History of the Irish in Holyoke, Massachusetts

Irish people in Holyoke

Éireannaigh Holyoke
Attendees of a banquet held by the Holyoke Irish Centennial Anniversary Committee, 1973
Total population
6,076 (2010)
Languages
American English, Irish language (in 19th century, rare)

From the beginning of the city's history as the western bank of Springfield, Irish families have resided in and contributed to the development of the civics and culture of Holyoke, Massachusetts. Among the first appellations given to the city were the handles "Ireland", "Ireland Parish", or "Ireland Depot", after the village was designated the 3rd Parish of West Springfield in 1786.^[1] Initially occupied by a mixture of Yankee English and Irish Protestant families, many of whom belonged to the Baptist community of Elmwood, from 1840 through 1870 the area saw a large influx of Irish Catholic workers, immigrants to the United States, initially from the exodus of the Great Famine.^[2] During that period Irish immigrants and their descendants comprised the largest demographic in Holyoke and built much of the early city's infrastructure, including the dams, canals, and factories.^[3] Facing early hardships from Anti-Irish sentiment, Holyoke's Irish would largely build the early labor movement of the city's textile and paper mills, and remained active in the national Irish nationalist and Gaelic revival movements of the United States, with the Holyoke Philo-Celtic Society being one of 13 signatory organizations creating the Gaelic League of America, an early 20th century American counterpart of Conradh na Gaeilge.^[4][5]

Changes in industry and culture, and successive waves of different immigrant demographics would displace the Irish community to an extent, however the demographic remained an active identity in civic life throughout the 20th century. The Irish community today organizes the largest public event held in Holyoke annually, the Holyoke Saint Patrick's Day Parade. With representatives from surrounding towns and cities, the parade is a regional celebration for people of Irish ancestry. Today people of Irish ethnicity are the second largest demographic in Holyoke and the largest non-Hispanic group, representing about 15% of all residents, and 17% of residents of Hampden County, the second-largest single group by ancestry.^[6]