EMIGRATION IS AS much an intrinsic part of Irish culture as going to the Gaeltacht. If you haven’t gone yourself, you definitely know at least one person who has. Leaving your country is often viewed as a lonely act, but for us Irish, it’s different. Our little island is home to one of the biggest diasporas in the world, so even if you don’t bump into an Irish person on your travels, I guarantee there’s an Irish pub close by.