Many Americans can trace their roots back to the country of Ireland with relatives coming to the U.S. looking for a better life for their families. The month of March has now been recognized as Irish-American Heritage Month.
During the period between 1846 – 1851 over 600,000 individuals arrived in New York, with approximately 70% of them being Irish. This was also the time of the Irish Potato Famine in which roughly one million Irish perished due to a mold that destroyed the potato crop. Approximately another one million relocated their homes with some landing here in the U.S.
Some famous Irish-Americans include Henry Ford, John F. Kennedy, Walt Disney, and Ronald Regan.
Irish-American Heritage Month began back in 1991 with the goal of honoring the contribution of Irish immigrants and their descendants, in their role in helping to shape the country.
Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell
