Happy Saint Patrick’s Day—or as the Irish say, lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit! And you don’t need to go to the Emerald Isle to experience authentic Irish spirit. You can find one of the world’s largest, proudest and most longstanding Irish communities right here in Chicago!
There’s a reason we dye our river green every March 17. Landmarks like Gaelic Park, Comiskey Park and O’Hare International Airport stand to prove that Irish culture has left a deep impression upon Chicago. Modern Irish icons like ‘Lord of the Dance’ Michael Flatley also call Chicago home.
Those who study liberal arts amidst this vibrant Irish community can even enrich their cultural understandings with a closer look at the history, literature and political activism that made Chicago’s Irish who they are today.
Read on to learn why liberal arts students in Chicago are perfectly positioned to celebrate Irish culture here this March.
Chicago is an Important Historical Site of Irish American Settlement
In the early 1800s, construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal brought hundreds of Irish laborers and settlers to Chicago. In the 1940s, it became a major destination for Irish emigrants escaping the Great Famine.
According to the Irish American Magazine, by the 1870s, the 70,000-strong Irish population of Chicago made up over 25 percent of the city’s people. By the 1880s, 30 percent of Chicago’s civil service jobs were held by Irish Americans.
Many of the humanities programs Chicago has to offer can help students gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and historical foundations laid by Irish settlers. This is because these programs often include courses on understanding culture and history and they explore concepts like diaspora, patriotism, assimilation and multicultural integration—all of which can help create a more thorough understanding of the Irish contributions to the colonization of America.
Students dress in colonial garb at Chicago’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade
Practicing Political Engagement (Irish-American Style!) in Liberal Arts Programs
The Irish have been playing a crucial political role in Chicago for over 150 years. While building the Canal, Irish workers fought hard to create Chicago’s first labor unions. As a vocal minority, they also worked to build lasting coalitions among other ethnic and religious groups.
Their political passion for independence from England and justice in the face of a prejudiced New World birthed such notable activists as County Cork native Mary Harris “Mother” Jones. A prominent labor and community organizer at the turn of the 19th century, she helped coordinate major strikes, cofounded the Industrial Workers of the World, and inspired the popular progressive magazine now printed in her name.
By the early 1900s, Chicago’s most influential leaders also included Margaret Haley, president of the Chicago Teachers Federation, and John Fitzpatrick, leader of Chicago’s Federation of Labor. In 1979, Irish Jane Byrne became the first woman to ever serve as mayor of Chicago. Even President Obama, based in Chicago for most of his political career, is Irish on his mother’s side.
Political engagement is the heart of great liberal arts colleges like Shimer. Our self-governing body, called the Assembly, meets regularly for open dialogues and votes on matters that affect our community. If you’re passionate about speaking for democratic justice, take cues from the Irish and consider studying here.
Classic Irish Scholarship is Key to Any Top Small Liberal Arts College
Liberal arts programs are well known for using great books as primary sources in their curriculums. If you’d like to hone your creative writing skills while in college, certain Irish texts will help you on your way.
James Joyce’s Ulysses is one example of great Irish literature you’re likely to encounter at a liberal arts college. Ulysses is an artful homage to Homer’s Odyssey, following the journey of a young man through Dublin. Other great Irish writers, poets and playwrights include W. B. Yeats, Oscar Wilde, and Seamus Heaney, who have all made their mark on the world’s literary scene.
A monument to James Joyce’s famous book, Ulysses
You can make your own mark with an education in the vibrant multicultural, historical and political community of Chicago.
Are you interested in trying your luck at a small liberal arts college in Chicago?
Visit Shimer to learn more about what can offer you.