The Irish in Haverhill, Massachusetts

James Maroney from Clare. Capt. Nicholas Costello

from Kilkenny. The Lucey and Hodnett sisters from

Cork. The many Linnehans from Limerick. Bridget

McGovern from Cavan. These were some of Haverhill’s

Irish. Some came by sailing ship during the years of the

Great Famine. Others came by steamship at the end of

the century. The immigrants hailed from every part of

Ireland, but especially from the province of Munster.

They were drawn to Haverhill, Massachusetts, to work in

its shoe shops, to cook and clean in its big houses, and

to be laborers for the city.

The Irish immigrants settled in every part of Haverhill

and put their imprint on the old Yankee town. They

built their own churches and schools, joined together

in fraternal and religious organizations, elected their

fellow Irish to the city government, opened stores, and

saw their children become lawyers, doctors, priests, and

nuns, as well as professional baseball players. They were

a visible presence, and we can view them through this

wonderful collection of photographs lovingly preserved by

their descendants.