New York City has long been home to a large and thriving Irish community. By 1854 somewhere between 1.5 and 2 million Irish had emigrated to NYC largely due to the Irish Potato Famine of the 1840s – an event commemorated to this day by the Irish Hunger Memorial at the corner of Vesey Street and North End Avenue in Battery Park City. Today, well over 500,000 New Yorkers have Irish heritage, and Irish and Irish-Americans continue to play a large part in the city’s police force, media, churches, sports teams, and culture.It’s easy to see the enduring popularity of Irish culture here in the city. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade – taking place on March 17 this year – is now in its 254th year, keeping a tradition going that started in 1762. Around 150,000 marchers and some two million spectators are a sure sign of both the Irish community’s legacy and its ongoing life in NYC. The Parade starts at 44th Street at 11:00 a.m. and marches up Fifth Avenue past St. Patrick’s Cathedral at 50th Street to 79th Street, where it finishes around 4:30 – 5:00 pm. St Patrick’s is one of New York City’s true landmarks and its links to the Irish Catholic community remain strong. It is open daily from 6.30 a.m. to 8.45 p.m. and is a popular tourist attraction.
Irish Culture
There’s no shortage of Irish culture to be had in New York City, and plenty of places you can get plugged in straight away. Beyond the “Kiss me I’m Irish” t-shirts, there’s a flourishing community in the city.While there’s no “Little Ireland” in New York, with Irish living pretty much everywhere in the city, the closest thing is the neighborhood of Woodlawn, in the north of the Bronx. Spilling over the border into Yonkers, Woodlawn grew in the 1890s when Irish laborers were needed to build reservoirs and aqueducts to keep New York City going. The neighborhood that exists today has deep roots and is more than 6,000 strong, with many Irish families settled for three or four generations by now. Katonah Avenue and McLean Avenue, running north-south and east-west respectively, act as the heart of this neighborhood – with a small-town feel, Irish pubs, bakeries, restaurants and gift shops aren’t hard to find. For true Irish crafts and gifts, head to Anna’s Attic at 952 McLean Avenue, and the Traditional Irish Bakery at 4268 Katonah Avenue serves up authentic Irish goodies.
In Long Island City, Queens, the New York Irish Center offers a welcome to both Irish and lovers of Irish culture. Open since 2005 the center aims to build a community based on shared heritage and an understanding that working together is preferable to standing apart. Father Colm Campbell, the visionary behind the center, originally saw it as a place for Irish immigrants of the 1980s to come together – but from this it has grown to a group that does charity work, hosts movie nights, and holds genealogy events for those tracing their Irish ancestry. Located at 10-40 Jackson Avenue in Long Island City, just five minutes from Grand Central Station on the 7 train, it’s not difficult to get to the fun classes and events that are always happening.The Irish Arts Center is arguably the hub of Irish culture in the city. Since 1972 they’ve brought the best Irish artists to New York to offer plays, music, dance, literary events, comedy, movies, and more as well as language and history classes. If you’re interested in Ireland’s arts, then this is the place to go. The IAC has a busy schedule and most of Irish culture is covered – including stand-up comedy every month and the yearly Irish Arts Center Book Day. Each April, their Irish Language Day (or Féile na Gaeilge) offers you the chance to try your hand at beginner, intermediate, or advanced Gaelic for $35. There’s also a great series of kids’ classes, including dance, harp, and film screenings. You can find the IAC at 553 West 51 Street, New York, NY 10019Finally, if you’re interested in Irish sports, the Gaelic Park Sports Center in Kingsbridge, Bronx, has been the hub of Irish and Gaelic sports since it opened in 1926. Gaelic sport doesn’t have a huge following in New York City, but the New York Gaelic Athletic Association oversees Gaelic football and hurling leagues and competes in local competitions. Camogie, the women’s equivalent of hurling, also has a New York Ladies team and has enjoyed considerable success in recent years.
Irish Food and Drink
There’s more to Irish cuisine than Guinness – though there’s plenty of that to be found in NYC as well.Butcher Block43-46 41st Street, Sunnyside NY 11104A normal looking neighborhood grocery store – forget images of big green signs and leprechauns – Butcher Block offers a nice range of British and Irish imported goods. You can purchase cookies, sauces, canned puddings, and soups as well as the cuts you need for real Irish food – Irish-style meat such as boiling bacon, spare ribs, and rashers.The Butcher’s Fancy961 McLean Ave, Yonkers, NY 10704Old school butchers for a new world city, The Butcher’s Fancy offers the usual meats alongside good Irish delicacies including sausage rolls, homemade sausages, pudding, corned beef, and rashers. In a very un-Irish twist, they also offer buffalo, alligator, quail, and kangaroo to order, along with more traditional game of pork, lamb, and poultry. Homemade dinners can be bought from the front of the store, including Bangers and Mash, Bacon and Cabbage, Lamb Stew, and Shepherd’s Pie.Paddy Reilly’s Music Bar519 2nd Avenue, New YorkOpen since 1986 and priding itself on its Irish music, Paddy Reilly’s has seen the birth and growth of such bands as Black 47, The McCabes, Prodigals, and The Mickey Finns. With live music every night, there’s always something to watch as you nurse your pint.Molly’s287 Third Avenue, New YorkThe New York Post has called Molly’s “New York’s finest Irish pub,” with Gotham Magazine adding “Molly’s is the most authentic Irish bar in the city.” It’s been going in its current form since the 1960s, owned by Irish families and serving traditional Irish pub food along with some more American classics. New York Magazine even claimed it was the city’s “best pint of Guinness.” With the original fireplace still keeping you cozy, Molly’s is worth a trip.McSorley’s Old Ale House15 East 7th Street, New YorkBoasting itself as NYC’s oldest continuously operating saloon, McSorley’s has a fantastic past – including a legal fight all the way to the Supreme Court to allow women to enter. Their focus is on good drink, with kegs and bottled beer available and the McSorley label itself taking pride of place. It can get a little noisy at times, though – New York Magazine called it “The undisputed champion of NYC drinking institutions for the frat boy in all of us.”Tir Na Nog5 Penn Plaza 8th Avenue, New York315 West 39th Street, New YorkIrish hospitality and a global menu with an Irish focus can be found here. Tir Na Nog has two locations and serves Irish beer alongside English, Dutch, Belgian, and American. The atmosphere has had a lot of attention given to it, and the warmth – along with the good food – should be enough to keep anyone missing Ireland happy. The New York Times has praised its Irish breakfast, even while warning that it’s “not for the faint of heart.”Molly Blooms43 13 Queens Boulevard, SunnysideAn Irish pub with a strong focus on all things local, Molly Blooms serves local beers, at a hand crafted bar made by local carpenters in Victorian style. Their beer garden is a good place to while away an afternoon, enjoying their pub grub or some more lavish cuisine from their five star menu. Add to that live Irish music and it’s no wonder they’re proud to offer a “foretaste” of Ireland itself for those who’ve never been.
Connect with the Irish
The contribution of Irish and Irish-Americans to New York’s economy has been historically significant, and Irish businesses remain a vital part of the city’s business life.The Irish Business Organization of New York has worked since 1973 to promote Irish and Irish-American Business Interests in NYC through networking, business resources, and career services. The IBO is non-profit and non-denominational and their links to the Irish business community can be invaluable. IBO holds regular networking breakfasts and discussions and produce a newsletter with current events and reports. This traditional Irish organization and their energetic organizers are always open for guest visitors from any nationality – their annual golf benefit can be a great way to bond with the Irish in you. .The Irish Voice, now in its 29th year, covers weekly news in New York City and abroad, and shares its website with Irish Central, a central resource for news, commentary, and entertainment. These papers can be one of the fastest ways to become active in the Irish community.The Irish Network, a group of young professionals, operates throughout the greater New York area crossing professional boundaries by bringing people together for networking through charity, social, and cultural events. They also run a mentoring program to offer guidance on issues such as immigration, US culture and business, US finances, as well as hosting motivational speaking events.Article updated: March 16, 2015