Got to wonder what percentage of the Irish immigrants had red hair has to do with anything relevant, lol. And no, they were not escaping British sweat shops. Most of the Irish were escaping the devastating Irish potato famine of the 1840’s and 1850’s. Not the case with my surname ancestors, they had money, but likely the case with others of my Irish ancestors who arrived in the late 1840’s-early 1850’s. And much of the discrimination during the “Irish need not apply” era had to do with most of those arriving Irish being Roman Catholic, and hence potential Papists. Recall, that in 1960, this was a very big concern, an actual fear, where JFK was concerned. Some Americans were concerned that Kennedy’s allegiance would be to the pope, and not the Constitution.
The annual Irish Red Head Festival....
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