When is Irish American Heritage Month?
March. Congress designated March as Irish American Heritage Month in 1991, and the president issues a proclamation each year. The month was built around St Patrick's Day on 17 March, and the Census Bureau marks it by publishing Irish American statistics from its surveys: population, ancestry, income, education and the rest. The first St Patrick's Day parade in America marched in New York City on 17 March 1762, held by Irish soldiers serving in the English military. The modern month is part commemoration and part census fact: roughly one American in ten claims Irish ancestry.
Useful pages: Irish in USA · The Irish surnames map · Trace your Irish roots · Coming home · Irish around the world
Sources
- US Census Bureau: Facts for Features, Irish American Heritage Month and St Patrick's Day, and the American Community Survey, census.gov
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