By 1841 vast numbers of people were emigrating each year which more than made up for the high birth rate. Decline in population was not solely caused by the famine. [Goldstrom & Clarkson]
Information on emigration is not readily available except for the years 1834 and 1835.
The following list comes from the Ordnance Survey Memoirs for Ballyrashane.
| Robert McBride | aged 45 | Ballindreen | Quebec |
| Mary McBride | aged 40 | Ballindreen | Quebec |
| Mary McBride | aged 22 | Ballindreen | Quebec |
| Jane McBride | aged 19 | Ballindreen | Quebec |
| John McBride | aged 24 | Ballindreen | Quebec |
| Robert McBride | aged 17 | Ballindreen | Quebec |
| James McBride | aged 15 | Ballindreen | Quebec |
| William Steele | aged 24 | Ballyvelton | Philadelphia |
| Robert McEntire | aged 20 | Ballyvelton | Philadelphia |
| Elizabeth Ferguson | aged 50 | Knocknekeeragh | Quebec |
| Martha Ferguson | aged 20 | Knocknekeeragh | Quebec |
| Margaret Ferguson | aged 18 | Knocknekeeragh | Quebec |
| Mary Ferguson | aged 16 | Knocknekeeragh | Quebec |
| Rosey Ferguson | aged 14 | Knocknekeeragh | Quebec |
| James McElcumna | aged 23 | Knocknekeeragh | Quebec |
| Daniel Robinson | aged 18 | Knocknekeeragh | New York |
| Elenor Ferguson | aged 26 | Knocknekeeragh | New York |
| Jane Ferguson | aged 30 | Knocknekeeragh | New York |
| Thomas Sterling | aged 20 | Kirkistown | Quebec |
| John McMullen | aged 20 | Cloyfin | Quebec |
| John Boyd | aged 19 | Cloyfin | Philadelphia |
| Hugh Walker | aged 21 | Ballyversal | Philadelphia |
| Martha Hynds | aged 22 | Gorticloughan | Philadelphia |
| Margaret Hynds | aged 3 | Gorticloughan | Philadelphia |
| 1834 | |||
| William Sterling | aged 16 | Kirkistown | Quebec |
| Sinclair Burnett | aged 20 | Cloyfin | Quebec |
All of these people are young and a loss of so many people in two years would have a great effect on population figures in the next generation. In those days people did not usually move far from their townlands so emigration at this rate over a number of years could produce a dramatic drop in the population in twenty years' time, as indeed happened in Ballyrashane.
While this is the list for these two years only, it is likely that more people followed them in the next 8 years or so. There was a decline in the population of 91 between 1831 and 1841. If 26 emigrated, then what happened to the other 65? it is unlikely that this was caused by deaths since the birth rate normally more than made up for the death rate at this time. Some might have moved to the towns which were beginning to develop manufacturing industry and there is no doubt that some families who would have had skills in the linen industry would have been attracted there.
The most likely people to have emigrated were those with no land or prospects. [see Cullen] This is very likely to mean those who were losing their livelihood because of the collapse of the rural linen trade.
The greatest decline in population came in the years 1841 to 1851 when the population declined by 367. There is no indication to show that there was a huge rise in the number of deaths so the likely explanation is emgration. The towns in Ireland would not have been so attractive at this time since they too were badly affected by disease and starvation. Also the fact that many people from the parish had been abroad since the 1830s would have encouraged others to follow them, knowing that they had a contact when they landed.
Stories had been passed down through families of people who had done well in foreign parts including ARchie Borland of Ballynag and "Uncle Jimmy Stirling" of Liswatty. This inspired others to give up what little they had and sail away to make their fortune.
Adverts for emigrants to leave on a ship for Portrush appeared in the local press. This would be more accessible for people from Ballyrashane. [Chronicle April 24 1847] There was also some assistance available for certain people who wanted to emigrate. The workhouse authorities enabled groups of people to go abroad but there is no record for this parish.
Nearly every family in the parish has memories of an ancestor emigrating and even today many people have uncles and aunts in places like Australia, Canada and the United States and in South Africa. The practice would seem to have continued until the 1950s as several of the inhabitants have children or brothers and sisters abroad.
An example of emigration in early years of the 20th century is the family of Dunlop of Ballyversal. James Dunlop married around1880. He had twelve children of whom 5 went to the United States. One went to Canada, one went to Scotland, one remained unmarried and only four married locally.
Emigration would seem to have continued even after the famine as the population still declined until 1901. When looking through family trees of people in the parish, nearly every one has ancestors who left during the second half of the 19th century.
Emigration figures were not so high in the first two or three decades of the 20th century. In fact population figures rose but this was not to last and emigration began to rise to a substantial number in the thirties. Many of today's residents can name friends of their own who emigrated at this time when depression was widespread in Britain.
The population today is continuing to decrease mainly from young people moving to the town. Emigration has virtually ceased.