ard mhaca,
         
         Undoubtedly the majority of Irish male (and female) migrant labourers were relatively well-adjusted people, dealing rationally and effectively with the economic circumstances in which they found themselves by emigrating to a more dynamic economy,and behaving responsibly in their new situation.

Like the presence of the Irish in the industry however (statistically small but disproportionately significant by virtue of their concentration in groundworks and their 'can-do' mentality) the very public profile of the 'navvy' meant that the public got a distorted impression of the extent of Irish anti-social behaviour in Britain.

Nevertheless, the industry has always been synonymous with over-dependence on alcohol, a macho mentality, and a level of brutality not usually associated with other labour-intensive industries. Some, for reasons which I've tried to suggest, were perhaps more susceptible than others.

Emigration, especially from a collective and communal pastoral environment to an urban, industrial, and anoynymous one (often characterised by varying degrees of anti-Irish sentiment), is a hard choice - some would argue, no choice at all. I think a charitable response would be to say, simply, 'There, but for the Grace of God...'