Irish Migration To Early Nineteenth-Century Lowell, Massachusetts: Insights From Grave Memorials
Author(s): Colm J. Donnelly; Eileen Murphy; David D. McKean; Lynne McKerr
Year: 2020
Summary
This is an abstract from the session entitled "Historical Archaeology on the Island of Ireland: New Perspectives" , at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.
Lowell is considered as the birthplace of the industrial revolution in the United States. Originating in 1822, the new town’s textile factories harnessed the Merrimack River’s waterpower using a system of canals, dug and maintained by labourers. While this work employed many local people, it also attracted emigrant Irish workers. An analysis of the slate headstones contained within Yard One of St Patrick’s Cemetery, opened in 1832, provides insight into this migrant community. The headstones evolved from contemporary memorials but incorporated Roman Catholic imagery, while the inclusion of shamrocks and details of place of origin in Ireland attests to a strong sense of Irish identity. The display of such features at a time of sectarian tensions in Massachusetts demonstrates the confidence that the Irish had within the new industrial town.
Cite this Record
Irish Migration To Early Nineteenth-Century Lowell, Massachusetts: Insights From Grave Memorials. Colm J. Donnelly, Eileen Murphy, David D. McKean, Lynne McKerr. 2020 ( tDAR id: 457033)
This Resource is Part of the Following Collections
Keywords
General
Headstones
•
industrial
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Irish-America
Geographic Keywords
United Kingdom
Temporal Keywords
Nineteenth Century
Spatial Coverage
min long: -8.158; min lat: 49.955 ; max long: 1.749; max lat: 60.722 ;
Individual & Institutional Roles
Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology
Record Identifiers
PaperId(s): 433