While the National Archives house the most records related to Irish-American heritage…New York City is home to the most Irish-American in the United States.
New Yorker’s do not need a reason to celebrate their Irish roots…that is because there are reminders of Irish history and influence throughout the city. With well over 120 Irish pubs and multiple museums and memorials, Irish-American culture has been well preserved in NYC. For Irish-New Yorkers, their heritage can be easily celebrated year round, not just on St. Patrick’s Day. In honor of March being Irish-American Heritage Month, NY Matinee will be providing recommendations on places to see and things to do in the city…and lucky for you, you can visit anytime you would like.
Keep reading to find out more
about the Irish-American population living in NYC.
With more than 2 million Irish-Americans living in New York City and the surrounding areas, census data shows that NYC beats out Philly, Chicago, and even Boston with the most Irish-Americans living in its city. Compared to the over 2 million Irish-Americans residents in NYC, Philly has just under 1.2 million, Chicago has just under 1.1 million, and Boston has just over 1 million.
Although New York City has the most Irish-American residents, Boston has the largest percentage of Irish-Americans in its city due to its size and dense population. According to Conde Nast Traveler the over 1 million Irish-Americans calling Boston home makes up 22.1% of Boston’s population. When comparing size and population per square mile, NYC is almost 6x larger than Boston and has almost double the inhabitants. Although Boston is much smaller and has less residents, the Irish-Americans make up the majority. This high concentration of Irish-Americans in a smaller amount of city space may be why it seems Boston is considered more Irish than other cities.
With the largest Irish-American population in the country it only makes sense that the culture is still very much alive in NYC. In order to highlight the influence the past has on the present, we will spend the month of March exploring the Irish roots planted in the city. Through this NY Matinee will share history, experiences, must-see locations, and random facts to help you see how the contributions of the past are still visible throughout NYC today. Links to related articles will be uploaded below as they go live.
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