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New Orleans is the original New World melting pot of ethnicity and race.   We got Mardi Gras from the French, beer and brass bands from German immigrants, St. Joseph’s Day altars and red gravy from the Italians, jazz from African-Americans, and wrought iron balconies from the Spanish.

It would be a mistake, though, to overlook the Irish contribution. In the 19^th century, only New York had more Irish immigrants than New Orleans. By the 1930 census, when New Orleans had 485,762 residents, the Irish population was outnumbered only by the Italians and Germans. The Irish established numerous Catholic churches, including the beautiful St. Patrick’s Church on Camp Street in 1833. They literally helped build modern New Orleans, digging the New Basin Canal from uptown to Lake Pontchartrain. The architect most identified with significant New Orleans buildings, like Gallier Hall on St. Charles Avenue, was not a Gallier, but an Irish-born Gallagher-James Gallagher, Jr. who changed his name to sound more French.

On Saturday, March 15, as we pound the streets in the Irish Channel to catch cabbages and carrots at the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade (organized by the Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Club, and on Monday, March 17, as we admire the tuxedoed gents in the Downtown Irish Club parade, we honor the Irish immigrants who risked disease, hardship and an uncertain life in a foreign country to come here.   Whether it’s a green beer at Tracey’s Bar, a Guinness at Finn McCool’s, or a Hurricane at Pat O’Brien’s, raise your glass to some of New Orleans’ most colorful residents!  Erin go bragh!