Charitable Irish Society of Boston
The Charitable Irish Society of Boston was founded in 1737 and is the oldest Irish organization in North America.[1][2] Its early charitable efforts focused around providing temporary loans and assistance in finding work to Irish immigrants.[2]
The society was incorporated in 1809 and established a constitution in 1810.[2]
Involvement in the first St. Patrick's Day
The society organized the first observance of
St. Patrick's Day in the Thirteen Colonies.[3]
Surprisingly, the celebration was not Catholic in nature, Irish immigration to the colonies having been dominated by Protestants. Despite being protestant a large amount have Irish surnames.
Notable members
- Patrick A. Collins
- James Michael Curley
- Patrick Donohoe
- John F. Fitzgerald
- Hugh O'Brien
- John C. Park
- Timothy Francis Walsh
See also
References
- ^ Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- ^ a b c "Charitable Irish Society Records". The Massachusetts Historical Society. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
- ^ John Daniel Crimmins (1902). St. Patrick's day: its celebration in New York and other American places, 1737-1845 ; how the anniversary was observed by representative organizations, and the toasts proposed. The author. p. 15. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
- ^ ISBN 9780415359122. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
- ^ https://archive.org/details/constitutionofch00char/page/10/mode/2up
External links
 | This article about a philanthropic or charitable organization in the United States is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |