2nd April 1911
Census
The census showed that the Irish population continued to decline from 5.2 million in 1881 to 4.4 million in 1911. Although the rate of emigration had lessened it continued to be a major factor in the decrease of the population. Between 1901 and 1911, 106,587 people emigrated from Ulster. Although not all emigrants in this period were destitute, emigration was seen by many as an effective way of dealing with poverty in Ireland. Many landlords, charities and boards of guardians (who were responsible for administering poor relief) would provide the fare for people who were too poor to afford the passage from Ireland. The most popular destinations for emigrants were America, Britain and Canada. The busiest emigration ports in the North were Londonderry, Larne, Carrickfergus and Belfast.
