Irish in the West
Irish in the West
The contributions of the Irish in the West across all sectors of society cannot be denied. Ours is a living, breathing history to which we are adding all the time. Enjoy familiar stories and new tales highlighting the indelible mark of the Irish throughout our Western region—yesterday, today, and tomorrow!
The Downey Siblings—an Immigrant Governor and his Socialite sister in the GoldenState
The Downey SiblingsThe Downey Siblings—an Immigrant Governor and his Socialite sister in the GoldenState by Jackson Tejeda The Downey siblings were...
GAA Story
SFGAA (San Francisco Gaelic Athletic Association)About SFGAA by Jackson Tejeda On March 8th, 1975, a group of San Franciscans passionate about their...
Author Niall Williams
Irish in the WestAbout Author Niall Williams by Jackson Tejeda I work in a bookstore. A small, quiet operation on a corner in San Francisco’s...
Mary Jo Murphy and the Murphy School of Irish Dance
Irish in the West“Mary Jo Feeney, Irish Dance Teacher Extraordinaire, To Receive Well-Deserved Honor at the 2024 Rebel Cork’s Christmas Dinner”...
Irish Women in the Stars
Irish in the WestIrish Women have a Special Place in the History of Astronom By the time Dr. Norah Patten was born and raised in Ballina, County...
Dowling Library Nears Half-Century Mark
Irish in the WestThe first and longest running all Irish Library in the United States, the United Irish Cultural Center’s Patrick J Dowling Library...
Early San Francisco and the Irish
Historian Jeffrey Burns writes: “The most important immigrants in early San Francisco were the Irish. By 1856, more than 6,000 foreign born Irish, comprising 12% of the city’s population, had arrived in San Francisco, growing to over 30,000 by 1870. By 1880, foreign born Irish and Americans of Irish descent accounted for 33% of the city’s population…Irish filled the ranks of the police and fire departments and provided a significant portion of the city’s civil service employees.” These numbers translated quickly into power with plenty of Irish assuming leadership roles in public service and business, as well as with religious institutions and in the private sector.
Everyone’s got a story to tell, and the UICC wants to hear yours. We aim to record and preserve the contributions of the Irish and Irish Americans in San Francisco and the West for posterity.
Do you have an ancestor who left their mark on our great city and/or state? Know of someone who achieved something incredible that we should be aware of? Or perhaps you’d like to share your own story? We are always looking for great stories at the UICC that we can add to our collection and eventually share with the community.
If you would like to submit a story, the first step is to fill out our short questionnaire. This will be reviewed by a member of our team, who will then follow up with you if they need any further information.
To get started, please click on the button below.
Building a Dream
CONTACT US with QUESTIONS
We’re here to help you, please click the link below to send us an email or call us!
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL
JOIN US - VOLUNTEER
The Center is a largely volunteer-run organization and we can always use some able hands and new ideas. Please consider signing onto our volunteer list and help when and where you can. This is YOUR Center!