Irish of Nantes facts for kids

The Irish of Nantes refers to a group of Irish people who settled in the French city of Nantes starting in the 1600s. This community became very important in the 1700s. Many of them were Jacobite refugees from Ireland. They had to leave their home after the Glorious Revolution in 1688.

Over time, this community grew and spread to other French ports like Bordeaux and La Rochelle. They also had connections to the French colony of Saint-Domingue (which is now Haiti).

Why They Came to France

Many of the first Irish refugees were from noble families. They could no longer serve in the army or lead troops in Ireland. Instead, they started working in colonial trade. They created many trading companies, including some involved in the trade of enslaved people.

These Irish families became a big part of the city of Nantes. They often married into local noble families. In Ireland, people sometimes called these refugees the Wild Geese.

Nantes was a very important port for Irish traders. In the mid-1700s, about two-thirds of the sixty main Jacobite trading companies in Europe were based in just four ports. Twelve were in Nantes, nine in Bordeaux, eight in Cadiz, and about twelve in Stockholm and Gothenburg (though these were mostly branch offices).

The community also included many priests. Important religious leaders like Bishop Robert Barry of Cork, Bishop Cornelius O’Keefe of Limerick, and Bishop Patrick Comerford of Waterford all lived in Nantes. In 1695, the Bishop of Nantes allowed them to use his summer home, the manoir de la Touche. This place became a school for Irish priests and was active until the French Revolution.

There were also Irish people with less money or lower social status. They usually worked in jobs related to shipping, such as captains, pilots, barrel makers, and porters.

How the Community Grew

The Irish community in Nantes became more and more important over three generations.

First Generation of Settlers

The first group, including people like Nicolas Luker, Paul Sarsfield, André Geraldin, and Nicolas Lée, moved to France in the mid-1600s. This was after the Irish Rebellion of 1641. More Irish refugees joined them later, following the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the Treaty of Limerick in 1691.

These Irish people didn't just settle in Nantes. The historian Gabriel Audisio noted that Irish Catholic soldiers also served in the armies of the Duke of Savoy and the Marquis of Pianezza. These armies were involved in a conflict with the Waldensians during the Piedmont Easter.

Second Generation's Impact

The second generation included figures like Luc O'Shiell, the pirate Phillip Walsh (who was based in Saint-Malo), and Jean Stapleton with his partner Jacques Rulidge. They were welcomed by France, which was fighting the War of the League of Augsburg.

King Louis XIV welcomed thousands of Irish exiles to his court at Saint-Germain-en-Laye. He made the Irish a key part of his army and, especially, his navy. They played a big role in the Jamaica Expedition of 1694. On June 8, 1694, a fleet of 22 ships and 1,500 men left Nantes under Admiral Jean-Baptiste du Casse. Most of these ships were Irish. They sailed to Jamaica, where they burned many homes and took 1,300 people who were forced into slavery. These enslaved people were then taken to Saint-Domingue. The fleet did not try to take over Jamaica because they thought it would be too difficult.

Third Generation's Influence

The third generation included the wives and daughters of Luc O'Shiell, Antoine Walsh, Jean Stapleton Junior, and Jean-Baptiste MacNemara. They had a lot of money, which they invested in land and property. They also made plans to challenge the British government.

The Irish community was also very important in Bordeaux. From 1715, they developed a major trade in salted beef with Ireland. This beef was used to supply merchant ships and overseas colonies.

Important People

• Nicolas Lée was one of the first Irish people to settle in Nantes in 1649.
• Paul Sarsfield moved to France in 1658. King Louis XIV made him a French citizen in 1678. His son, Patrick Sarsfield, served in the king's army and led the Irish Brigade after the Treaty of Limerick.
• Jean Stapleton Senior started a family of shipowners in Nantes. He owned large farms in Saint-Domingue and was also involved in the trade of enslaved people.
• Antoine Walsh was the most important trader in Nantes during the 1700s. He founded the Angola Company in 1748, which was involved in the trade of enslaved people.
• The Butler family of shipowners, whose name was changed to 'Bouteiller' in French, were major importers in Nantes.
• Agnès O'Shiell was the daughter of Luc O'Shiell, one of the wealthiest traders in Nantes. Her family also owned property in Saint-Domingue.
• Anne O'Shiell managed one of the largest firms involved in the trade of enslaved people in Nantes.
• In La Rochelle, Denis Mac Carthy was an important trader.
• Victor Martin O'Gorman was elected as a representative from Saint-Domingue. The O'Gorman family owned two large farms there.
• A member of the Sutton de Clonard family took part in the La Pérouse Expedition, a famous French voyage of exploration.
• The O'Riordan family, originally from Cork and Limerick in Ireland, were important traders and shipowners in Nantes during the 1700s.

See also

• Role of Nantes in the slave trade