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Irish Catholics began arriving in the 1830s and especially 1840s, in the wake of devastating [[Irish Potato Famine|famine]] in Ireland. (Others went to Britain, Canada and Australia.)
Irish Catholics began arriving in the 1830s and especially 1840s, in the wake of devastating [[Irish Potato Famine|famine]] in Ireland. (Others went to Britain, Canada and Australia.)
Very high group cohesion enabled labor bosses to organize unskilled workers into construction gangs and move them to locations wehere canals and railroads were being built. Native Americans rarely did this work (although in the South slaves were used, and in California Chinese.) The Irish fought for the jobs against other irish work gangs.
Very high group cohesion enabled labor bosses to organize unskilled workers into construction gangs and move them to locations wehere canals and railroads were being built. Native Americans rarely did this work (although in the South slaves were used, and in California Chinese.) The Irish fought for the jobs against other Irish work gangs.
Most went to the largest cities, especially Boston and New York, as well as Chicago, San Francisco, Saint Louis, Hartford, Albany, Philadelphia and Detroit. In the Northeast, Protestant owners of texile mills fired the Yankee women working there and replaced them with cheaper Irish women.
Most went to the largest cities, especially Boston and New York, as well as Chicago, San Francisco, Saint Louis, Hartford, Albany, Philadelphia and Detroit. In the Northeast, Protestant owners of texile mills fired the Yankee women working there and replaced them with cheaper Irish women.
== 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. The Irish vehemtly opposed blacks and abolitionists before and during the Civil War, and led the battle to stop Chinese immigration in the 1870s.
===Police===
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>
===Presidential politics===
[[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.
[[John F. Kerry]] was the losing Democratic nominee in 2004. [[Joe Biden]] is the only Catholic elected vice president. In 1944 [[Jimmy Byrnes]] lost the Democratic nomination for vice president because he had been born Catholic and left the Church, making him ineligible in the minds of many Catholics.
[[John F. Kerry]] was the losing Democratic nominee in 2004. [[Joe Biden]] is the only Catholic elected vice president. In 1944 [[Jimmy Byrnes]] lost the Democratic nomination for vice president because he had been born Catholic and left the Church, making him ineligible in the minds of many Catholics.
===National politics===
Today, most Irish Catholic politicians are associated with the Democratic Party, although some have become Republican leaders, such as former GOP national chairman [[Ed Gillespie]], New York Congressman [[Peter T. King]] and retired Illinois Congressman [[Henry Hyde]].
Today, most Irish Catholic politicians are associated with the Democratic Party, although some have become Republican leaders, such as former GOP national chairman [[Ed Gillespie]], New York Congressman [[Peter T. King]] and retired Illinois Congressman [[Henry Hyde]].
Many major cities have elected Irish Catholic mayors. [[Chicago]], [[Boston]], and [[Jersey City]] have breen especially prominent. New York City has had at least three Irish-born mayors and over eight Irish Catholic mayors. The most recent one was [[County Mayo]] native [[William O'Dwyer]], elected in 1949.
Many major cities have elected Irish Catholic mayors. [[Chicago]], [[Boston]], and [[Jersey City]] have breen especially prominent. New York City has had at least three Irish-born mayors and over eight Irish Catholic mayors. The most recent one was [[County Mayo]] native [[William O'Dwyer]], elected in 1949.
===Catholic Church===
By the 1890s the Irish largely controlled the Catholic Church in the U.S. Most bishops and college presidents were Irish. Sometimes this involved battling other ethnic groups, such as the Germans (who outnumbered the Irish), the Poles and the French Canadians.<ref> The Poles grew so angry that a minority faction in 1897 split off from the Roman Catholic Church and set up the Polish National Catholic Church in America, which today has about 150,000 members.</ref>
==see also==
==see also==