Hi, I hope this is not appropriate...

I live in Norway, an I am planning to spend my summer holiday in Ireland. I have been searching the net, but I am interested to hear what you irish recommend to learn and see in your country!
Thank you, I really appreciate you help!
Regards, Ian

*thinks the Irishfolk of Tir na nOg kinda let the team down on this one .. *sigh*

As official spokesperson for the entire Irish Nation, I hang my head.

All I can say is that most parts of Ireland are worth lingering in (if you can a fiord it)

Sheesh, I've done my bit for tourism with the gathering info.

wow . Accasbel .. *official ..... for the whole nation*? .... IMPRESSIVE

still ..

Hey you guys *in his best NY accent* let me tell ya a story. The last time I was in Eire (2 years ago) I was walkin through a meadow, right? T'was a nice day and a good one for a stroll at that. At around 2 o'clock on this bright sunny and extremely rainy day (depending on what minute) I stumbled upon a cow. Now she didn't see me yet, lucky for me, but I was only about a 100 ft from her. I quickley hid behind a tree so as not to give myself away. Cows are horrible creatures and have been known to eat several people with just one swallow. So I stood there in complete horror as I watched this hideous creature practice chewing on some grass and pretending not to be really hungry. But me, being so smart as to have finished 4th grade and after eatin some smart ass Salmon knew exactley what this evil creature was up to. I sat and waited, biding my time just waiting for the Cow to leave me be. I closed my eyes and prayed to St. Elsie *The Patron Saint of Cows* and asked for her assistance in ridding myself of this potentially life threatening situation. As I prayed I began to dream and in a heavy sleep I dreamt of all those poor people in Wisconsin who are enslaved by cows and are forced to make and sell dairy products. I awoke in terror, shaking & shivering at the thought. In a total frenzy I jumped up from my sleep and saw that the blasted cow was gone. WOW was that a close call.... sheeeesh..... I'm not so sure if I'll ever go back there again. At least not without an adult to protect me. *LMAO*

An Irish Contribution
Benjamin E. Nash

I never really knew what Saint Patrick’s Day was about. To me, it was just some Irish holiday where I had to wear green to avoid getting pinched, or get to see leprechauns march down the street in a parade. I knew I had a little Irish in me and thought that was cool. I hadn’t really wondered why this holiday existed or where it came from. Not until my father told me, and then encouraged me to learn more about my Irish heritage. So, I looked, and I found. It surprised me. I learned much more than just where Saint Patrick’s Day originated from and why it is celebrated in America. I learned about a people who made an enormous impact on the world. A people, who came from one seemingly insignificant island in Europe, and changed everything around them.
In 401 A.D., slavery was horribly common and the Celts of Ireland were notorious for their barbarian slave raids. These Irish would move in large war parties and sweep the countryside, seizing thousands of young prisoners. These prisoners would then be taken to a slave market in Ireland. On one such occasion, a young Roman boy, Patricius, was captured in a raid through Britain. Patricius was sold to a local “king”, Miliucc, and forced to work as a shepherd-slave. During his experience as a slave, Patricius prayed constantly, leading him to develop faith in Christianity (his grandfather was a Catholic priest). After six years, Patricius claimed, he awoke in the middle of the night to voice telling him to escape and head back home to Britain. So, Patricius set out and traveled approximately two hundred miles toward the coast. He found a ship and was allowed on board (Cahill 102, 103).
The ship took three days to cross to the sea, and he had to travel inland for two weeks. Although near starving, Patricius, with his faith, kept his spirits high. It took Patricius a couple more years to make it back home to Britain. When he arrived home, his parents joyously welcomed him, likely never expecting to see him again. Patricius began to have dreams about the Irish and couldn’t get them out of his mind. His visions increased and he decided to leave his family and follow his dreams to Gaul. He is believed to have gone to the island monastery of Lerins where he took up education in theology.
Around 430, Patricius, now known as Patrick, was ordained a priest and later a bishop. Patrick virtually became the first bishop missionary since Paul, four hundred years earlier, and the very first missionary to the Irish. Patrick, being a great and courageous man, was very successful in his mission. He established a church system throughout much of Ireland, converting pagans, barbarians, farmers, and kings alike. He was the first person to speak straightforwardly against slavery, eventually causing the end of the Irish slave trade. Violence in Ireland was even decreased. He was dedicated to the Irish people and fought hard for them throughout their conflicts with Britain. The last thirty years of his life were devoted to his barbaric countrymen, so that they might “seize the everlasting kingdoms” (qtd. in Cahill 123).
Patrick is believed to have died in 461, but what he established lived beyond his years. The Irish built many monasteries and people from all over Ireland, and soon from everywhere in Europe, came to visit them. All were openly received and taught and fed without charge. The Irish brought into their monastery libraries everything they could get a hold of. They poured into these books, everything from old Greek to Latin literature. The reading of some books was believed to be immoral, but the Irish didn’t believe in any self-imposed censorship. They copied everything and even wrote down all of their native literature.
Within a generation the Irish had mastered Greek, Latin, and were even learning some Hebrew. These scribes and Irish scholars wrote their own books too, creating some of the most wonderful literature we have today. They even created their own alphabets and scripts. One, the Irish minuscule, was adopted by many scribes outside Ireland, and became a common script during the middle ages (Cahill 166).
By now the Roman Empire was falling apart and Ireland was just becoming more civilized. Because much of Europe was attacked and taken over by the Visigoths, Vandals, and other tribes, the Romans lost most of their literature and culture. Many precious items were never recovered. But thanks to Irish monks, who traveled through Scotland and into Europe carrying books with them, Europe was saved.
The Irish brought books that hadn’t been seen for centuries. They established monasteries throughout Europe, bringing back Catholicism and educating everyone willing. These monks taught them their love of learning and skills in making books. Around 870, Heiric of Auxerre said in his Life of Saint Germanus, “Almost all of Ireland, despising the sea, is migrating to our shores with a herd of philosophers” (qtd. in Cahill 195). Without the Irish almost all of Latin literature would have been lost and who knows what would have eventually happened to Europe.

Skipping nearly 1000 years of history, we find Ireland in the midst of a struggle to gain independence from Britain. This never succeeded however, because nature interrupted. The potato was the main source of food in Ireland, feeding both man and animal. And in 1821, when the potato crop failed, all of Ireland suffered. Then in 1845 the crops developed a disease that continued for over four years. The British didn’t help much and the price of food soared outrageously. Peasants who ate the rotten potatoes became sick, developing cholera and typhus. Due to the loss of the crops, tenants couldn’t pay their landlords and many were evicted, causing them to crowd into disease infested workhouses. This took its toll on the Irish, resulting in nearly a million deaths.
Their only hope to survive was to sell all their possessions for enough money to board ships headed for America and other English-speaking countries. These vessels, sometimes called “coffin ships”, were overcrowded, and often a third of the immigrants would die before ever reaching their destination. Once in America, their struggles weren’t over yet. Many had to labor for years to pay off their passage to this new land. This new country was thriving and growing so quickly, and these immigrants were more than willing to put themselves to work, eager for a decent life. America needed them, but most of the early settlers were afraid of them and many Irish found signs that read, “No Irish Need Apply” (Murphy 13).
These immigrants weren’t the first of the Irish to arrive here. There had been smaller groups that had landed in America as early as the 1680’s. A son of one of these families, Charles Carroll, signed the Declaration of Independence, along with seven other Irish-Americans. So, if the Irish had already been accepted in this country, why was there hostility toward these newer immigrants (Murphy 11)? The groups from the famine came in far greater numbers, mostly Irish-Catholic, and the Americans who were predominately Protestant were afraid. There was close to 700,000 Irish by 1840 and when the famine hit Ireland, waves of two million came pouring onto the shores (Murphy 13).
The majority of them were uneducated, poor, and sick. They flowed into American cities, but there wasn’t any room for them. They had no choice to stay in cellars and run-down buildings; some sleeping in the streets. Many died after arriving from starvation or sickness, before they had a chance to start their new life. The men that were able to work only found employment doing construction, laboring in the sewers, or performing other dangerous jobs. The women found jobs as seamstresses, waiters, maids, and in some cases as nurses. 60% of the Irish were laborers, building everything in America from the Erie Canal to the railroads connecting the West (Coffey 137).
Other Irish tried finding jobs in politics but met resistance by anti-Catholic “native Americans.” They questioned whether the Irish could be loyal to both the United States and the pope. These Americans created secret parties that became, for a time, a political force (Murphy 16). They captured control of many city and state governments, causing many citizens, who knew nothing about politics, to be elected into office in Massachusetts. Through these amateurs they were able to pass two pieces of anti-immigrant legislation. One, preventing immigrants from voting until they have lived in the US for 21 years, and the other barring them from ever holding office in Massachusetts.
These anti-Catholics groups even went as far as rioting and burning down Irish churches. Some of the Irish, reacting violently, started their own riots. But for the most part these new immigrants stayed out of trouble, working hard to create a new life for their families.
Many early gangsters were Irish, and during the Civil War, they nearly ripped apart New York. However, as time passed, they became the main source of recruits for the urban police. It is thought that city officials encouraged this, believing that only former gang members could control the Irish gangs (Reedy 28). The Irish also took hold of the fire departments. As cities became bigger, friendly neighbors throwing buckets of water on houses could no longer control fires. Full-time firefighters were needed and the Irish filled these positions. If you looked at a list of police and firemen in the late 1800’s, it would be next to impossible to find one without an Irish name (Reedy 29).
The Irish also shaped the character of American Catholicism. The church was a large part of Irish social structure and support. The Irish Catholic bishops and priests were excellent leaders and teachers. They organized the building of many churches, and also set up the foundation for America’s enormous Catholic school system. A lot of the way today’s schools are run can be credited to the Irish (Murphy 18, 21).
The Irish also had a large part in the forming of labor unions and in wage rights. The Knights of Labor, founded in 1869, was the first, and many others followed. These union groups fought hard to raise wages but weren’t very successful until years later. Peter McGuire, a leader in one union group, was the first to suggest Labor Day. He also supported and organized the labor campaign that led to the eight-hour workday (Murphy 39, 42).
In 1861, during the middle of the Civil War, a draft law was passed that required males ages 20-45 to enroll in the Union Army. The only way to avoid it was a payment of $300. This was a price far beyond any poor immigrant. Many didn’t respond to this call for soldiers, most were too busy worrying about how to feed their families. Thankfully, 150,000 Irish did respond (a lot of them fresh off ships from Ireland), forming regiments, called the Irish Brigade, at the front ranks in many of the most costly battles (Murphy 30). The Irish would proudly carry green flags while bravely advancing against hopelessly uneven odds. A British correspondent from inside the Confederate fortifications wrote, “Never at Fontenoy, Albuera, or at Waterloo was more undaunted courage displayed by the sons of Erin (the Irish) than during those six frantic dashes which they directed against the almost impregnable position of their foe…” (qtd. in Murphy 30).
After the war, it was clear that the Irish had proven themselves. General Thomas Meagher, commander of the Irish Brigade said in one of his speeches during the war, “The Irish soldier will henceforth take his stand by the side of the native born… and tell him that he has been equal to him in his allegiance to the Constitution” (Murphy 33).
The Irish rushed into politics. By 1870, there were two hundred thousand people of Irish birth in New York and a good number in both Chicago and Boston. The numbers were in their favor (Coffey 103). An institution in New York, called Tammany Hall, was established to help the poor, but in the early 19th century it fell under the influence of the Irish and became a machine or political force. This machine, and many others like it, helped to propel the Irish head first into politics. These Democratic machines gained favor by giving the immigrants what they needed: jobs, food, and clothing. In return they received votes; helping these Irish Democrats get into positions of authority (Murphy 34).
One man, “Boss” Tweed, was practically the inventor of the Irish political machine. It helped him gain a lot of control and influence over the city of New York. Corruption was common in these machines, and many men only cared about power, control, and money. Tweed, a prime example, was sentenced to prison when he was caught dipping his fingers in the public treasury (Murphy 35). Despite the corruption, these political forces contributed much to the forming of American politics. They also helped the Irish rise from low-class immigrants to influential middle and high class citizens.
In 1960, John F. Kennedy was the first Irish Catholic president to be elected. This was a massive milestone for the Irish community. Even Irish Americans who hadn’t voted for him were proud to have him as their president. The Irish were moving up in America. Blue-collar workers turned into white-collared businessmen. “No Irish Need Apply” signs were coming down and anti-Catholic movements were fewer and less threatening. The Irish changed during these years, they were no longer thought of as a wild, drunken people. They became Americans, able to claim the country as theirs. They had suffered, endured, fought, and died for America. They earned their recognition and it was about time.
There are so many great Irish people and achievements that I can’t cover them all. Their heroics are still going on today; several of the Sept. 11th firefighters are Irish Americans. George W. Bush even gave speech dedicating March 2002, National Irish American Heritage Month. In the speech he said, “America has been shaped by the principles of liberty and freedom, guided by the pursuit of justice, and enriched by the diversity of its people. Irish Americans have been an essential part of this development, greatly contributing to our Nation's progress and prosperity” (White House).
The next time Saint Patrick’s Day comes your way and you find yourself wearing a green hat and watching the parade, I encourage you to remember the remarkable people who saved Europe, and also helped build America through their solid persistence to constantly improve upon life. And if you’re at least a little Irish, show some pride in your heritage, because you have something great flowing through your veins.


Works Cited
Cahill, Thomas. How the Irish Saved Civilization: the untold story of Ireland’s heroic
role from the fall of Rome to the rise of medieval Europe. New York: Nan A. Talese,
Double Day, 1995.
Coffey, Micheal, ed. The Irish in America. New York: Hyperion, 1997.
Murphy, Eugene. An Album of the Irish Americans. New York: Franklin Watts, Inc.,
1974.
Reedy, George. From the Ward to the White House: the Irish in American politics. New
York: Charles Scribner Sons, 1991.
Wittke, Carl. The Irish in America. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University P, 1956.
The Ethical Culture Fieldston School. Civil War and Reconstruction Timeline. 2 Feb.
2003
The White House. Irish-American Heritage Month Proclamation. 2 Feb. 2003
.
Interpreting the Irish Famine. 2 Feb. 2003



3/17/2003