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Irish in Toledo spotlighted in new book |
| By
Deanna Lytle |
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Mar 14, 2005 |
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They came to escape starvation and political and religious oppression. They dug canals, worked in factories and built the railroads, all while trying to build better lives for their family members. They are the Irish and they are the focus of a new book from The University of Toledo Urban Affairs Center Press, The Irish in Toledo: History and Memory.
The book is edited by Dr. Seamus Metress, professor of anthropology, and Molly Schiever, a UT alumna and press board member. Metress is a specialist in Irish research, with over 30 books published. Schiever has Irish ancestors on her mother’s side of the family and is interested in the culture and history.
Dr. Tom Barden, professor of English and general editor of the press, approached Metress about doing the book over a year and a half ago. Schiever was suggested as a co-editor, having done work for the publishing company previously. The two compiled information from Metress’ extensive records and research. They also visited archives and talked with Irish residents, many of whom contributed pieces to the book.
The book is divided into two primary parts — one about history and the other about memories. “In the first part, we look at the history of the Irish in Toledo and in the surrounding areas as far away as Tiffin,” Metress explained. “There is also general information on why they emigrated.” Metress identified three main reasons for why the Irish came to the United States. First, many came to escape religious, economic and political persecution in Ireland. “Prior to the 1900s, the Irish merely rented their land from the English. They did not own it — they had no political rights. There was no reason to stay at home there,” he said. The Irish also emigrated to escape starvation or because they knew relatives in various parts of America. In the 1840s, 2 million Irish died and 1.5 million emigrated during the Great Starvation.
There were three main Irish neighborhoods in Toledo. Metress distinguished the St. Patrick’s Church area in the warehouse district, the south Toledo neighborhood around Immaculate Conception Church and the vicinity of the Good Shepherd Parish near the high-level bridge on the east side as the primary areas where Irish immigrants settled. “You can usually find the Irish by finding their churches,” Metress said, meaning that an Irish community was built around a parish. “It’s an identifying characteristic.”
Rounding out the history part of the book are chapters on key Irish figures in local history, such as Father Edward Hannin, founder of St. Patrick’s Church; Father Patrick O’Brien, founder of Good Shepherd Parish, social progressive and ardent Irish nationalist; and Edward O’Dwyer, the first chief of the Toledo Police Department. “We just wanted to give a general picture of how the Irish got to this area and became involved in the development of Toledo,” Metress said.
The second part of the book contains memories of Irish Toledo residents. In one chapter, a woman tells the story of how she and her family immigrated to Toledo. In another, a husband and wife share their memories of growing up Irish in the city. “When she was young, the wife actually moved from an Irish neighborhood in Detroit to a Polish neighborhood here in the city,” Metress said. This resulted in somewhat of a culture clash for the young girl. “She looked around and wondered where all the O’Briens and Murphys were,” he said with a laugh.
For those who prefer visual information, the editors have included 70 pictures and illustrations in the 248-page book, as well as a map. “Many of the pictures are from archives or from people who have given photographs to me over the years,” Metress said.
In doing the research for the book, one thing that Metress noticed was the absence of violence toward the Irish in the Midwest. “In New York, Boston and other East Coast cities, Irish were attacked and their neighborhoods were burned. But I didn’t see much of that here. I think it’s because, in those areas, there was a power structure in place that didn’t want to see the Irish move ahead. That power structure didn’t exist here. It’s not that there wasn’t any violence, but it was less of a problem in Toledo,” Metress explained.
Fans of Irish history can look forward to more works from Metress on the subject. He’s currently writing books on the war in Northern Ireland and on Irish women in the labor movement in the United States.
Schiever and Metress will be signing copies of The Irish in Toledo: History and Memory Thursday, March 17, at 7 p.m. at Thackeray’s Books, 3301 W. Central Ave.
Copies of the book can be purchased by mail through the Urban Affairs Center, Mail Stop 404. The cost is $15 plus $1.35 for postage and handling. Checks should be made payable to The University of Toledo Foundation.
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