Rites of Passage

Ireland is a Christian country, with the vast majority of its people traditionally belonging to the Roman Catholic Church. There is also a significant population in Northern Ireland belonging to the various Protestant churches (Presbyterian Church, Church of Ireland & Methodist Church).

The vast numbers of Irish arriving in Leeds from the 1820s greatly swelled the Catholic population of the town. New churches were built in 1831 (Saint Patrick’s, Burmantofts) and 1857 (Mount Saint Mary’s, Richmond Hill) to serve the Irish who for the most part settled in the east end of Leeds.

Slum clearances in the city centre in the 1930s meant that the Irish community was dispersed from its traditional home and as a result news parishes were created and churches built across the city, including Saint Augustine’s (Harehills) and Church of the Holy Rosary (Chapeltown) both completed in 1937.

The 1950s witnessed an increase in the number of new parishes being set up, partly due to the expansion of the outer suburbs but also to cater for the increasing Catholic population which had been boosted not only by the Irish, but also by Polish and Italian migrants. As the Irish community grew so did its number of priests; in 1950 almost two thirds of the Catholic clergy in Leeds were originally from Ireland.

Irish Emigrants & the Church

Whilst some Irish emigrants lapsed in faith for many religion remained important. Personal and communal prayer were the mainstays of Catholicism, and provided comfort in difficult times. Through the church new arrivals integrated with those already settled in the city and with the descendants of earlier migrants. Irish families continued to intermarry which reinforced both Catholic faith and Irish cultural traditions. Religious rites of passage (christening, first holy communion, confirmation, marriage, and funerals) remained important occasions for the individual and the community as they came together to celebrate and mourn. Many people had shrines displaying statues and holy pictures in their homes.

Sunday was an important day in the emigrant’s diary. For those working 6 days in the week it was a welcome day for rest and relaxation. On Sunday mornings the everyday work clothes were replaced by the “Sunday best” as individuals and families made their way to their local church for mass. As well as being a spiritual gathering, Sunday mass was a social occasion where friends and neighbours could meet and news from home was exchanged. This was especially important in the early days of the community when there were few Irish social venues in the City.  

Over time many Catholic churches across Leeds became closely associated with the Irish community, including St Anthony’s (Beeston), Our Lady of Lourdes (Burley & Hyde Park), St Patrick’s (Burmantofts), Holy Rosary (Chapeltown), St Nicholas’ (Gipton), St Augustine’s (Harehills), St Joseph’s (Hunslet) & Mount St Mary’s (Richmond Hill).

Many Irish families chose to send their children to Catholic schools, where they mixed with other Irish children and others of Irish descent. Today many children attending Catholic schools across the City bear Irish surnames, often unaware of their Irish roots.

RECOMMENDED READING:

RELIGION & IDENTITY

K. Danagher, The Year in Ireland, Cork, 2001.
S. Fielding, Class & Ethnicity: Irish Catholics in England, 1880–1939, Buckingham, 1993.
R. E. Finnegan (ed.), Catholicism in Leeds: A Community of Faith, 1794–1994, Leeds, 1994.
P. Gavan, Memories of Mount St. Mary’s Church, Richmond Hill, Leeds, 2001.
M. P. Hornesby–Smith (ed.), Catholics in England 1950–2000, London, 1999.
Fr. K. O’Shea, The Irish Emigrant Chaplaincy Scheme in Britain, 1957–82, Naas, 1985.
P. O’Sullivan (ed.), The Irish World Wide. Volume 5: Religion & Identity, London, 1996.

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