GUIDE TO IRISH PHILADELPHIA

A JOURNEY THROUGH THE LANDMARKS OF IRISH HERITAGE AND HISTORY

WALK THE IRISH PATH

From the bronze figures of The Irish Memorial to the historic spires of the city’s first parishes, Philadelphia’s landscape is deeply intertwined with the Irish experience. This guide invites you to walk the streets where history was made and the indomitable spirit of a people took root.

THE IRISH MEMORIAL

Designed by celebrated bronze artist Glenna Goodacre, this masterpiece measures 30 feet long and features 35 figures arranged in vignettes representing the despair and hope of the Irish immigrant’s story. From the anguish of the potato blight in Ireland to the promise of arrival at the Philadelphia docks, the monument is a visual history lesson enhanced by eight memorial plinths that detail every aspect of An Gorta Mór.

REVOLUTIONARY HEROES & PATRIOTS

COMMODORE JOHN BARRY STATUE

Independence Square. Known as the “Father of the Navy of the United States,” Wexford-born John Barry was selected by George Washington as senior Captain of the Federal Navy. This bronze statue was erected in 1908 by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick.

PLAQUE TO THE IRISH PATRIOTS

Dilworth Plaza, City Hall. Installed in 1926, this plaque honors the Irish who served in the Revolutionary War, including several signers of the Declaration of Independence and Captain Jeremiah O’Brien, who gained America’s first naval victory.

THE HISTORIC IRISH PARISHES

OLD ST. MARY’S CHURCH

252 S. 4th Street. Built in 1763, this was a hub for America’s revolutionaries. It is the final resting place of John Barry, Matthew Carey, and Thomas Fitzsimons. George Washington and John Adams both worshipped here.

OLD ST. JOSEPH’S

321 Willings Alley. The oldest Roman Catholic parish in Philadelphia (1733). In 1848, it became the birthplace of the St. Joseph Society for the Relief of Irish Immigrants, aiding those arriving at the nearby docks.

OLDE ST. AUGUSTINE’S

243 N. Lawrence Street. Founded in 1796 by Irish friars. Burned during the Nativist Riots of 1844 and rebuilt in 1848, the church also served as the foundation for what is now Villanova University.

ST. MALACHY’S CHURCH

1429 N. 11th Street. Known as a “famine church,” its Irish roots are visible in the shamrocks on the altar and tile work based on the Book of Kells. It features a breathtaking masterpiece of Byzantine architecture.

CULTURE & COMMUNITY

THE ROSENBACH MUSEUM

2008 Delancey Place. Home to a handwritten copy of James Joyce’s “Ulysses” and the notes for Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” The museum offers hands-on tours of these essential pieces of Irish literature.

THE IRISH CENTER

6815 Emlen Street. Headquarters for the Philadelphia Ceili Group and home to the Cummins School of Irish Dance. A vital meeting place for county societies, music sessions, and Irish language lessons.