1900 THE IRISH IN AMERICA
The Irish did well in the United States and in the individual states for a number of reasons. Among them would be the fact that:
they spoke the language; were familiar with the system; and learned to use it to political advantage. They were the
first effective minority in the United States, and as an organized minority, early in the history of the country and the
states, used the political process and carved for themselves opportunities.
You have seen in this chronology just what they accomplished. By the beginning of the twentieth century, opportunity was open to them in more fields and they took advantage of it. In the heavy urban centers of the East Coast, however, the Irish were still considered a minority. In some of these places, opportunity was still closed to them as shown in an acronym understood by the Irish who lived through the period, NINA (No Irish Need Apply, this acronym was usually found after a job listing in the paper or in a store or business window). By the time the boys came home from "the War to end all wars" in 1918, the signs were mostly gone.
The minority status designation for the Irish was over. They were able to move up a notch and leave the minority tag to newer immigrant groups. Soon the Irish were excelling in all fields. So many Irish and Celts distinguished themselves in so many fields there is only room to list some of the names, many of which you will recognize. Those you don't recognize were accomplished people in their field and their story can be found in your local library with just a little research. Some things can't be listed like Roy C. Sullivan, a park ranger who has survived being struck seven times by lightning, or that Cathy Rigby, the first U.S. woman gymnast to win a medal in world competition, is now Mrs. Tom McCoy; or that Mary Lou Retton, the darling of the 1984 Olympics, is now Mrs. Shannon Kelley. Those stories and more will have to wait for another time and place. One thing the lists do tell us, as in the building of this country, the Irish are still very much among the pioneers of America and America's future. Our everyday life is touched by accomplishments of Irishmen.
It was an Irishman that first powered an automobile with gasoline (Duryea brothers), and an Irishman who brought the automobile within reach of all Americans (Ford). It was an Irishman who invented the parking meter we pay to park the car (Magee). Both ends of the pencil came to us from Irishmen (Dixon and Train). The shape of the doughnut (Gregory)we eat and the stamps we mail (Train) were designed by Irishmen. The beverage can (McManus) from which we drink and refresh ourselves, or the aerosol can (Connelley) we spray, came to us from Irishmen. The heeled shoes we walk on (O'Sullivan), the swivel chair we sit in at the office (Jefferson), the use of shorthand (Gregg), the telephone (Bell) we use to talk and hear from others, the vacuum cleaner (McGaffey) we use to clean with, are all gifts of the Gaelic mind. Marion O'Brien, who married James Donovan and became Marion Donovan invented the disposable diaper, the denta-loop for teeth flossing and the Zippity-Do that allowed women to zip up the back of their dress without help.
Today's microcomputer chip (Cochrane and Boone) and photoelectric cell (Carey) technology were begun by Irishmen.
Unfortunately these lists won't tell you the story behind these inventions, nor will it tell you an Irishman (Cooley) made the first implantation of a mechanical heart into a human.
Did you know the first person launched into space was a woman, an Irishwoman? Maggie McGrew, a missile engineering executive at Patrick Air Force Base died while working on the BOMARC missile program. At her request, she was cremated and her ashes sealed into the nosecone of a Bomarc missile. The missile with the nosecone containing her ashes was launched from Cape Canaveral into space in the spring of 1956, five years before Yuri Gagarin was launched into space.
Many of America's heroes in the Twentieth century were Irishmen. Men like: Teddy Roosevelt, John L. Sullivan, Alvin York, Audie Murphy, Tom Dooley, Jack Kennedy, John Wayne, and Ronald Reagan all have an Irish heritage. Celtic women, too are much admired in America, the very first Miss America was an Irish woman, Margaret Gorman (1921). In 1987, Rita Whalen McCaffey was named National Mother of the Year, in 1991, Kelli McCarthy was Miss USA. Women like: Jackie Cochran, Georgia O'Keefe, Margaret Mitchell, Christa McAuliffe, and Sandra Day O'Connor, have all reached high acclaim. Most of these names are known to all Americans. The Irish and Americans can both be proud of their contributions.
I would have liked to write a paragraph or even a sentence on each of the names of the Celts listed, but this appendix is already too long. My apologies to the families of any I have left off this list. The point here is to show to what degree the Celts were able to lift themselves from the lowest levels of American life to find success, often at the pinnacle of their chosen career fields.
There is only one reason for why the names are listed in the order they are, I listed each as I learned they had a Celtic connection either from their biography a personal interview or from an interview of a close friend.
I. Entertainment
A. Stage, Screen, and Television
Fred Allen Jimmy Dorsey Alan Ladd Steve Allen Tommy Dorsey
Cheryl Ladd Gracie Allen Paul Douglas Burt Lancaster
The Andrew Sisters Mike Douglas Janet Leigh Ethel Barrymore
Warren Douglas Joshua Logan Lionel Barrymore James Drury James
MacArthur Amanda Blake Howard Duff George MacCready
Debbie Boone Faye Dunaway Jack MacGouran Pat Boone
Sandy Duncan Ali MacGraw David Niven Richard Boone
James Dunn Marion Mack Lloyd NolanPolly Moran
Stephen Boyd Dan Duryea Shirley MacLaine Elliot Nugent
William Boyd Richard Eagan Patrick MacNee Dan O'Bannon
Peter Boyle Maurice Evans Gordon MacRae Edmond O'Brien
Scott Brady Morgan Fairchild Shirley MacRae Margrt O'Brien
Alice Brady Eileen Farrell Donald Madden Pat O'Brien
Walter Brennan Mia Farrow Patrick Magee Carroll O'Connor
George Brent Carrie Fisher Dorothy Malone Glyniss O'Connor
Pierce Brosnan Geraldine Fitzgerald Mary Martin Mollie O'Day
Edgar Buchanan Errol Flynn Andre McArdle Maureen O'Hara
Billie Burke Red Foley Diane McBain Dan O'Herlihy
Carol Burnett Dick Foran Mary M. McBride Dennis O'Keefe
Ellen Burstyn Bryan Forbes Davis McCallum Ryan O'Neal
Edd Byrnes John Ford Mercedes McCambridge Tatum O'Neal
James Cagney Glenn Ford Leo McCarey Jennifer O'Neill
Jeanne Cagney Stephen Foster Andrew McCarthy Maureen O'Sullivan
Rory Calhoun William Frawley Charley McCarthy Annette O'Toole
Kirk Cameron Gallagher Kevin McCarthy Peter O'Toole
Rod Cameron Judy Garland Doug McClure Buck Owens
Glen Campbell Greer Garson Patty McCormack John Payne
Hugh Carey Jackie Gleason John McCormick Gregory Peck
Carey McDonald James Gleason Myron McCormick Regis Philbin
Hoagey Carmichael Arthur Godfrey Tim McCoy Dick Powell
Art Carney Ruth Gordon James McCracken Eleanor Powell
Pat Carroll Stewart Granger Joel McCrea Jane Powell
Jack Cassidy Merv Griffin Hattie McDaniel William Powell
David Cassidy Andy Griffith Jeannete McDonald Tyrone Power
Shawn Cassidy Hughes Griffith Marie McDonald Anthony Quinn
Joan Caufield D. W. Griffith Roddy McDowall Eddie Rabbit
Rosemary Clooney Melanie Griffith Darren McGavin Ronald Reagan
William Cody Dan Haggerty Fibber McGee Debbie Ryenolds
George M. Cohan Larry Hagman Molly Mcgee Ginger Rogers
Chuck Conners Alan Hale Patrick McGoohan Roy Rogers
Michael Conners Alan Hale, Jr. Maureen McGovern Will Rogers
Sean Connery Richard Harris Dorothy McGuire Mickey Rooney
Tim Conway Rex Harrison Frank McHugh Pat Rooney
Jackie Coogan Helen Hayes Reba McIntire Katherine Ross
Alistair Cooke Peter Lind Hayes Siobhan McKenna Irene Ryan
Broderick Crawford Susan Hayward Rod McKeun Robert Ryan
Bing Crosby Rita Hayworth Victor McLaglen George C. Scott
Bob Crosby Victor Herbert Henry McLaughlin Zachary Scott
Bill Cullen Paul Hogan Ed McMahan Mack Sennett
Jamie Lee Curtis Rock Hudson Fred McMurray Robert Shaw
Dana Delaney William Hurt Kristy McNichol Artie Shaw
Tyne Daley Ruth Hussey Steve McQueen Charlie Sheen
Dennis Day Buster Keaton Gerald McRaney Martin Sheen
Loraine Day Diane Keaton Audrey Meadows Ann Sheridan
Ruby Dee Bob Keeshan Jayne Meadows Alastair Sim
William Demarest Brian Keith Anne Meara Barbara Stanwyck
Brian Denehey Emmett Kelly Liza Minneli Jean Stapleton
Bo Derek Gene Kelly Marilyn Monroe Rod Stewart
Dudley Digges Grace Kelly Colleen Moore James Stewart
Walt Disney Patsy Kelly Polly Moran Barry Sullivan
Brian Donlevy Arthur Kennedy Michael Moriarty Ed Sullivan
Patrice Donnelly George Kennedy Richard Mulligan Donald Sutherland
Phil Donohue Deborah Kerr Audie Murphy Laurette Taylor
Eleanor Donohue Evel Knievel George Murphy Gene Tierney
Peter Tosh Spencer Tracy Blair Brown Ali McGraw Hattie McDaniel
Mike Wallace Michael Keaton McGuire Sisters Kyle Maclachlan
David Wayne Carrie Hamilton Michael Moriarty Anita O'Day John Wayne
James McCallion Andie MacDowell James Barton May West
George Primrose John Barrymore Don Bouicault Richard Widmark
Edward Harrigan Tony Hart Preston Sturges Amy Madigan Willis O'Brien
Aline MacMahon James McCain Mickey Rourke Alice Brady
Van Morrison John Huston Walter Huston Angelica Huston Leo Gorcey
Mary Tyler Moore Stephen Foster Bill Murray Chevy Chase
Gerry Mulligan John McClaughlin Bunny Berrigan Bill Haley
Jim Carroll Eddie Cochrane Shannen Doherty Roma Downey
Richard Burton Peggy Ryan Valerie Perrine Anne Murray
Sam Neill Jack Nicholson Patricial Neal J. Carroll Naish
Edward R. Murrow Paul McCartneyJohn Lennon George Harrison
Liam and Noel Gallagher Elvis Costello Roger McGuinn Jim McCarty
and Huey Lewis
I. Entertainment
B. Sports
1. Automobile Racing-
Bob Carey Pat Flaherty Wilbur Shaw
Jimmy Bryan Roger McCluskey Danny Sullivan
Mark Donahue Shirley Muldowney Danica Patrick
2.Baseball-
In 1969 professional baseball celebrated its 100th anniversary and named the following as its greatest participants:
Babe Ruth - Greatest Player Ever
John McGraw - Greatest Manager Ever
Joe DiMaggio - Greatest Living Player
Casey Stengel - Greatest Living Manager
Of the four only "Jolting Joe" is not Irish, Casey Stengel's mother was Irish.
A list of the major league pennant winning managers from 1903 is dominated with Irish and Celtic names:
National League /American League
John McGraw /Joe Collins
Pat Moran /Connie Mack
W. Robinson/ W. Corrigan
W. McKechnie/ W. Gleason
Joe McCarthy /Miller Huggins
Bill Terry /Joe McCarthy
Frank Haney/ Joe Cronin
D. Murtaugh /G. Cochrane
Casey Stengel/ Joe McCarthy
S. O'Neill
Casey Stengel
Earl Weaver
Tom Kelly
From Baseball's Hall of Fame come the following Celtic names:
Catchers- Pitchers- First Base-
Roger Bresnahan- Clark Griffith -Roger Conner
Gordon "Mickey" Cochrane -Tim Keefe- George Kelly
Mike Kelly- Joe McGinty -Bill Terry
Connie Mack -Ed Walsh
Second Base- Third Base- Short Stop-
Eddie Collins -Jimmy Collins- Joe Cronin
John McGraw -Travis Jackson
Roderick (Bobby) Wallace
Outfield
Max Carey Joe Kelly George (Babe) Ruth
Ed Delahantey Thomas McCarthy
Hugh Duffy James O'Rourke
Others that need to be mentioned are:
Umpire, Tom Connally; Pitchers, Denny McClain and Nolan Ryan; and Manager, Leeland McPhail.
3.Bowling-
Greg Campbell Tom Hennessey Ed Thompson
Annese Kelly Pat McBride
4.Bicycling-
Greg LeMonde Sterling McBrideLance Armstrong
5.Boxing-
Heavyweight Champions-
Gerry Cooney Bob Fitzsimmons John L. Sullivan
Jack Dempsey Milton McCrory Gene Tunney
Others-
James Morrisey Norman Selby "Kid McCoy"
Jerry Cooney
6.Football-
Members of the professional Hall of Fame with Celtic names include:
Joe Carr Ray Flaherty John Blood McNally
George Connor Tim Mara Steve Owen
Art Donovan George McAfee Art Rooney
Paddy Driscoll Hugh McElhaney Jim Thorpe
Record holders in college football with Celtic names are:
Most Touchdowns in one season by Mayes McLain of Haskell, 38 in 1926.
Most Yards in one season by Jim McMahan of B.Y.U., 4,627 yds. in 1979.
Most Yards in a career by Jim McMahan of B.Y.U., 9,723, 1977-1981.
Most Yards in one game by Jim Thorpe of Carlisle, 362 in 1912.
Most Yards passing in a season by Jim McMahan, 4,571 in 1979.
Most TD passes in a season by Jim McMahan, 47 in 1980.
Most TD passes in a career by Jim McMahan, 84, 1971-1978, 1980-1981.
Most TD passes in one game by Tim Delaney of San Diego State in 1969.
Most Field Goals in one game by Edward Robertson, 7 in 1900.
Celts with N.F.L. records are:
Longest Field Goal (63 yards) by Tom Dempsey of New Orleans in 1970.
Longest punt (98 yards) by Steve O'Neal of N.Y. Jets in 1969.
Other recognizeable Celtic names in football include Duffy Daugherty, Frank Ryan, Frank Leahy, Bear Bryant, "Red" Grange,
Bill Walsh, George Mara, and Jack Murphy.
Heisman Trophy Winners With Celtic Names:
Earl Campbell Larry Kelly Pat Sullivan
Howard Cassady Davey O'Brien
Archie Griffin Steve Owens
7.Golf-
Billie Burke George Dunlap John Mahaffey Fred McLeod
Jack Burke Chandler Eagan C. MacDonald Mark O'Meara
John Burke Chick Evans, Jr. Pauline MacKay Bob Murphy
Bill Campbell Walter Hagen Maurice McCarthy Patty Sheehan
Dorothy Campbell Ben Hogan John McDermott Sam Snead
Gary Cowan Bobby Jones Barbara McIntire
8.Hockey-
Roger Craig Ted Kennedy Bob McMillan Larry Regan
Rick Kehoe Don McKenney Herbert O'Connor
9.Horse Racing (Jockies)
Kentucky Derby Winners Harness Winners
Billy Donohue Con McCreary James Arthur
P.Duffy JimmyMcLaughlin Del Cameronr
Linus McAtee John Mooeny Billy Haughton
John McCabe Isaac Murphy Tom Haughton
Joe O'Brien
9.Rodeo-
All Around Cowboy Champions
Larry Mahan Tom Ferguson Paul Tierney
10.Racquet Ball-
Marty Hogan
11.Tennis-
Maureen Connolly Chuck McKinley Elizabeth Ryan
Jimmy Connors Don McNeill Jon McEnroe Helen Wills Moody
12.Yachting
Dennis Conner
II. Business, Industry and Finance
James Butler Marcus Daly Joseph P. Kennedy Madeline McWhinney
Andrew Carnegie James A. Farrell John W. MacKay Michael Moran
Albert V. Casey Henry Ford David H. McConnell Thomas Murphy
John A. Coleman Wiliam R. Grace Elijah McCoy John Phelan
Thomas Corcoran William R. Hearst John B. McDonald Thomas F. Ryan
Daniel Crimmins Howard Hughes,Jr. Andrew McNally James B. Brady
B. Aeronautics
Thomas E. Braniff Donald Douglas T. Claude Ryan
Jacqueline Cochrane Howard Hughes, Jr. James V. Sullivan
Nancy Corrigan B. Franklin Mahoney
"Wrong Way" Corrigan James S. McDonnell
C. Astronautics
Gerald Carr Bruce McCandless Don McMonagle Katherine Sullivan
John Glenn Mike McCulley Ronald McNair Ed White
Gerald Griffin John McBride "Shorty" Powers Bryan O'Connor
Christa Corrigan McAuliffe James McDivitt Joseph Shea Andrew "Drew" Gaffney
D. Science
Melvin Calvin* Elmer V. McCollum Michael O'Reilly
Rachel Carson Edwin M. McMillan* Robert M. O'Reilly
James W. Cronin* Stanford Moore James Tobin
Allan N. Cormack* John Benjamin Murphy
Barbara McClintock* Joseph O'Dwyer
* Nobel Prize Winners
E. Inventors
Alexander G. Bell James Finley Carlton Magee
Gary W. Boone Robert Fulton Cyrus McCormick
Mathew Brady John R. Gregg I. W. McGaffey
Melvin Calvin Hanson C. Gregory Charles McManus
G. R. Carey Joseph Henry Samuel Morse
Michael J. Cochrane Michael Hicks Thomas E. Murray
John Connelly John P. Holland J. A. O'Neill
Joseph Dixon Stephen Horgan M. J. Owens
Charles E. Duryea Thomas Jefferson Humphrey O'Sullivan
J. Frank Duryea William Kelly Jack Ryan
F. Medicine
Allen M. Cormack* Ephraim McDowell
Thomas A. Dooley William P. Murphy*
Charles B. Huggins* Francis P. Ross*
Barbars McClintock* Earl W. Sutherland*
* Nobel Prize Winners
III.Religion
Terence Cardinal Cooke John Cardinal McCloskey Joseph T. O'Callaghan
Charles E. Coughlin Julia McGroarty Hugh O'Flaherty
Richard Cushing William McLellin Fulton J. Sheen
Francis Patrick Duffy Aimee McPherson Francis C. Spellman
Edward J. Flanagan John C. Murray
IV.Fine Arts
John Singleton Copley Mary Gallagher Archibald MacLeish Georgia O'Keefe
John Steuart Curry Martha Graham Patricia McBride Augustus
Alan Dugan Victor Herbert John McCormick Saint Gaudens
Isadora Duncan James E. Kelly Phliss McGinley Louis H.Sullivan
Eilleen Farrell Ralph Kilpatrick Ellen McLaughlin James Whistler
Suzanne Farrell Edward McDowell Thomas Moran
V. Journalism and Literature (including History and Poetry)
Charles McClean Andrews* George F. Kennan* Relman Morin*
Jimmy Breslin John F. Kennedy* Robert D. Mullins*
Anne Bronte Walter Kerr* Don Murray*
Charlotte Bronte Joyce Kilmer Edward R.Morrow
Emily Bronte Louis L'Amour Frank M. O'Brien
William C. Bruce* Ring Lardner Edwin O'Connor*
William Cullen Bryant Joshua Logan* Flannery O'Connor
Edna Buchanan Charles Mccauley* Mary Flannery O'Connor
William F. Buckley, Jr Archibald MacLeish* John O'Hara*
James McGregor Burns* J. K. McNelly 2* Mary O'Hara
Robert Butler* James V. Magee* Eugene O'Neill*
Marc Connelly* Dumas Malone* G. M. O'Neill*
Anthony Dolan* Mary Margaet McBride John W. Owens*
David Donald* Sean McBride John Patrick*
Lloyd C. Douglas Mary McCarthy Edgar Allen Poe
Alan Drury Samuel McClure Sumner C. Powell
Edmund Duffy 3* Robert McCormick James Whitcomb Riley
Peter Finley Dunne Alvin McCoy* Robert L. Ripley
Will Durant John McCutcheon* Abraham Ryan
James T. Farrell John MacDonald Fred A. Shannon*
Daniel Fitzpatrick 2* Ross MacDonald Irwin Shaw
Frances Fitzgerald* William S. McFeely* Gaylord Shaw*
F. Scott Fitzgerald Ralph McGill* Susan Sheehan*
Thomas F. Fitzpatrick* Mary McGrory* Mickey Spillane
William Fitzpatrick* Charles McIlwaine* Brad Stokes
Andrew Greeley Ben McKelway Jesse Hilton Stuart
Constance M. Green* Andrew C. McLaughlin* John Kennedy Toole*
Oscar O. Griffin Jr.* James Alan McPherson* William Touhy*
Jeff Chandler Harris William McPherson* Denny Walsh
Margeruite Higgins* Edna Vincent Millay * Pulitzer Prize Winner
George Kelly* Margaret Mitchell #* multiple winner
Ruth McKenny Elizabeth Cochrane (Nellie Bly)
Horace McCoy Dorothy Kilgallen
George McManus William Donahey
Walt Kelly Chester Gould
Gene Ahern Frederic Opper
Jack Cole Roy Crane
Milton Caniff Rose O'Niell
Robert MacNeil John McLaughlin
V.Labor
W. A. "Tony" Boyle Peter James McGuire
Elizabeth Flynn Gurley George Meany
Thomas "Teddy" W. Gleason Kate Mullaney
John "Jack" Henning Phillip Murray
Mary Harris "Mother Jones" Leonora O'Reilly
Kate Kennedy Mary Kennedy O'Sullivan
Mary Elizabeth Lease Terence V. Powderly
Augusta Lewis Michael Joseph Quill
John L. Lewis Daniel Tobin
Lloyd McBride
Patrick H. McCarthy
VI.Military Service
Patrick Brady Arthur Mac Arthur
Arleigh Burke Douglas MacArthur
Douglas Campbell Margretha Z. "Mata Hari" MacLeod
Clair Chennault Alfred Thayer Mahan
Daniel J. Daly Anthony McAuliffe
Roger Donlon John McGinty
Willam J. Donovan Audie Murphy
Francis P. Duffy John Joseph O'Connor
James M. Gavin Butch O'Hare
"Ned" Hogan George S. Patton
Charles E. "Commando" Kelly Collin Powell
Colin P. Kelly John D. Ryan
Thomas Kelly the Five Sullivan brothers
William D. Leahy Alvin York
VII.Government, Politics and the Judicial
Frank A. Barrett James Farley Patrick McCarran
James G. Blaine Miriam Ferguson Eugene McCarthy High O'Brien
James Brady John Fitzgerald Joseph R. McCarthy Sandra Day O'Connor
William G. Brennan Thomas F. Foley Leo McCarthy William O'Dwyer
Gerald E. Brown Gerald Ford James A. McClure Joseph C. O'Mahoney
William Jennings Bryan James Forrestal John McCormickk Thomas "Tip" O'Neil
James Byrnes John Nance Garner Vance McCormick Thomas M. Patterson
Jane Byrne Robert Hannegan Jesse McDonald Sam Rayburn
James F. Byrnes John Hay Robert McFarlane Ronald Reagan
Jimmy Carter Margaret Heckeler James P. McGranery Teddy Roosevelt
William J. Casey Lyndon Johnson J. Howard McGrath Nellie T. Ross
John Connally George F. Keenan Kenneth McKellar Leo J. Ryan
Tom Connally Edward M. Kennedy William McKinley James M. Slattery
Thomas G. Corcoran John F. Kennedy Ann D.McLaughlin Alfred Smith
James Michael Curley Robert Kennedy Brien McMahon Joseph Tumulty
John A. Danaher Martin Kennelley Robert S. McNamara Gene Tunney
Harry M. Daugherty Michael C. Kerr Charles N. McNary David I. Walsh
Eamon de Valera Jeane Kilpatrick James Mitchell Lawrence E.Walsh
Thomas Dewey Patrick J. Leahy Daniel Monynihan Woodrow Wilson
Ignatius Donnelly Francis Maloney James Murray Jimmy Walker
Willian Allen Eagan Mike Mansfield Richard Nixon
Edward Keating John J. Coughlin Michael Kenna Margaret Sanger
Frank Murphy Tom Walsh Joseph P. Kennedy William O. Douglas
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