In the face of starvation, they fled their homeland and came to Chicago – a city whose ruling class did not want them. A century later, Irish Catholics had command of one of the most powerful political machines in America, one that would shape Chicago for generations. The story of the Irish in Chicago is one of extraordinary political and economic ascent, though it is also a complicated one, marked by the same exclusion they once endured. The Irish may have come with nothing, but they changed everything... Read More
They fled their homeland to escape poverty, famine, and certain death only to land in a city that didn’t want them. But Chicago’s Irish community fought back, creating vibrant neighborhoods and parishes and building a powerful political coalition like no other. This story celebrates their faith, courage, and perseverance in the face of widespread prejudice and almost unimaginable challenges. Once outsiders, they came to define the soul of the city.
