Lower Manhattan Tour Honoring Irish New York History!

This tour is an annual tradition in our group.

RSVPs begins Wednesday, February 25th at 9:00pm. Space is set aside for new members, firstand 2nd timers, and those with Irish ancestry who land on the waiting list. Contact me at hankorenstein@gmail.com to request a spot. No repeats please.

This tour is free with a voluntary donation to your guide by cash, Venmo or Zelle. Estimated walking distance: 3 miles. We'll have a break at some point.

Restrooms near our meeting place: Inside Brookfield Place (near the Memorial) and The Oculus - entrances for both along Vesey Street.

OVERVIEW
By the end of the 19th century, New York City had more Irish people than Dublin! Join us for a meandering tour to visit sites associated with our city’s rich and colorful history of Irish immigrants. Large numbers of Irish came to America and New York in the first half of the 19th century largely due to the potato famine.

We’ll begin our tour at the Irish Hunger Memorial (pictured, courtesy of The Irish Times), and visit some important places including St. Peter’s, the oldest Catholic Church in NYC, St. James Church, which started the Ancient Order of Hibernians fraternal organization 1836, the birthplace of Al Smith, the first Irish Catholic Presidential Candidate (and first elected NY State Governor). We’ll also visit the site of the Five Points neighborhood. And for good measure we'll honor Hercules Mulligan who took Alexander Hamilton under his wing, and as a spy during the American Revolution, helped prevent the capture and assassination of George Washington.

Along our journey we'll learn about the many Irish New Yorkers, men and women, who made their mark in politics, entertainment, business, and literature, Along our journey I will be sure to describe some of the architectural wonders of these Lower Manhattan neighborhoods.

Neighborhoods we traverse: parts of the Financial District, Civic Center, Chinatown, The Bowery and Nolita.

Will be there be time for an optional toast and perhaps a Guinness at the end? Perhaps...at a nearby traditional Irish pub (and grub).

Tour ends in the NOLITA neighborhood at the Old St. Patrick's Catedral at Mott and Prince Streets, one block South of Houston Street, convenient to the R, D, F, 6 subways.

Cheers from Hank
646-596-3005
hankorenstein@gmail.com