The Irish Community of New South Wales

The flags of Ireland and AustraliaHello,
My name is Eoin Murphy, I am an Irishman who decided to pack up my old life to live and work in Sydney, Australia. The Irish Community of New South Wales (NSW) was instrumental in helping me with my journey and it is for this reason that I have decided to give back to the community and work on this wonderful resource. (Please note: I am not affiliated with the original irishcommunitynsw.org.au website). Our goal is to help you with your journey, whether you are simply weighing up your options, are visiting this great state/country, or have already moved to NSW in Australia.

The Irish Community of NSW
The Irish community has been established in NSW since the earliest days of settlement from 1788. Many Irish people were transported to Australia as convicts, especially after the 1798 Rebellion, and many other people arrived from Ireland as free settlers. The prospect of starting a new life was all they had to hope for and many achieved great success in the early Australian community. Australia continues to celebrate the heritage and spirit of those early Irish pioneers.

Today, the Irish community of NSW is still a major contributor to daily life in Australia. It provides support to Irish tourists, ex-pats and Irish businesses, along with access to cultural and traditional events. There are many organizations that work together to ensure that all people of Irish ancestry are invited to be a part of the larger community. The Irish Australian Welfare Bureau is one of the most well respected organizations in the community and they provide many services such as legal advice, social and welfare services, accommodation, employment, helping Irish ex-pats settle in NSW, tracing family members, and much more.

I found that the Irish community of NSW was an immense benefit to me when I was new to the country. I was ready to pack up and leave after just six days, but the sense of community I found with other Irish ex-pats was enough to give me the strength to continue on. Through my contacts in the community I was able to find accommodation quickly and settle into Australian life. The friendships I made have lasted through the good times and bad times and continue to this day. I owe much of my success to the greater Irish community of NSW!

Why Move to Australia?
My move to Australia was motivated by work. During the global financial crisis I was made redundant and I couldn’t find another job in Ireland. However, Australia was cushioned from the blow of this crisis and the job market remained amazingly strong through this time and beyond. This is somewhat due to the mining boom, but many other industries are also desperate for workers. The wages in Australia are some of the highest in the world for both skilled and unskilled workers.

There are many other positive aspects of moving to Australia from Ireland. The standard of living is very high and the country is regarded as extremely safe. The natural beauty is also something that has to be seen to be believed and the climate is perfect (for most of the year anyway). The fact that English is the primary language also makes the transition even easier.

Our Aims and Goals
The aims and goals of this website is to provide important information about living and working in Australia. This includes advice relating to:

  • Immigration
  • Working visas
  • Employment
  • Citizenship

Resources
The following resources are good starting points for those wanting to find out more about living and working in Australia or for any Irish ex-pats/tourists that need assistance.
The Irish Australian Welfare Bureau & Resource Centre NSW
Consulate General of Ireland (Sydney)

Feedback
We are always happy to hear from anyone that uses our site. We would like feedback on the type of content you want to see here, any questions you might have related to working or living in Australia and the Irish community of NSW. Also feedback on the usability of the site is also welcome. Please feel free to leave a comment or contact us via email and we will do our best to reply to you.