News on the Street: Irish American Newspapers

Welcome back, dear reader, to the American Irish Historical Society’s archival blog. After a month focused on the production of our new exhibit, we return this week to share a little news…about news.

These days, we read most of our news on the web. Circulating printed news is uncommon, and even the publishers that maintain a physical press will simultaneously share their news digitally. But until very recent history, the printing and circulation of news was one of the biggest industries in New York (it should be noted that the author of this article is biased, as his great-grandfather was the ink-presser for a news press when he first emigrated to Queens). Aside from the labour that goes into the making and circulation of newspapers, the writing and editing of a paper is a crucial act in the preservation of history. And here at AIHS, we recognize it as a very Irish one.

Our collections feature a number of newspapers, as we’ve discussed in previous posts on this blog. These newspapers are published in the United States as well as Ireland (and occasionally the UK and Canada), but are predominantly made in New York. This week, we focus on one particular paper: The Shamrock of New York (also known as The Hibernian Chronicle).

1810 First Print of Shamrock, from the AIHS archives.

This newspaper is considered to be the first Irish American newspaper in history. It was published by Edward Gillespy, a presumably Irish-born New Yorker. This being said, there is little known about Gillespy himself. He stayed as the paper’s editor for roughly four years before financial troubles caused his departure and he is no longer visible on any New York census records.

In 1814, the paper was restarted by Thomas O’Con(n)or (1770-1855), a member of the United Irishmen and a native of Roscommon. This turn in editor is what brings the paper most to the AIHS’ attention, as his son Charles O’Conor (1804-1884) is most relevant to our collections.

Anyone who has entered our building or even peered through the door would be familiar with our three marble busts, prominently featured in the lobby. The one furthest from the entrance is none other than O’Conor’s son Charles.

Portrait Bust of Charles O’Conor (1874) by Augustus Saint-Gaudens (Irish, 1848-1907) Marble, 27in. SC 2001.03

Charles was by far the more successful of the O’Conor family, creating an extensive legal and political career for himself. The Shamrock ended its run in 1817, and though Thomas O’Conor attempted many times to bring it back into publication, it never succeeded.

However, the printing of Irish-run newspapers in America continued with fervor, preserving the history of Irish emigration in the United States. This paper set the stage for the skill of further Irish American journalists, who brought their skills and talents to America to share the news of Ireland, the US, and the world.