Focussing on the key theme of this year’s festival, this event welcomes an esteemed panel of experts discuss the cause, effect and lasting influence of Irish migration.

The Liverpool Irish Festival celebrates the connections between Liverpool and Ireland. In so doing, it acknowledges that the one of the dominant strands in the formation of the city was and is Irish immigration. The Office of National Statistics estimates that 50% of the population of Liverpool has Irish heritage; whilst the Liverpool Echo puts the figure higher, at 75%. This ‘Irishness’ of Liverpool is often cited in accounts that try to explain Liverpool’s distinctiveness amongst English cities. The panel will discuss different aspects of the influence of Irish migration on Liverpool and the wider Irish diaspora – there will be plenty of time for discussion with the audience.

The panel consists of:

• Dr Johanne Devlin Trew (University of Ulster), speaking about migration from Northern Ireland to Britain
• Dr Gillian O’Brien (John Moores University, Liverpool), speaking about Irish in the USA
• Greg Quiery (local historian and author), speaking about Irish in Liverpool
• Prof. Mary Hickman (Liverpool Irish Festival Board member) and Chair of this panel.

This seminal event speaks to the very heart and theme of #LIF2018 and is a highlight of the programme in terms of thinking about Ireland’s influence on the city and the world. Being in the Global Village Theatre of the Museum of Liverpool is an important statement in embedding Irish culture in the fabric of the city. this is a must see event for anyone with an interest in Liverpool or Irish history, migration or diaspora studies or those with interest in local socio-geography.