Most people have heard of Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade celebrations, but not many Savannah locals know how the Irish came to be in Savannah in the first place. It was a shipwreck that landed the first Irish settlers on Savannah’s shores. Although the colony at first prohibited Catholicism (due to the ongoing war with the Spanish to the south), Oglethorpe was not the kind of governor who could turn away a huddled mass of terrified survivors. When a storm turned the ship toward Georgia, it was almost like they had been fatefully sent there. Of the well over one hundred passengers, there were only forty survivors: six women and thirty-four men. The survivors were starving, injured, sick and desperate not to return to the ocean. Oglethorpe bought their contracts for £5 per servant from their previously assigned families to the north, totaling a personal cost of £200, a sum that would equal over $52,000 in today’s values. He capitalized on his own law to pay debts and put food on the table for himself, all while maintaining an anti-slavery stance. The Irish were fleeing a death sentence in Northern cities and found hope with Oglethorpe. This was their chance at freedom- where they could work on building homes that would be theirs forevermore!
Immigrants from Ireland came to the United States in search of a better life during colonial times. They were not granted full equality until after Civil War when they became known as “the Fenian Men.” Immigration has been an important part of our history ever since – it helped build this country and made many contributions that we take for granted today!
The Irish in Savannah have a long history of contributions to the city. They were responsible for manning Factor’s Walk along the Savannah River, loading cotton bales onto ships and barges while others helped build up its infrastructure as it grew into one major industrial center during 19th century America.
