Description
Book SynopsisAt the beginning of the twenty-first century it is estimated that one in three New York City residents is an immigrant. This book identifies two very distinct waves of Catholic Irish immigrants - one in the 1950s and one in the 1980s. It is based on surveys conducted among the 1980s group - the self-proclaimed "New Irish."
Trade ReviewMost histories of New York City's Irish immigrants focus on the plight of the men and women who fled the potato famine in the mid, 19th century. However, a recent US census recorded over half a million persons of Irish ancestry living in NYC; historians know very little about this generation of Irish immigrants. In an effort to address this overlooked aspect of the city's history, Almeida (New York Univ.) explores the Catholic Irish immigrants who made their way to the city in the 1950s and 1980s. She surveys the experiences and expectations of midcentury immigrants and examines why the New Irish were forced to adapt their expectations and institutions to meet the social and cultural demands of life in New York City. Based on 52 interviews with Irish immigrants and material drawn from the US census, this is a solid piece of scholarship. Almeida undermines notions that the city's Irish community is a homogeneous entity, while demonstrating that probing the forces that mold Irish identity is a rewarding exercise. This survey of Irish community and identity building will be of particular interest to urban historians and specialists in ethnic studies. Undergraduate collections and above.January 2002
-- T. D. Beal * SUNY College at Oneonta *
Table of ContentsPreliminary Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Background: When the Irish Ran New York
Chapter 2: The 1950s: "It Was a Great Time in America
Chapter 3: The 1970s: The Interim
Chapter 4: The 1980s: The New Irish
Chapter 5: The Catholic Church: What Parish Are You From?
Chapter 6: Who Are the Irish?
Conclusion
Epilogue
Bibliography
