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Irish Americans

Irish Americans. Karen Hicks Lenora Overstreet Radford University EDUC 670 Prof. Dembele. History. Early Irish immigrates include 8 signers of the Declaration of Independence Irish began arriving in large numbers during the Potato Famine (1845-1852)

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Irish Americans

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  1. Irish Americans Karen Hicks Lenora Overstreet Radford University EDUC 670 Prof. Dembele

  2. History • Early Irish immigrates include 8 signers of the Declaration of Independence • Irish began arriving in large numbers during the Potato Famine (1845-1852) • They came to America because they knew their life in Ireland would only be more poverty, disease, and English oppression. • “No group was considered lower than an Irishman in American during the 1850’s” (www.kinsella.org).

  3. Most were very poor, unskilled and illiterate. • The Irish would take on whatever job they could to make money. • Irish gained strength in their solidarity. They helped each other survive in city life.

  4. Fiercely loved America • Fought in America’s wars • Civil War – “Irish Brigade” was led in prayer by a priest before and after each battle.

  5. The American Civil War was a unifying event for the Irish communities communities. • This infrastructure and organization advanced the Irish in postwar America. • The Irish became a dominant force in urban labor organizations, Democratic Party politics and city governments

  6. Percent of the Population • By 1848 through emigration and deaths by famine, Ireland's population decreased by more than 2 million people • From 1820-1860, 1/3 of US immigrants were Irish (2/3 of this number were Catholic) • A total of 35,975,855 Americans (12% of total population) reported Irish ancestry in the 2006 American Community Survey.

  7. Population (continued) • Most significant areas in population are: Northeast, along with Kansas City, and Savannah, GA • New York City has more Irish people than Dublin’s whole population!

  8. Past & Present Issues • The Irish were discriminated against because they were considered “bad” for the neighborhood. • They were forced to live in shanties or cellars which led to disease and death for many of their children.

  9. Once other immigrants increased in number, hostility against the Irish shifted to the new nationalities. • Intermarriage between Catholics and Protestants was uncommon (and strongly discouraged by both ministers and priests).

  10. Past/Present Issues • Job discrimination (only group to visually see signs of the discrimination) • Irish women dominated the domestic market workplace

  11. 3 Main Negative Stereotypes • The drinker • The rebel • The boxer (fighting Irish)

  12. Positive Stereotypes • The hard worker • Police officer • Firefighter • Roman Catholic Church leaders • Politicians along Eastern seaboard cities

  13. Prominent Irish • President J.F. Kennedy • St. Patrick • The Anglo-Irish scientist Robert Boyle is considered the "father of chemistry".

  14. Will Rogers Edgar Allen Poe Sharon Christa Corrigan McAuliffe Georgia O’Keefe Bobby Jones

  15. Media that reveal the group’s cultural perspective • American Foundation for Irish Heritage – lists the contributions of the Irish in America to the growth and development of the US http://irishamericanheritage.com/ • New York Irish Center. Your main source for all things Irish in New York City www.nyirish.org • Explore Irish Culture www.allaboutirish.com • Irish Culture and Customs http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ • Sinn Fein (the fastest-growing political party in Ireland. It is a republican and labor party) http://sinnfein.ie/ • Local Ireland (history, gov’t, entertainment, lifestyles, etc) http://www.local.ie/index.html • A listing of Irish movies in chronological order http://www.irishfilm.net/title.php?range=RS

  16. Irish Movie - Hunger • Directed by Steve McQueen • Won the Camera d'Or (golden camera) award at the Cannes film Festival this year. • The film looks at Bobby Sands who was a Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteer and member of the United Kingdom Parliament who died on hunger strike whilst in HM Prison Maze for the possession of firearms.

  17. Irish MovieIn Brugesw/Colin Farrell Two Irish hit men are sent to Bruges, Belgium to hide out. In some ways, this makes the film more Belgian than Irish. Still, the point is really about how the characters react to their new environment. Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, & Ralph Finnes star in this action comedy.

  18. Irish MovieSt. Patrick: The Irish Legend • St. Patrick, who brought Christianity to Ireland, remains popular in modern culture though few know his history. This film drama of his life includes his history and the miracles associated with him.

  19. Irish Media in the US • East Coast Periodicals • Boston Irish Reporter • The Irish Echo • Irish Edition • West Coast Periodicals • The Irish Herald • Radio • About Irish Radio

  20. Ways that there are differences within the group • Language • Gaeilge (Irish) – with many dialects • English (education and employment) • Religion • Roman Catholic (88%) • Protestant

  21. Children’s Books

  22. Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland • “Celebrate St. Patricks's Day with Tomie dePaola's captivating folk-art style illustrations and engaging story of Patrick, a boy who grew up to become the patron saint of Ireland.

  23. Tales from Old Ireland Collection of Irish folk- and fairy tales which include: • "The Children of Lir," a well-known folktale • "Fair, Brown, and Trembling," an Irish Cinderella story • "The Twelve Wild Geese," a tale of family love and loyalty

  24. The St. Patrick’s day Shillelagh • During the Irish potato famine, Fergus and his family left for America. Fergus sliced a branch from a blackthorn tree so that he could take a piece of Ireland with him. On the voyage, he carved a tree branch into a shillelagh. Each St. Patrick's Day, Fergus told his story of coming to America and of the shillelagh that he brought with him.

  25. Fair, Brown, & Trembling • Trembling is the overworked and overlooked sibling of her two older snooty sisters Fair and Brown. Unlike the original Cinderella story, the place to catch their prince is not at a Ball, but at Sunday Mass. All women try to look their best for that occasion. An old henwife acts as the fairy godmother.

  26. The End!!

  27. References Aerospaceguide.net: Space Projects and Info. Retrieved 11-19-08, from http://www.aerospaceguide.net/ American Foundation for Irish Heritage. Retrieved 11-20-08, from http://irishamericanheritage.com/ Anonymous. (3/29/02). Fianna Guide to Irish Genealogy. Retrieved November 15, 2008 from http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~fianna/. Anonymous. (9/28/08). Great Irish Famine. Retrieived on November 20, 2008 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Irish_Famine. Anonymous. Irish Immigrants in America during the 19th Century. Retrieved on November 15, 2008 from www.kinsella.org/history/histira.htm. Anonymous. (2008). Sinn Fein: Building an Ireland of Equals. Retrieved on November 18, 2008 from http://sinnfein.ie/. Daly, Jude. (2000). Fair, Brown, & Trembling: An Irish Cinderella Story. New York: Farrar, Strauss and Giroux. dePaola, Tomie. (1994). Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland. New York: Holiday House. Doyle, Malachy. (2000). Tales from Old Ireland. Cambridge: Barefoot Books. Friend, Pat. (2005). Irish Stereotypes. Retrieved November 18, 2008 from http://allaboutirish.com/library/identity/stereotypes.shtm.

  28. Gillespie, W.T. (2001). The United States Civil War Causal Agent for Irish Assimilation and Acceptance in US Society. Retrieved 12-3-08 from http://www.stormingmedia.us/92/9266/A926604.html Meacham, Tara. ( 2/21/2007). “Persistent Stereotypes in Contemporary Irish-American Culture”. Retrieved on November 14, 2008 from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/150293/persistent_stereotypes_in_contemporary.html. Nolan, Janet. (2002). The St. Patrick’s Day Shillelagh. Morton Grove: Albert Whitman & Company. O'Malley, Michael. (Aug 2004). Exploring 19th century American history. Retrieved November 14, 2008 from http://chnm.gmu.edu/exploring/19thcentury/alienmenace/assignment.php. The Children’s Enclyopedia of Women. Retrieved 11-19-09, from http://www.pocanticohills.org/womenenc/okeefe.html The Daily News Record. Retrieved 11-19-08, from http://www.dnronline.com The Framingham Online News. Retrieved 11-19-08, from http://www.framingham.com The Irish Volenteers. Retrieved 11-20-08, from http://irishvolunteers.tripod.com/index.htm U.S. Census Bureau. (4/13/08). U.S. Census. Retrieved on November 28, 2008 from http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-ds_name=ACS_2006_EST_G00_&-_lang=en&-_caller=geoselect&-format=.

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