On the 150th anniversary of the Irish famine which sparked the wave of emigration that forever shaped the course of the American nation, "The Irish In America" celebrates the comprehensive and vibrant history. Through illuminating essays and contributions from noted Irish American personalities, the book paints a vivid picture of the Irish experience in the United States. This history is told through selections whose themes are taken from the most important institutions of Irish life: the Parish, the Precinct, the Work, the Players and the Family. The Irish identity in America is captured through the personal stories of families workers local churches. entertainers, and many others, culminating in an unusually moving and modulated social, cultural, and political history of Irish Americans....