Did You Know that a 72-year-old Irish woman, beloved by millions, was once called the most dangerous woman in America? Her name was Mary Harris Jones and this feisty little Irish lady was also called the Mother of All Agitators. Born in Cork City, Ireland on 1 May 1837, her family fled the Great Hunger to Canada where she trained as a teacher and dressmaker. In 1861, she married George Jones, an iron molder and union organizer in Memphis, Tennessee. They had four children, but she lost all four and her husband in the 1867 yellow fever epidemic. Determined to survive, Mrs. Jones moved to … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: The Most Dangerous Woman in America
Irish American Heritage Month Profiles
Irish American Heritage Month: Commodore John Barry
Did you know that the first flag officer and founder of the United States Navy was an Irishman? His name was John Barry and Dr. Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, said in his eulogy at Barry's graveside, "He was born in Ireland, but America was the object of his devotion and the theater of his usefulness." Barry was born in Co. Wexford, Ireland in 1745 and grew up with a great love for the sea. As a young man, he emigrated to the Crown colonies in America and by 1760, he was employed in a shipbuilding firm in Philadelphia. In 1766, at the age of … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: Commodore John Barry
March is Irish American Heritage Month
In recognition of Irish American Heritage Month, the Ancient Order of Hibernians have produced this video highlighting a few of the Irish American men and women who have contributed so much to this Country. Please feel free to like and share with friends. Embrace your Irish Heritage at www.aoh.com #IrishAmericanHeritageMonth https://www.youtube.com/embed/bCI0gNyN6PA … [Read more...] about March is Irish American Heritage Month
Irish American Heritage Month: Patrick Gallagher, USMC
Patrick Gallagher was born in Derrintogher, County Mayo Ireland on February 2, 1944. At the age of eighteen, as so many you Irish men and women before him, Patrick immigrated to the United States and the promise of a new life filled with opportunity. He quickly started on the immigrant dream: studying law while working in real estate; even getting involved in local politics as a campaign worker for Senator Robert Kennedy. In 1966, Patrick was drafted for service in Viet Nam. Despite pleas from a heart sick sister living in the states to avoid the horrors of war by simply returning to … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: Patrick Gallagher, USMC
Irish American Heritage Month: The Fighting Sullivan Brothers
DID YOU KNOW that in the annals of America's heroes, there is scarcely a brighter entry than that of the fighting Sullivan brothers? Born in Waterloo, Iowa to Railroad conductor Tom Sullivan and his wife Alleta, George, Francis, Albert, Joseph, and Madison grew up the best of friends in the closeness of an Irish family and matured into patriotic Americans. It was no surprise therefore, that when Pearl Harbor was attacked, the Sullivan brothers headed straight for the nearest U.S. Navy recruiting office. Navy policy discouraged family members from serving together, but the Sullivans were … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: The Fighting Sullivan Brothers
Irish American Heritage Month: Colonel Eileen Collins, A Descendent of Immigrants Who Attained the Stars
On July 30th, 1999, 30 years and two days after the first successful moonwalk, Irish American Colonel Eileen Marie Collins became the first woman to command a U.S. spacecraft. Eileen Collins was one of four children born to a family that traced their heritage to immigrants from County Cork who had settled in Elmira New York. At an early age Eileen expressed an interest in flying, the skies around her home a frequent home to sailplanes and Elmira was home to the National Soaring Museum. Her father would often take her to the local airport to watch aircraft take off and … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: Colonel Eileen Collins, A Descendent of Immigrants Who Attained the Stars
Irish American Heritage Month: Ther Angel of Andersonville
DID YOU KNOW that an Irish Catholic Priest Rev. Thomas O’Reilly threatened General Sherman with a mutiny by the Irish Catholics in his army if he torched the church district of Atlanta at the start of his infamous march to the sea and that General Sherman backed down and the entire church district was saved, including the City Hall which stood therein? However, Rev. Peter Whelan was just as courageous in another way. Rev. Whelan distinguished himself as a chaplain for the Montgomery Guards, an Irish company established in Savannah for the First Georgia Volunteer Regiment named for America’s … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: Ther Angel of Andersonville
Irish American Heritage Month: The Irish Contribution to America's Independance
DID YOU KNOW that when America was born, the Irish were there? The Irish, both Protestant and Catholic, were a major part of Washington’s volunteers from foot soldiers to high ranking officers. When increased Crown exploitation drove the colonists to protest, among the loudest were the Irish who had no great love for the Crown to begin with. And there were many Irish in America’s colonies. Among them were those who fought the English theft of their Irish lands and ended up hunted men; they were followed by those Catholics and Presbyterians who fled persecution by the Church of England. Some … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: The Irish Contribution to America's Independance