Irish people in Jamaica
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| (300,000 - 700,000 (estimated 25% of Jamaica's population)) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Jamaica
|
|
| Languages | |
| Jamaican English, Jamaican Patois, Irish (historical) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Irish diaspora, White Jamaican |
Irish Jamaicans are Jamaican citizens whose ancestors originated from Ireland. Irish people are the second-largest reported ethnic group in Jamaica, after Jamaicans of African ancestry. Population estimates range from 300,000 to 700,000, making Irish Jamaicans up to 25% of Jamaica's population. Most Jamaicans with Irish ancestry also have African ancestry.
The first wave of Irish immigrants occurred in the early 17th century, Irish emigrant principally sailors, servants, and merchants. Many of the poorer emigrants were displaced Gaelic-Irish and Anglo-Irish Catholics, as well as convicts.
One of the first English colonies in the Caribbean was established on Barbados in 1626. The term "Barbadoed" came from this event, denoting Penal transportation (not slavery; see Irish indentured servants, with many English and Scots also suffering transportation.
Irish merchant families from towns like Galway, Kinsale and Waterford established their trading networks in the Caribbean.
Irish transportees were first brought to Jamaica in large numbers under the English republic of Oliver Cromwell following the capture of Jamaica from the Spanish in 1655 by William Pen and Robert Venables as part of Cromwell's strategic plan to dominate the Caribbean: the "Western Design". The force that annexed the island undoubtedly contained large numbers of Irish troops, as they were encouraged to leave Barbados where the army assembled. Between three and four thousand additional troops were raised from volunteers among the indentured servants and freemen in the colonies of Barbados, Montserrat, Nevis and St Kitts, all islands known to have large Irish populations at this time.
In 1656 Cromwell's Council of State voted that 1,000 Irish girls and 1,000 Irish young men be sent to Jamaica. it is not known if that shipment was carried out, but it makes clear what was envisaged for the populating of the island with labour by the British government of the time. Irish immigration to Jamaica occurred primarily through importation of Irish prisoners of war and indentured servants after the Irish rebellion of 1641 and also constituted the second-largest recorded ethnic influx into the country.
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