Despite its favourable geographical location, Ireland played no systematic part in the New World in the 16th century, although there were enterprising fishing voyages across the Atlantic from towns such as Cork, Dublin and Waterford. Individual Irishmen were also active as seamen in English colonising and privateering voyages in North America and the West Indies. in the 17th century a great change took place and many Irish men - a few as proprietors but more as contract labourers - were active not only in Virginia and Newfoundland, but also in Guiana, the Amazon delta and the Leeward Islands. These individuals foreshadowed the much closer association of Ireland with America in later centuries. What can be recovered from their histories makes an exciting and significant story, not previously told.
