The Irish Came
(March 2006)
We annually celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in March and everyone claims an Irish connection on that day. But for many area residents, an Irish heritage is a source of pride ALL the days of the year. Many can trace their Irish ancestors’ beginnings in this country back to the early days of the 19th century when the population of Ireland was increasing, but the food supplies were dwindling. The years of 1845 to 1848 were known as the Irish Potato Famine. A terrible blight hit the major food crop of Ireland and it drove over 2 million people, nearly a quarter of the population, to seek relief in neighboring countries. Many of those leaving were already in poor health before their journey began, and estimates are given that over a million of the Irish died as they immigrated. The ships that carried them across the Atlantic were called “coffin ships” because so many bodies were buried at sea. Stories are told of the packs of sharks that followed the ships, ready for the next victim. Monuments have been built to commemorate those who made that final journey.
The National Famine Monument is at the base of Croagh Patrick in Murrisk, County Mayo, Ireland. It depicts a Coffin Ship with skeletons and bones as rigging. Sculpted by John Behan, it is Ireland's largest bronze sculpture. Coffin Ship was unveiled by then President of Ireland Mary Robinson in 1997 to mark the 150th anniversary of the Irish Famine. A similar sculpture was unveiled in November, 2000, outside the United Nations building in New York City, representing those immigrants who survived the journey to America.
If you want to know more about the Irish Potato Famine, you might enjoy this interactive web site that teaches about Ireland during those years. Click here to view: www.irishpotatofamine.org (It works best with a fast internet connection.)
In order to gain some perspective on when the largest group of Irish arrived in the United States, here are some highlights of events between 1845-1848 from the book What Happened When by Gordon Carruth published by Signet, New York. Notice that the times were tumultuous even in America.
1845:
Florida was admitted to the Union as the 27th state and Texas, the 28th..
1st baseball club was formed in the U.S.
Edgar A. Poe published Tales including “The Raven”
1846:
War was declared with Mexico
Herman Melville published his 1st novel Typee
Mormons left Illinois on trip across Plains
Iowa became the 29th state in the Union.
Smithsonian Institute established in Washington, D.C.
1847:
Maria Mitchell discovered a new comet from Nantucket, Mass.
Brigham Young and Mormons reached Salt Lake City
“Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte and “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronte were published
1848:
Treaty signed with Mexico; Rio Grande became the southern boundary of Texas; California and New Mexico
territories were ceded to the United States.
Gold Rush began in California
Wisconsin joined the Union as the 30th state.
1st medical school for women established in Boston
1st women’s rights convention held in New York; led by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Revolutions broke out in many European nations; People demanded constitutional government and
protested poverty.
Coinciding with our celebration of Saint Patrick's Day is Irish American Heritage Month,
which was first proclaimed by the United States Congress in 1995.
"Since our Nation's founding, millions of Irish have emigrated to this country to embrace the vibrant promise of new opportunity that America offers. Some came to America seeking the freedom to worship as they pleased. Others came in the wake of the devastating Irish potato famine of 1845-1849, which caused 1 million deaths in Ireland and led nearly 1.5 million Irish to emigrate. And the many successes of the Irish immigrants in America proved to be a continuing draw to their friends and family who remained in Ireland. The Irish brought with them a spirit of life and an ethic of work that helped to enliven our culture and enabled them to prosper in their new land.
George Washington's Continental Army had over 20 generals of Irish descent. Americans proudly claiming Irish heritage have held positions of national leadership, including Presidents George Washington, Andrew Jackson, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan and Supreme Court Justices William J. Brennan, Jr., and Sandra Day O'Connor. And numerous Irish Americans have enjoyed great success in the arts and entertainment field, including Buster Keaton, Stephen Foster, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Throughout our history, America has been greatly blessed by the innumerable contributions of Irish Americans. This month we celebrate these great people and the heritage of their beautiful ancestral homeland, Ireland. "
The Fort in Lexington also holds many records of local Irish contributions to society. One of Lexington's Irish families chose an unusual way to document some of their shared memories and make a keepsake that is both useful and timeless. Pictured here are two family cookbooks made by the local Killian Clan and donated to The Fort. The first book, Killian Favorites was published in 1989 and the second, More Killian Favorites, was published in 1999.
A quote from the first book states, “This isn’t a complete cookbook, family history, or photograph album, but rather a gathering of recipes we’ve tried, stories we’ve heard, and pictures of the way we used to be. We hope you enjoy the collection as much as we have enjoyed working on it….”
What a unique and thoughtful way to preserve and share the sights, sounds, and even the tastes of their large Irish family! Be sure to see these special keepsakes on your next visit to Lexington’s Fort.