The Irish in Illinois

Abstract

In this robust yet approachable book, the authors explore the impact of the Irish on Illinois history. While the central argument is that the Irish played an important role in the state's history from its founding, this book does much more than that with its topic. It seeks to outline the differences in the Irish experience in Illinois across time, geography, social, and political structures.At its best, The Irish in Illinois punctures stereotypes about Irish life in Illinois. A superficial observer might conclude that the Irish in Illinois primarily impacted political and social life in Chicago by forming interconnected communities based on Roman Catholicism and Democratic Party politics. While this is true to an extent, the authors assert that the Irish impact on Illinois goes beyond these narrow suppositions.Starting with the pre-statehood period, the authors trace the impact of people coming from a variety of Irish backgrounds and for a variety of reasons. Also of note is the corresponding tracing of developments in Ireland that influenced those who left and how they navigated their new world in Illinois. Immigrants who came during the Great Famine of 1845–1852 differed in composition and motivation from those who came both before and after.Related to this is their argument that the Irish served as a model for subsequent immigrants. Specifically, in their path to integration into American society, the Irish opened a path for groups that came later. Future researchers into this issue would do well to consider this process and how it does (or does not) apply to immigrant groups in both urban and rural contexts.The authors also confront the troubled history of the Irish and race relations in Illinois. They rightly point out the role played by Irish Americans in the race massacres in Springfield in 1908, East St. Louis in 1917, and Chicago in 1919. Cast against the background of their proposed dynamic of assimilation, this complicity and direct involvement in racial violence presents a complex pictureThe authors, in arguing about the Irish and politics, suggest that the Irish possessed a preternatural aptitude for succeeding in gaining political power. There might have been more done on this, delving into why this might have been the case. Looking back to Ireland, these immigrants often operated as clients of political patrons who controlled access to the benefits of the political system. At some level, this view of politics transferred to Illinois with these new immigrants. They operated as well as they did in politics because of their experience in Ireland.Using primary and secondary literature, the authors position their work well as an overview and a starting point for further research into the role played by Irish people in Illinois. This well-written and well-organized volume forms a welcome addition to the literature and should serve as the inspiration for more research into the impact of the Irish in the Prairie State.