Host Aidan Quinn
Born in Chicago, Aidan started his acting career on the Chicago stage and went on to play the title role in... READ BIO
While many Irish-American families in Chicago are three are four generations deep, many of Chicago's Irish have immigrated fairly recently. Ireland's fluctuating economy in the 1980s and 1990s prompted many of its young people, like John Cleary, to look elsewhere for work. Following his graduation from college, John saw little prospect for landing a job that would give him enhanced skills and advancement. A friend of his had a brother in Chicago, and in 1995, after some brief stops in Ocean City, Maryland and New York, John made it to the Midwest. He and his friends got started waiting tables and tending bars. Though John was a CPA, restaurant management became his focus. It was a social industry that allowed him to meet lots of different people and other recent immigrants.
The same month that John arrived in Chicago, Trish began working at another Chicago restaurant, following her recent move from the East Coast.... READ STORY
Irish Chicago is made possible through the generous support of The William F. O'Connor Foundation, in Memory of Billy O'Connor; Walsh Construction; and Robert & Joan Clifford.
Additional support is provided by Mr. & Mrs. W. James Farrell and OBriens Restaurant and Bar.
The immigrant history of Chicago is rooted among many countries and people whose struggles and triumphs have led them to the Midwest. From the days of Chicago's founding in the 1830s, the city has been the final stop for people journeying from all over the world looking for a land of opportunity. In numerous ways, these new arrivals made their mark throughout the city and are woven into Chicago's rich cultural fabric.
Irish Chicago, features the colorful stories of Irish-American immigrants and their descendants who lived the history and exemplify the repeated cycle of the outsider becoming the ultimate Chicago citizen-insider.