. There are many.
yes, irish slaves were treated much worse than african slaves — because they were catholic!
and, because they were basically free and easy to get from england, where they were in the midst of genocide.
african slaves cost more and weren’t dehumanized as another “race” until after bacon’s rebellion in 1676.
until then, black slaves were mostly not even slaves for life, they were more “indentured servant” types.
but after bacon’s rebellion the colonial aritstocracy saw the need to disunify their servants and slaves of all types (who had united against them.)
it is only then that the concept of “race” enters the american colonies.
its only after this rebelliion