During the 1980s, up to 40,000 people, mainly young people, left Ireland every year, emigrating, most against their will, to America, Australia, Britain and other more affluent countries. They were economic exiles, asking only for an opportunity to make a decent living. Nevertheless, most of them were also viewed as illegal immigrants in the countries where they arrived, particularly the United States. Despute this, for the most part, they were accepted. Free article