The Irish community is one of New York City's major and important ethnic groups, and has been a significant proportion of the city's population since the waves of immigration in the late 19th century.
As a result of the Great Famine in Ireland, many Irish families were forced to emigrate from the country. By 1854, between 1.5 and 2 million Irish had left their country. In the United States, most Irish became city-dwellers. With little money, many had to settle in the cities that the ships landed in. By 1850, the Irish made up a quarter of the population in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Buffalo, and Baltimore.
New York City today has the largest number of Irish-Americans of any city in the United States. During the Celtic Tiger years, when the Irish economy was booming, the city saw a buying spree of residences by native Irish as second homes or as investment property.
Irish-Americans play a significant role in city and state politics, media, Wall Street, the Roman Catholic church, and the major sports leagues. They have been highly active in the Fire Department of New York City, New York City Police Department, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Irish Americans make up approximately 5.3% of New York City's population, composing the second largest non-Hispanic white ethnic group. Irish Americans first came to America in colonial years (pre-1776), with immigration rising in the 1820s due to poor living conditions in Ireland. But the largest wave of Irish immigration came after the Great Famine in 1845. The largest number of Irish immigrants came from some of Ireland's most populous counties, such as Cork, Galway, and Tipperary, surprisingly large numbers also originated in Counties Cavan, Meath, Dublin, and Queen's County, places not usually associated with the highest levels of emigration.
In the "early days", the 19th century, the Irish formed a predominant part of the European immigrant population of New York City, a "city of immigrants", which added to the city's diversity to this day.
After they came, Irish immigrants often crowded into subdivided homes, only meant for one family, and cellars, attics, and alleys all became home for some Irish immigrants. In fact, New York once had more Irishmen than Dublin itself. New York has long been a destination for Irish immigrants because they speak English, and there has long been a large Irish population there.
Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, was originally developed as a resort for wealthy Manhattanites in 1879, but instead became a family-oriented Italian- and Irish-American community. Another large Irish-American community is located in Woodlawn, Bronx, but Woodlawn also has a mix of different ethnic groups. One large Irish community in Manhattan was Hell's Kitchen.
Other sizable Irish-American communities include Belle Harbor and Breezy Point, both in Queens. Two big Irish communities are Marine Park and neighboring Gerritsen Beach. The Irish have also settled "to a far lesser extent [in] Maspeth, Woodside, and Sunnyside, Queens."
The Irish in New York developed a particular reputation for joining the New York City Police Department as well as the New York Fire Department.
North Riverdale, BronxWoodlawn, BronxCity Island, BronxThroggs Neck, BronxBay Ridge, BrooklynGerritsen Beach, BrooklynMarine Park, BrooklynWindsor Terrace, BrooklynVinegar Hill, BrooklynBroad Channel, QueensBelle Harbor, QueensBreezy Point, QueensRockaway Park, QueensRockaway Beach, QueensSunnyside, QueensMaspeth, QueensWoodside, QueensSt. George, Staten IslandWest Brighton, Staten IslandRandall Manor, Staten IslandBainbridge, BronxFive Points/Chinatown, ManhattanHell's Kitchen, ManhattanInwood, ManhattanWoodhaven, QueensMott Haven, BronxKingsbridge, BronxUniversity Heights, BronxParkchester, BronxJames DuaneWilliam Jay GaynorThomas F. Gilroy, Irish-bornWilliam R. Grace, Irish-bornHugh J. GrantJohn F. HylanJohn Purroy MitchelJohn P. O'BrienWilliam O'Dwyer, Irish-bornJimmy WalkerRobert F. Wagner Jr. - his mother was from CorkR. Luke Concanen, Irish-bornJohn Connolly, Irish-bornTerence CookeMichael CorriganTimothy DolanEdward EganJohn Farley, Irish-bornPatrick HayesJohn Joseph Hughes, Irish-bornJohn McCloskeyJohn Joseph O'ConnorFrancis SpellmanJames L. Buckley, U.S. senator, federal judgeWilliam F. Buckley Jr., writer, editor of National ReviewWilliam F. Buckley, Sr., oil baronEdward Burns, actor, writer, directorJoseph Brennan, basketball playerJimmy Breslin, former New York Daily News and Newsday writerRobert De Niro actorMatthew Broderick, actorJimmy Burke, gangsterJames Cagney, actorHugh Carey, Governor of New YorkGeorge Carlin, comedianWilliam Bourke Cockran, congressman and noted Tammany Hall oratorGeorge M Cohan, entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer, and producerMad Dog Coll, gangsterMargaret Colin. actressJames B. Comey, Deputy Attorney General of the United StatesJennifer Connelly, actress, model, Academy Award winnerKevin Connors, ESPN sportscasterJames Coonan, gangsterGerry Cooney, boxerBob Costas, sports broadcaster, television personalityCharles Dolan, billionaire, owner of Cablevision, Madison Square Garden & KnicksJames Dolan, billionaire, owner of New York Rangers & Radio City Music HallWilliam A. Donohue, president of the Catholic LeagueArt Donovan, football playerCharles J. Dougherty, president of Duquesne UniversityFrancis Patrick Duffy, priest, Lieutenant Colonel and chaplain of 69th Infantry Regiment (New York)Mike Dunleavy, Sr., basketball player, National Basketball Association head coachBill Dwyer, gangsterEagleton, John T., NY State AssemblymanMickey Featherstone, gangsterPatrick Fitzgerald, United States AttorneyBobby Flay, chef, television host, restaurateurMick Foley, wrestler, authorJackie Gleason, comedianPete Hamill, writer, editor in chief of New York Daily News & New York PostHenry Hill, gangsterCharles J. Hynes District Attorney for Kings CountyMychal F. Judge, OFM, priest and Chaplain of the Fire Department of New YorkGeorge W. Keller, architectRaymond W. Kelly, New York Police Department CommissionerCaroline Kennedy, author, attorney, daughter of President John F. KennedyJohn F. Kennedy, Jr., son of John F. Kennedy, magazine editorGeorge Kennedy, actorSteven McDonald, NYPD Detective, public speaker, peace makerOwney Madden, gangsterMichael Malloy, also known as Mike the Durable and Iron Mike, known for being "unkilliable"Dennis Hart Mahan, professor of military theory and engineering at West PointAlfred Thayer Mahan, influential naval historianWellington Mara, owner of New York Giants, member of Pro Football Hall of FameFrank McCourt, author, winner of Pulitzer Prize for literatureJohn McEnroe, tennis player, winner of seven Grand Slam tournamentsPatrick McEnroe, tennis playerRoderick McMahon, boxing and sports promoterVincent J. McMahon owner of World Wrestling Entertainment, sports promoterMary Tyler Moore, actressDaniel Patrick Moynihan, U.S. SenatorJoe Mullen, hockey playerRichard Mulligan, actorChris Mullin, basketball player, member of 1992 Dream TeamConan O'Brien, late night talk show hostJohn P. O'Brien, mayor of New York CityJerry O'Connell, actorCarroll O'Connor, actorCharles O'Conor, United States Attorney, former presidential candidateRosie O'Donnell, actress, comedianRyan O'Neal, actorTatum O'Neal, actressJames Aloysius O'Gorman one-term United States Senator from New York, Justice of the New York District Court, Justice of the New York Supreme CourtWalter O'Malley, owner of Brooklyn Dodgers, infamous for moving them to Los AngelesBill O'Reilly, news commentatorRegis Philbin, television personalityColin Quinn, comedianRichard Riordan, former mayor of Los AngelesFrank Shannon, Florida politician, political analyst, conservative columnist, and writerAl Smith, governor of New York, 1928 Democratic Party presidential candidateJohn Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIOGene Tunney, boxerJimmy Walker, mayor of New York City19th Street Gang40 ThievesDead RabbitsGopher GangGrady GangKerryoniansSlobbery JimThe WestiesWhyosThe Ducky Boys GangFairytale of New York by Irish band The Pogues refers to the NYPD choir singing Galway Bay. This is traditional because the force traditionally was largely made up of Irish Americans.
Run All Night, 2015Brooklyn, 2015Michael Clayton, 2007Emerald City, 2006Daredevil, 200325th Hour, 2003Gangs of New York, 2002In America, 2002Angela's Ashes, 1999The Brothers McMullen, 1995Mad Dog Coll, 1992State of Grace, 1990Q & A, 1990Goodfellas, 1990Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx, 1970Madigan, 1968Mad Dog Coll, 1961Beau James, 1957On the Waterfront, 1954The Luck of the Irish, 1948The Lady from Shanghai, 1947My Wild Irish Rose, 1947The Kid from Brooklyn, 1946Going My Way, 1944Little Nellie Kelly, 1940East Side Kids, 1940The Fighting 69th, 1940Waterfront, 1939The Flying Irishman, 1939Angels with Dirty Faces, 1938Mannequin, 1937Me and My Gal, 1932The Last Dance, 1930Blue Bloods, 2010The Black Donnellys, 2007CSI: NY, 2004Rescue Me, 2004Grounded for Life, 2001The Job, 2001The Beat, 2000The King of Queens, 1999Trinity, 1998Brooklyn South, 1997Ryan's Hope, 1975Going My Way, 1962All in the Family, 1971Archie Bunker's Place, 1979Late Night with Conan O'Brien, 1993
