Ante bellum New Orleans was a boom town and as such attracted a healthy share of Irish. They did much of the most difficult and dangerous work, such as digging the New Basin Canal, because slaves were too valuable. Ten thousand Irishmen died on that project.
My parish, St. Patrick’s, was founded for Irish in New Orleans in 1833, because they didn’t mix well with the native creoles. Google Margaret of New Orleans.
Thank you for the education! My family helped to build the Brooklyn Bridge, so let’s shake hands across the North-South divide!
They did much of the most difficult and dangerous work, such as digging the New Basin Canal, because slaves were too valuable.
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Well that explains a lot...
..BELOW For those that ‘always’ rag on the Irish...
“Anybody that would build a city 5 feet below sea level in a hurricane zone and fill it with Democrats that can’t swim is a damn genius”