No Irish Need Apply: The History of the Irish in Boston

The talk begins with a look at the scant evidence there is of the Irish who were brought over unwillingly as indentured servants in the late 17th Century. Then the first real migration of the Irish in 1718 - the arrival of the Scot-Irish or the "Ulster Irish"; will be discussed. Next, we will examine the slow pre-famine trickle of Irish Catholic immigrants coming into Boston as well as the corresponding increase in Anti-Irish/Catholic sentiment within Boston beginning with the
notorious Pope's Day celebrations and then the discussion will turn to the burning of the Ursuline Convent in 1834 in Charlestown, and the Broad Street Riot of 1837.
The massive wave of immigration into Boston after the Great Potato Famine will be examined next with respect to the condition of the new arrivals, the neighborhoods they settled, how they banded together, the kinds of work they did to survive and their eventual assimilation into American culture.
Finally, there will be a discussion of the rise of the Irish within the sphere of Boston politics. Short vignettes on such Irish political leaders such as Patrick Collins, Hugh O'Brien, Martin Lomasney, Patrick J. Kennedy, John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald and of course the old "Rascal King"himself James Michael Curley will be given.

The Speaker:
Christopher Daley has been speaking all over New England for the past 30 years and virtually via Zoom throughout the United States for the past two years on historical topics of interest; at libraries, historical societies, schools and all sorts of clubs and organizations!
He holds a B.A. and an M.A. from Bridgewater State University in Political Science and History. He was formerly the President of the Pembroke Historical Society and Chairman of the Pembroke Historical Commission. He was also a docent at the John Alden House Historic Site as well as Coordinator of Educational Outreach. Additionally, this past June, Chris retired from his position as history teacher in the Silver Lake Regional School System in Kingston,
Massachusetts after teaching for 25 years.
Chris has written several articles on varied historical topics for local publications and has written his first book entitled "Murder and Mayhem in Boston: Historic Crimes in the Hub.” Chris has also served as historical consultant on the Sacco-Vanzetti Case for the Travel Channel';s program "Time Traveling with Brian Unger." He also appeared in two episodes of the Travel Channel's "Kindred Spirits" in the capacity of historian on shows about the Lizzie Borden Case.
Chris' wife Cathy is his fellow researcher and travels along as Daley History's Professional Photographer. Christopher and his wife reside in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Presented by the Friends of the Duxbury Free Library