As mentioned last episode, it’s a common misconception that Otago was settled only by Scots in the early years. But a big disruptor to that plan was a large number of Irish migrants who made their way across the globe.

As you’ll see when you get into the episode, this one meant a lot to the man in front of the camera, as it directly relates to his ancestors. Seán Brosnahan has a lot to do with his ancestral land, even being named clan chieftain, or Ceann Fine, at a global gathering of Brosnahans/Brosnans in Ireland back in 2013.

He speaks a wee bit about that connection in episode 7, and he also writes about it in his contribution to the book Southern Celts, a research project by Celine Kearney. You can see her presentation about the book at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX3PZKIyWG4

This week, we look at episode 7: The Greening of The South. Scottish Presbyterian Otago offered scant welcome for Irish Catholics. But somehow, they arrived anyway, gradually expanding in numbers and offering a new ‘green’ tinge to the southern population even before the gold rushes.