We recognize Americans of Irish descent each March on St. Patrick’s Day. In Fairfield, the Irish gather at the Gaelic American Club by the thousands to celebrate. But where did all of these Irish folks come from? Town Historian Marcia Miner answers that question with an interesting history lesson.

irishmen in the colonies
Even before the American Revolution there were Irish in the American colonies, and perhaps some right here in Fairfield.  We often think the Irish only came over after the potato crop failures. Not so. The first arrivals were indentured servants who had been kidnapped from towns in Ireland and Scotland after Cromwell invaded those lands.  They were then shipped off to America. 

Mostly from Ulster, these Scots-Irish, as they are most often described, were mainly Presbyterians. Crammed into the bowels of sailing vessels, the trip to America was unbelievably torturous and could last for as long as 12 weeks depending on winds and weather. Some were allotted a bed measuring two feet wide and six feet long. Such unhealthy conditions meant the passengers had to suffer the stench of vomit, urine and diarrhea.

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Most indentured servants were young unmarried men around 28 years old. Little is known about them because primary source material is scarce to non-existent, as most were uneducated and unable to read and write. What material is available comes mostly from notices in newspapers offering descriptions and rewards for runaways:

Run away on the 28 th past, the two following Servnt Men, viz. From John Fruin, Baker, one named Peter Humphries, about 26 years of age, middle stature, well set, spreading knees, and goes tenderly on his feet, thick lips, and has a tooth out before towards the left side. Had on a castor hat, a lightish natural wig, striped homespun jacket, leather breeches, white frock, black stockins, good shoes, and took with him 2 speckled shirts, 3 white shirts, and 5 pairs of stockins, and was seen with a small bundle at his back.

Fugitives from Europe were hard to find because, unlike runaway slaves, they could blend in with the native population. And blend in they did.

By the late middle of the Eighteenth century when the American Revolution began, there was a sizable group of Irish living in all of the colonies. Some reports estimate that, overall, one third of the Washington’s Continental Army was Irish or of Irish heritage, and more than 1,000 were officers. Andrew Jackson’s parents were from Ulster.