Irish in Aotearoa Report
The connections between Ireland and New Zealand are burgeoning.
To better understand and recognise the shape of these connections, research on the Irish in Aotearoa was commissioned by the Embassy of Ireland, Wellington.
This is an exciting project mapping Irish citizens and community across all 16 regions of New Zealand. This is also an ambitious project, encompassing such a large geographical spread.
The research findings of the Irish in Aotearoa New Zealand are just the beginning of possibilities for future research.
The results of this project are well placed to enable further connections to be made among Irish immigrants, community groups and government representatives.
New Zealand census
Like the census data, these results may also have an impact on business connections. Figures already highlight that Ireland and New Zealand have a developing trade network.
There are two distinct aspects to the following research. In the first part, the New Zealand census returns have been analysed to account for people of Irish ethnicity currently living in New Zealand.
Figures prove that the number of Irish immigrants moving to New Zealand and staying long term has been steadily increasing over the last four census returns from 2001 to the most recent returns in 2018.
Contemporary Irish population in New Zealand
Analysing these figures in more detail, it is possible to gain a deeper insight to the contemporary Irish population in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The regions in which Irish populations mainly reside continues to change with an evolving economic climate.
The second part of this research project includes the use of online surveys to glean more information about New Zealanders of Irish heritage or with an affinity for Ireland.
The survey of Irish community groups is the first of its kind in New Zealand. Prior to this research, very little was known about Irish groups in Aotearoa.
Some groups have now been surveyed including a variety of organisations.
The following report provides more details regarding all aspects of this research project, concerning the Irish in Aotearoa.