around 1754. For a long time, it was doubted whether the poet ever made the trip. During the 21st century, however, linguists discovered that several of Donnchadh Ruadh's poems in the Irish language contain multiple Gaelicized words and terms known to be unique to Newfoundland English. For this reason, Donnchadh Ruadh's poems are considered the earliest solid evidence that the Irish language was spoken in Newfoundland. Donnchadh Ruadh provides a description of the rewards of going to Newfoundland (with a burlesque flavour) in a poem describing his deep sea-chest filled with eggs, butter, bacon and other necessities: Do thug an pobal i bhfochair a chéile Chum mo chothuighthe i gcogadh nó i spéirlinn – Stór nach g-caillfeadh suim de laethibh, As cófra doimhin a d-toilfinn féin ann; Do bhí seach bh-fichid ubh circe 'gus eunla ann Le h-aghaidh a n-ithte chomh minic 's badh mhéin liom – Cróca ime do dingeadh le saothar As spóla soille ba throime 'ná déarfainn ... The people brought together So as to nourish me in war or strife – A treasure that they would not lose for many a day, And a deep chest that I would like myself; There were a hundred and forty hens' eggs and birds, For me to eat as often as I would wish – A crock packed tight with butter And a fat joint of meat bigger than I could tell. County Kilkenny's contribution to this emigration was 25%, followed by County Wexford (at least 23%), County Waterford (at least 20%) and County Tipperary (at least 15%), with County Cork adding a further 6%. Wexford was the county of origin in which the Irish language was least spoken. The other counties, mostly in Munster, were part of an area in which Irish was widely spoken until at least the middle of the 19th century. An illustration of this is furnished by the estimated percentage of Irish speakers for the decennial period 1771–1781 in the following counties: County Kilkenny 57%, County Tipperary 51%, County Waterford 86%, County Kerry 93%, and County Cork 84%. This is borne out by observations made in 1819 by James McQuige, a veteran Methodist lay preacher in Irish: Most Irish settled on the Avalon Peninsula, with many in the main port and present capital of St. John's. Some Irish immigrants to Newfoundland moved on, and many others were part of an annual seasonal migration between