Irish emigrants from the west of Ireland say their farewells after spending Christmas at home.
Hugs and tears at Knock Airport as emigrants make their way back to England after the Christmas break leaving their families behind. Their departure marks the end of what has been a difficult week for many young people on the emigrant trail.
One woman points to a lack of government action as the cause for the exodus of young people from the region.
A curse of emigration in the West of Ireland.
Another woman who is bidding farewell to her son on his return to London says,
There is nothing to come back to.
One man, who is travelling with his young family, says that he has to go due to the lack of work in the west of Ireland.
We hate leaving. We'd love to stay here.
Local bishops offer their support to the exiles highlighting the plight of these young people forced to leave their homes in search of work overseas. They point to a need for greater action to prevent the destruction of rural Ireland. Dr Thomas Finnegan, Bishop of Killala, says the loss of these young people is having a negative effect on the very fabric of society in the west of Ireland.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 5 January 1992. The reporter is Jim Fahy.
