Philadelphia has been a magnet for the Irish since the 17th century. The Irish distinguished themselves in the Revolutionary War with dozens of heroes, such as Wexford-born sailor Commodore John Barry. When refugees from Ireland's Great Famine poured into Philadelphia after 1845, the city changed forever. The famine generation of Irish immigrants used their religious and cultural traditions to promote their own advancement by constructing a network of schools, Catholic churches, fraternal clubs, and cultural organizations. In Irish Philadelphia, images of their accomplishments and advancements are featured along with vibrant, personal stories of Irish residents. Prominent Irish Philadelphians highlighted include Bishop Francis Kenrick, Martin Maloney, Joseph McGarrity, Henry McIlhenny, Grace Kelly, Jack Kelly, Patrick Stanton, John McShain, and Fr. John McNamee.
Marita Krivda Poxon, coauthor of Arcadia Publishing's Oak Lane, Olney, and Logan, is a research librarian, writer, and lover of Anglo-Irish literature. Justice Seamus McCaffery of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is a distinguished Irish American and member of many Irish societies, including the Ancient Order of the Hibernians and the Brehon Law Society. Images in Irish Philadelphia come from the Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center, the archives of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Dr. Dennis Clark's papers, the Irish Edition, Tom Keenan, the MacSwiney Club, and the Commodore Barry Club, also known as the “Irish Center.”