Boston has long been blessed with the luck of the Irish.
According to the US Census Bureau, 22.8 percent of Boston residents
are of Irish decent a higher percentage than Chicago, New York and
Philadelphia. In honor of St. Patricks Day, we explorethrough parts
of The Irish Heritage
Trail, a guide to landmarks of Irish-American artists and
heroes from the 1700s to the present here in Massachusetts.
The Trail exists both to appreciate and preserve an integral
component of American culture, heritage and history. Made up of
three sections: 20 sites in downtown Boston and Back Bay, covering
over three miles, and over 50 other landmarks in Boston
neighborhoods, cities, and towns, the trail is a masterwork of the
Boston Irish Tourism Association.
Though most can recognize the famous green of the Boston
Celtics, lesser-known relics of The Emerald Isle are sprinkled
throughout the Greater Boston area. From Boston City Hall to the
Holy Cross Cathedral, we take a look at the work of Bostons
greatest Irish-American artists and heroes from the 1700s to
now.
First stop: Rose Kennedy
Garden. The Garden was established by city officials in 1987 to
honor Rose Kennedy for her contributions to this country, and to
the inspiration she has given as to us all. Rose was a mother of 10
children, one of whom was President John F. Kennedy whose success
is of course contributed to his Hanover Street roots. The Garden
offers a mile-and-a-half of contemporary parks, blooming
beautifully in the summer and providing a grassy, open space
year-round.
The second stop on the
trail is the Kevin
White Statue in Faneuil Hall Plaza. A beloved Irish-American
politician, Kevin White served as Bostons 45th mayor
from 1968 to 1983. He is credited with reviving and expanding the
waterfront, downtown, and financial districts of Boston, as well as
being a champion for the city throughout those especially turbulent
years. After his time serving the government, White taught a class
on politics and the press at Boston University. You can now find
him glistening bronze, frozen in a brisk walk, perhaps on his way
to Quincy Hall which itself wouldnt exist today without him.
Jumping ahead, we bring you now to a familiar spot: Boston City Hall in Government
Center. Though you can probably recognize the unique design of the
building, you may not know its significance as symbol of hope in
the sometimes tempestuous Irish-American struggle for equality and
opportunity. The City Hall building became a beacon of light after
the election of Bostons first Irish mayor, Hugh OBrien, in 1885.
Though its gray exterior may seem unwelcoming at first glance, City
Halls green hue brightens it up.
Up next is
Bostons most prized public art: The Shaw Memorial
in Beacon Hill. The memorial, created by Irish-American artist
Augustus Saint Gaudens, depicts the states 54th Black
Infantry Regiment which fought gallantly in the Civil War. Gaudens
was born in 1848 in Dublin, and set sail for Boston with his family
at just six months old. He settled in Boston after living in Paris
and Rome, where he trained extensively in the arts. The Shaw
Memorial took him nearly 14 years to complete and still remains a
paramount icon of American ideals. 
Finally, we end in one of
Bostons most iconic features: Fenway Park. Home
of the Boston Red Sox and world-famous hot dogs, Fenway is the
beating heart of Bostonian culture. The park was built by Charles
Logue, an Irish immigrant who came from Co. Derry to Boston in 1881
at age 23. Regarded as one of Bostons most highly skilled
carpenters, the ambitious young man was entrusted with this most
prestigious task. Logue also built a number of Boston schools and
churches, though Fenway surely was his most lasting mark on the
cityand perhaps the whole world.
Though especially bright today, Bostons shamrock-green shines
all year long.
For more information on the Irish Heritage Trail, visit http://www.irishheritagetrail.com/