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The '''Catholic Irish''' have been a major American ethnic group since they started arriving in the 1840s in the wake of the horrible [[Irish Potato Famine]].  Extremely poor with a strong group cohesiveness, high interest in politics, and high rates of alcoholism and violence, they settled in the slums of large cities.  many worked in construction gangs.  The Irish rose rapidly in the ranks of the Democratic party, the Catholic Church, and (after 1880), the labor unions.

The '''Catholic Irish''' have been a major American ethnic group since they started arriving in the 1840s in the wake of the horrible [[Irish Potato Famine]].  Extremely poor with a strong group cohesiveness, high interest in politics, and high rates of alcoholism and violence, they settled in the slums of large cities.  many worked in construction gangs.  The Irish rose rapidly in the ranks of the Democratic party, the Catholic Church, and (after 1880), the labor unions.  The Irish were very well organized, and, since 1850, have produced a majority of the leaders of the Catholic Church in the U.S., labor unions, the Democratic Party in larger cities, and Catholic high schools, colleges and universities. Politically, the Irish Catholic typically voted 80-95% Democratic in elections down to 1964.  

== Irish in politics and government ==

== Irish in politics and government ==

The Catholic Irish moved rapidly into law enforcement, and (through the Catholic Church) built hundreds of schools, colleges, orphanages, hospitals, and asylums. Political opposition to the Catholic Irish climaxed in 1854 in the short-lived Know Nothing Party.  

The Catholic Irish moved rapidly into law enforcement, and (through the Catholic Church) built hundreds of schools, colleges, orphanages, hospitals, and asylums. Political opposition to the Catholic Irish climaxed in 1854 in the short-lived Know Nothing Party.  

By the 1850s, the Irish Catholics were a major presence in the police departments of large cities. In New York City in 1855, of the city's 1,149 policemen, 305 were natives of Ireland. The creation of a unified police force in Philadelphia opened the door for the Irish in that city. By 1860 in Chicago, 49 of the 107 on the police force were Irish. Chief O'Leary headed the police force in New Orleans and Malachi Fallon was chief of police of San Francisco.<ref>Potter  p.530</ref>

By the 1850s, the Irish Catholics were a major presence in the police departments of large cities. In New York City in 1855, of the city's 1,149 policemen, 305 were natives of Ireland. The creation of a unified police force in Philadelphia opened the door for the Irish in that city. By 1860 in Chicago, 49 of the 107 on the police force were Irish. Chief O'Leary headed the police force in New Orleans and Malachi Fallon was chief of police of San Francisco.<ref>Potter  p.530</ref>

The Irish had a reputation of being [http://historyproject.ucdavis.edu/imageapp.php?Major=RE&Minor=D&SlideNum=23.00 very well organized], and, since 1850, have produced a majority of the leaders of the Catholic Church in the U.S., labor unions, the Democratic Party in larger cities, and Catholic high schools, colleges and universities. Politically, the Irish Catholic typically voted 80-95% Democratic in elections down to 1964. [[John F. Kennedy]] was their greatest political hero. [[Al Smith]], who lost to [[Herbert Hoover]] in the 1928 was the first Irish Catholic to run for president<ref>He had only one Irish Catholic grandparent but most people considered him Irish.</ref>  From the 1830s to the 1960s, Irish Catholics voted 80-95% Democratic, with occasional exceptions like the election of 1920, when they angrily turned away from the Democrats who had failed to secure Irish independence.  

[[John F. Kennedy]] was their greatest political hero. [[Al Smith]], who lost to [[Herbert Hoover]] in the 1928 was the first Irish Catholic to run for president<ref>He had only one Irish Catholic grandparent but most people considered him Irish.</ref>  From the 1830s to the 1960s, Irish Catholics voted 80-95% Democratic, with occasional exceptions like the election of 1920, when they angrily turned away from the Democrats who had failed to secure Irish independence.  

[[Ronald Reagan]] boasted of his Irishness. (The son of an Irish Catholic father, he was raised as a Protestant.)  

[[Ronald Reagan]] boasted of his Irishness. (The son of an Irish Catholic father, he was raised as a Protestant.)  

* Potter, George W. . ''To the Golden Door: The Story of the Irish in Ireland and America'' (1960). useful survey [http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.questia.com/library/book/to-the-golden-door-the-story-of-the-irish-in-ireland-and-america-by-george-w-potter.jsp&ei=3_LbSsOCFIeuswPBpIieBg&sa=X&oi=nshc&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&ved=0CA8QzgQoAA&usg=AFQjCNGREO3hj08iKBc8FfsY5DQQlneI0Q online edition]

* Potter, George W. . ''To the Golden Door: The Story of the Irish in Ireland and America'' (1960). useful survey [http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.questia.com/library/book/to-the-golden-door-the-story-of-the-irish-in-ireland-and-america-by-george-w-potter.jsp&ei=3_LbSsOCFIeuswPBpIieBg&sa=X&oi=nshc&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&ved=0CA8QzgQoAA&usg=AFQjCNGREO3hj08iKBc8FfsY5DQQlneI0Q online edition]

[[Category:Ethnicities]]

[[Category:Ethnicities]]