Pathfinder: Irish Americans

Scope|Subject Headings|Overview Sources|Circulating Books|Literature|Periodicals, Journals & Trade Publications|Web Sites

SCOPE: As early as the 1640s Irish immigrants came to America. The tragic Potato Famine of 1845-1851 resulted in the greatest influx of Irish immigrants to America. Up until 1869 about 1.7 million Irish immigrated to the United States. (Von Dassanowsky, Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America) Perhaps more than any other ethnic group, the Irish have assimilated within the culture of society. Irish music and song have played an extensive role in American folk music. 
The purpose of this pathfinder is to serve as a guideline for student research. It is not intended as a comprehensive listing, but as a selective sampling of the many types of materials available in the library. Subjects covered include Irish culture and literature. 

SUBJECT HEADINGS 

Books dealing with Irish Americans are listed in the Baddour Librarys online catalog under the following subject headings:

Irish Americans Biography
Irish Americans History
Ireland Emigration and immigration History
Irish Americans Social conditions
Irish literature History and criticism
English literature Irish authors 

There are sources located in the Reference Section of the Baddour Library that give a general overview or summary of the topic you are researching. The following is a list of some of the sources available in the library.

OVERVIEW SOURCES

REF E 169.1.E625 2001 Encyclopedia of American Studies 

REF E 184.A1G14 Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America

REF E184.A H35 Harvard Encyclopedia of American Ethnic Groups 

REF E 49.R33 2000 Racial and Ethnic Relations in America 

Some Representative books from the Circulating Collection are:

CIRCULATING BOOKS 

Dezell, Maureen. Irish America: Coming into Clover. New York: Anchor, 2002.

Kenny, Kevin. The American Irish: A History. New York: Longman, 2000.

McCourt, Frank. Angela's Ashes: A Memoir. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.

McCourt, Frank. Tis: A Memoir. New York: Scribner, 1999.

LITERATURE

Clark, Mary Higgins. The Lottery Winner: Alvirah and Willy Stories. New York: Pocket Books, 1995.

Court, Artelia. Puck of the Droms: The Lives and Literature of the Irish Tinkers. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1985.

Ellmann, Richard. Four Dubliners: Wilde, Yeats, Joyce, and Beckett. New York: G. 
Braziller, 1987.

Greeley, Andrew M. A Midwinter's Tale. New York: Forge, 1999.

Llwelyn, Morgan. Bard, the Odyssey of the Irish. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1984.

Maddox, Brenda. Nora: The Real Life of Molly Bloom. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1988.

OConnor, Frank. A Short History of Irish Literature: A Backward Look. New York: 
Capricorn Books, 1968.

Some of the specific periodicals that the library subscribes to that focuses on the topic of Irish Americans are:

PERIODICALS, JOURNALS & TRADE PUBLICATIONS 

Click the link for a list of full text journals available through our databases in:

• Ethnic & Race Studies

Open Access Journals in Ethnology

WEB SITES

Irish history on the Web
http://larkspirit.com/history/

Irish Literature, Mythology, Folklore, and Drama
http://www.luminarium.org/mythology/ireland/
Great site for anyone interested in Irish culture. This site is divided into five areas including Literature, Mythology, Folklore, and Fine Arts. Links to Irish history and periodicals are a nice feature.