Irish Influence on New York
Since New York was, and still is, one of the nations largest cities as well as a major port of Irish immigration it is clear that by describing the city you are also describing the immigration trends which occurred throughout the nation. In 1643 the first Irish immigrant arrived in New York City. Before 1830 Irish immigration was but a trickle but during the 1830's Ireland experienced an explosive population boom as well as a decline in crop prices, which led to the emigration of many Irish. The "Great Hunger", as it was called, resulted because of a devastating fungus which killed off Ireland's staple crop. For the most part these immigrants were predominantly Catholic and seen as an unwanted labor competitor to the native born Americans. As a result of this most immigrants were poor and forced to live in crime-ridden sects of the city. Manhattan, The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island became home to thousands of immigrants between 1830 and 1900.
During the First World War the phrase "The Fighting Irish" was coined due to the significant role the 165th regiment of the National Guard played throughout the war. As the Irish gradually began to become more accepted in American culture they began to contribute much of their culture. They established Gaelic language schools, athletic organizations, and ethnic association. The fathers of American musical comedies, Victor Herbet and George Cohan, rose from Irish roots. Sports such as Gaelic football, hurling, and field events were all borrowed from the Irish culture. Politically the Irish also played an important role. Through Tammany Hall many Irish men became renowned leaders. Men such as George Plinkitt and Al Smith supported progressive social legislation. The Irish tried extremely hard to preserve their culture as well as contribute towards American culture as a whole.
Again, after the Great Depression and World War II, Irish immigration skyrocketed. Instead of coming by ship, these new immigrants often flew into the country, landing at La Guardia(John F. Kennedy) International Airport. The post-war era challenged the Irish clergy, for although most Irish were still Catholic, not many religious vocations were being filled. The middle decades of the twentieth century saw the waning of the Irish as a distinct and potent voting bloc in New York as well as the election of the first Irish Catholic President, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The downfall of Jimmy Walker in 1932 provided the death-blow to the Irish- dominated Tammany machine.
To this very day the Irish influence is seen in New York as well as around the country. Events such as the Saint Patrick's Day Parade are celebrated annually, not only by the Irish but by most everybody. Today, Irish immigrants are usually better connected to home than any of their predecessors. A booming Irish economy, faster air transport, cheaper telecommunications, live sporting events beamed in from Ireland and of course Internet access mean that the Irish emigrant experience today is neither as final, nor as sad as the one experienced by previous generations of Irish emigrants. The cultural beliefs and traditions of the Irish people have not only come to America only to be practiced by the Irish people but also to be incorporated into the American culture.
Statistics:
During the period 1990-1994, Ireland ranked 16th in sending immigrants to America (56,979 people: for perspective, there were 60,797 Cuban and 54,663 Colombian immigrants). Nearly 22% (12,403) of these Irish immigrants settled in New York City. The majority of Irish immigrants to New York City were between the ages of 20 and 29, and 55% were men.