Immigration Research

My most recent research shows that our branch of the Horan family came to America in 1854.  I have not been able to confirm this or even the port of entry.  Earlier I had heard they came through Canada though Dad most recently says New York.  He also says they departed from England rather than Ireland.

The Irish Famine of 1846-50 took as many as one million lives from hunger and disease, and changed the social and cultural structure of Ireland in profound ways.  Many of the immigrants were evicted tenant farmers though occasionally, the landlords paid for their passage out of Ireland.

Many thousands of Irish decided to cut their losses and set sail on emigration boats to America. This is the origin of about half of what is now referred to as 'Irish America'. Hundreds of Irish died on the ships which were so overcrowded that they became known as 'coffin ships'. By 1851, the population had fallen 25% to 6,000,000 and the emigration continued until around 1900, by which time only 4,500,000 Irish remained in Ireland.

Source: http://www.fortunecity.com/bally/sligo/93/past/history/18001877.html

I have just begun to research ship records and have only found the following references to the Horan name.  I don't know if Peter age 12 and Kieran age 13 came with their parents or other relatives.

HORAN,Anne,,,,,Liverpool,1854/04/03, STAR OF THE WEST, New York,,#1

Ship Milicete
From Dublin to New York
June 24, 1852

DISTRICT OF NEW YORK – PORT OF NEW YORK

Manifest of passengers received on board the British Ship Milicete from Dublin, sworn 24th day of June 1852.