Even in the late 1960s Irish people were getting money and parcels of clothes sent home for relatives in America.
So many people and American dollars sent to them shops in Ireland accepted payment in dollars with have to go to bank to change currency.
Knock airport was build partly by dollars sent home by the Irish in America.
There was a rumour that some of the American money may have come for the CIA. The head of the CIA was Mr Casey who was Irish American at the time and a second major airport on the west coast of Ireland was seen as useful in the context of the cold war.
In the 1980s there were a 100,00 Irish living illegally in America.
A lot more would have gone if it was easier to go there legally in the 1980s.
Irish economy often has big crashes and people emigration in big numbers.
after 2009 a lot of Irish went to Australia and Canada as it was easier than going to America.
As you most went to Britain a small number went to other European countries.
Irish tend to prefer going to countries that speak English.
The Irish tend to go where they had family connections.
Most Irish have family in America.
Members of my wider family have be moving to America from 1800 maybe before but I do not have family records before 1800.
The (bad) luck of the Irish
When American politicians talk about immigration, they probably aren’t thinking about the Irish. They should be.
https://www.politico.eu/article/the-bad-luck-of-the-irish-us-immigration-policy-illegal-immigrants/