Irish Nurses in the NHS

An oral history

Louise Ryan, Gráinne McPolin and Neha Doshi

From the inception of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948, Irish women and men were actively recruited to train and work as nurses in British hospitals. By the 1960s approximately 30,000 Irish-born nurses were working across the NHS, constituting around 12% of all nursing staff. While many Irish families produced at least one nurse and many of those emigrated, so far there has been little recognition of the enormous contribution of Irish nurses to health care in Britain.

Based on 45 interviews, this book tells the stories of Irish nurses in their own words using rich oral history and photographs. From the rigours of training to the fun of dancehalls, the book explores their life experiences as nurses and also as Irish migrants in British society.

Louise Ryan is a Senior Professor of Sociology and director of the Global Diversities and Inequalities research centre, London Metropolitan University, and has extensively researched Irish migration to Britain. Gráinne McPolin is a radio producer and podcaster. She is a former nurse having spent many years of her career working in Britain’s National Health Service hospitals. Neha Doshi is a PhD researcher and Associate Lecturer at London Metropolitan University. Her research focuses on race and media.