Latent Ties or Lost Ties? Reflection on Transnational Emotional Support and Well-Being Practices Among Polish Women in Ireland

Abstract

For almost 20 years, Polish migrants have been one of the largest migrant groups in Ireland. As most research has focused on their trajectories and aspirations in the labour market or family practices, little attention has been paid to migrants’ emotional experiences, particularly female migrants. Although research has looked at childcare and maintaining contact between generations, this article reflects on how the mobilisation of emotional support is shaped through important life-course events among Polish women in Ireland. It evaluates the maintenance of informal transnational emotional support, the emotional experiences of those whose connections to Poland have diminished over time, and the role of technology in being a proxy in emotional support maintenance strategy. The article joins two research projects conducted with Polish migrant women living in Ireland. The first data collection snapshot took place between 2014 and 2015 with 61 women, and the second project took place between 2022 and 2023 and involved 28 women. The results show that the quality of relationships, perceived adequacy of support and adaptive strategies play a crucial role in fostering migrant women's well-being. Although both local and transnational networks are key in navigating emotional well-being during key life events, virtual connections increasingly supplement traditional face-to-face interactions.