The Irish Immigration to Chicago started in the 19th
Century. More precisely would be 1830s. Some Irish already lived in Chicago
when it was incorporated as a city in 1837. Immigrant numbers grew in the early
1840s. The Great Famine (1845-1849) of Ireland caused a lot of people to leave
the country and that is when the number of immigrants coming to Chicago
increased the most. The Irish immigrants first settled in Bridgeporton the
South Side or Kilglubbin on the North of Chicago.
By 1850 the Irish immigrants in Chicago accounted for about
one-fifth of city’s population. The number of immigrants continued to increase
till the end of the century but their percentage was never as high as it was in
1850. The vast majority of the immigrants were unskilled and they had to do
poorly paid jobs. Although they did very unskilled jobs their contribution to
the development of Chicago cannot be neglected.
Since the immigrants were unskilled they had to do a lot of
manual labor. Much of the work on the Illinois and Michigan Canal between 1837
and 1848 was done by hand and most labors were the Irish immigrants. Hundreds
of poor Irish men took up this low-wage work. They were isolated even in the
construction site due to their foreignness and poverty.
Other contributions of the Irish included the meatpacking
industry, police and domestics. The Irish and Germans were the skilled “butcher
aristocracy” who were the heart of the AMC meat company. After 1856 the police
department hired foreign-born recruits, especially unskilled English-speaking
Irish immigrants. By 1870, households employed domestic workers, who accounted
for 60 percent of the city’s wage earning women.
Unlike other ethnic groups which came to Chicago and lived
in small concentrated areas, the Irish did not or maybe could not due to their
growth. They resided in various parts of the city and had strong presence in
Chicago’s south side. The Irish settled in large numbers in places such as
Chatham, East Woodland, Avalon Park, Hyde Park, and many others.
Gradually as the time passed by the Irish immigrants started
to improve their condition. They left their old neighborhoods in the central
parts of the city and moved to better ones in outlying areas. After World War
II the increased prosperity of the Irish was evident who left the city for the
suburbs. Despite being separated the Irish people came together due to their
religious and ethnic identities.
A handful of Irish along with Germans laid the foundation of
Catholic Church in the city. With the increase of the Irish and German Catholic
newcomers in the following decades the Catholic Church grew by leaps and
bounds. Due to the arrival of more people of different countries the Catholic
population became far more diverse. Because of their numbers, early arrival,
and ability to speak English, the Irish held the dominant role in Catholic
Church in Chicago for decades.
The Chicago Irish were perhaps known best for their political skills. Although they weren’t a majority in the city the Irish enjoyed a distinct advantage due to their knowledge of English language and he British system of government. Politics and nationalism tended to be male-dominated activities but the Catholic Church with its extensive networks of parishes, schools, hospitals and charitable institutions affected and involved the lives of the Irish women and children.
The Irish have played a leading role in the cultural revival
of music and dance in the city as well. In addition to supporting the Irish
American Heritage Center in the Irving Park Community Area of Chicago and
Gaelic Park in the Oak Forest, the Chicago Irish have preserved a sense of
place and identity through their network and parishes. Although the number has
decreased to a great extent now the Chicago Irish are still an influential
ethnic group.
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