The Role of the Irish in Texas Culture
Toward the end of Spanish rule two more Irishmen came to the New World; one humble and one exalted. One was Juan Odonoju (John O'Donahue) who was to be the last Spanish Viceroy before Mexico became an independent empire and the other was Father Miguel (Michael) Muldoon. Father Muldoon went on to serve the Anglo community of Austin's colony all of whom, by law, were to be Catholics. However, Father Muldoon was notorious for allowing people to registered as converting to Catholicism even though he knew they had every intention of keeping their Protestant beliefs. These people, converts in name only, became known as "Muldoon Catholics" and Texas was full of them. Father Muldoon was, so to speak, an early advocate for religious freedom. He also became a hero in Texas and an enemy in Mexico for his kindly visits to Stephen F. Austin (the Father of Texas) while he was in a Mexican prison and for staying in Texas after she became independent of Mexico. In 1839 he was (defacto at least) Vicar General of the Republic of Texas and later helped the Texas hero William H. Wharton escape from a Mexican prison in Matamoros and he was later honored by the last President of the Republic of Texas Anson Jones for his service over the years.
The coastal region of Texas contained many Irish colonies with the Mexican government thinking that these staunch Catholics would provide a natural buffer between themselves and the Protestant Anglos from America. In some cases this was true, but by and large, when the War for Texas Independence came the Irish cast their lot with the cause of freedom and became valuable guerilla fighters against the advance of the Mexican army under General Jose Urrea. There were a number of Irish soldiers who gave their lives at the Alamo and Goliad, who signed the Texas declaration of independence and who fought at the final, victorious battle of San Jacinto where Texas freedom was secured. In fact, 1/7 of the Texas Republican Army under Sam Houston were Irish soldiers and the tune they played as they charged the Mexican lines, "Will You Come to the Bower" was an Irish song written by the famous Irish nationalist Thomas Moore.
In the decades that followed famine and political oppression drove many more Irish people into exile and more came to Texas to make their homes. As in other places, many settled along the coast in port cities like Galveston and Houston where they had to work hard jobs for little pay. One of these was Dick Dowling who opened a bar to serve the port hands of Houston and who later became a famous Texas hero in the Confederate army for his gallant and tenacious defense of Sabine Pass. As the new waves of Irish immigrants became more settled, and thanks in no small part to the efforts of great Irish Texans like Dick Dowling and others, the Irish became one of the best known and best loved parts of the fabric of Texas culture. Today one can find any number of occasions throughout the year to celebrate the Irish presence in Texas from the rattlesnake rodeo in San Patricio to the Saint Patrick's Day parade in San Antonio. Take it from someone who has experienced it firsthand, there is nothing like St Paddy's in the old city of San Antonio; everyone can be Irish for a day and everyone can enjoy themselves. Sponsoring these events and the various Gaelic and Celtic festivals in Texas are a number of organizations, some of which can be found on the links page of this website.
