What happened to the area of Wales once known as ‘Little Ireland’?

Nation Cymru staff

The story of a Cardiff suburb, once referred to as “Little Ireland”, is featured in a new TV series.

In the 1840s, many Irish people settled in the Newtown area of the Welsh capital.

But what became of the Irish suburb?

S4C documentary series Cyrraedd Cymru, which explores the history of immigration to Wales, is now available on S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer with English subtitles.

In the latest episode, presenter Seren Jones hears how over a million people moved from Ireland to other countries in the mid-19th Century after a million died during the Great Famine.

By today, only a wall remains where Newtown once stood in the centre of Cardiff.

“It’s incredible how much of the past has been swept away from the city,” Seren reflects.

“But one key building of the Irish community was rescued and moved brick by brick to St Fagans.”

St Fagans National Museum of History is an open-air museum in Cardiff, now home to the Vulcan pub.

Julia Burns has childhood memories of Newtown and describes the initial reception the Irish received as “completely racist.”

“It became a lot easier after a period because they were white people,” she added.

“Once they lost their Irish accent, they looked like everyone else and so it was easier for them.”

Newtown continued as a vibrant Irish community until the mid-1960s when it was demolished.

“The mortar was a kind of mortar which allowed insects to live inside it. Unfortunately, the houses could not be rescued,” Julia added.

Despite the demolition of Newtown, there continues to be an Irish community in Cardiff today.

St Colmcilles GAA is a Gaelic football and hurling club in Cardiff. Tiarnán O’Hagan, who is originally from County Armagh, has played Gaelic football since he was three years old.

“Something we’re really proud of here at St Colmcilles, you know, it’s not just Irish people only,” he said.

“We’ve got so many different nationalities playing for us and we really encourage that.

“We love having the Welsh element, it’s something that makes us unique. We’ve got so many players who speak Welsh and we try to use that within training sessions.”

Cyrraedd Cymru is available on S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer with English subtitles now.