I began to assemble this to keep me on track as I research and assemble their exploits.
Luke Ryan’s name is first on the list because he fought for our country’s independence but never set a foot on our soil. Should viewers desire other names added, send to (236sulis@gmail.com) their names and exploits. Revolutionary War & Continental Congress
Luke Ryan – • Exploits posted to www.irishamericanstory.com & to Gerry Regan’s, “The Wild Geese blog”
Commodore John Barry o Father of the American Navy • Exploits posted to www.irishamericanstory.com & www to Gerry Regan’s, “The Wild Geese blog”
General John Sullivan • Exploits posted to www.irishamericanstory.com & to Gerry Regan’s, “The Wild Geese blog”
General Anthony Wayne
Captain Conynham • Captain of the Revenge escaped from Old Mill Prison in England, made his way to Thomas Diggs, Ben Franklin’s agent in London, and from there to France. Who knew that Ben Franklin had established an underground railroad for escaped American POWs?
Edward Mccatter o Served in Ben Franklin’s Navy under Luke Ryan, later captained the Black Prince o Claimed he was from Boston but had a rich Cork accent
General Stephen Moylan
Brigadier Richard Montgomery
Paddy Colvin / Liam McConkey Irish born ferrymen from Pennsylvania who rescued Washington’s Army, which was being pursued across New Jersey by Lord Cornwallis
Jeremiah O’Brien
From Neil F. Cosgrove’s “The Irish-American Signers” on The Wild Geese Blog
Charles Carroll of Carrolton o Signer of the Declaration of Independence o Grandson of Kings County (now Offaly) immigrants o cousin of America’s first Catholic Bishop
Matthew Thornton o A volunteer army surgeon during the French and Indian War, joined the Continental Congress o Signer of the Declaration of Independence
John Hart o Of Irish descent, represented New Jersey o Signer of the Declaration of Independence
James Smith o Irish born o Represented Pennsylvania o Signer of the Declaration of Independence o Commanded a regiment of mostly Scot-Irish Pennsylvania Line
George Taylor o Irish born o Signer of the Declaration of Independence o His Durham Foundry was a major supplier of shot & shell for Washington’s Army
George Read o Son of Dublin born John Reed o Signer of the Declaration of Independence o Represented Delaware, the 1st state to ratify the Constitution
Edward Rutledge o Father immigrated from Ireland o Signer of the Declaration of Independence o Represented South Carolina o At age 26, was the Declaration’s youngest signer
Thomas McKean o Son of Irish immigrants o Signer of the Declaration of Independence o A colonel in the Continental Army o Later became governor of Pennsylvania
Thomas Lynch Jr. o Grandson of Thomas Lynch of Galway who fled Ireland following the failed Irish Revolution of 1691 o Signer of the Declaration of Independence
War 1812
Nicholas Gray
American Civil War
MajorGeneral Phillip Sheridan • Exploits posted to www.irishamericanstory.com & www. thewildgeese.com
Major Patrick Cleburne • Exploits posted to www.irishamericanstory.com & www. thewildgeese.com
Colonel Dennis O’Kane
Father William Corby C.C. C.
General Thomas Francis Meagher
General Stonewall Jackson
Colonel Patrick O’Rorke
General JEB Stuart
General William Mahone
Michael Concoran
Spanish American War
World War I
Father Francis Duffy • Canadian-born World War II
Political & US Government
President John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Attorney General- Senator Robert F Kennedy
Senator Edward Kennedy
Wild Bill Donovan
Bill O’Dwyer • Mayor of New York City
Paul O’Dwyer
Philanthropists / Charities / Educators
Chuck Feeney
Unsinkable Molly Brown
Sister Rosenella
Industrialists /Union Organizers
John B. Kelly
Jim Larkin
Father Comey SJ
Henry Ford
John JJ Smith • My Uncle JJ Smith, a WWI naval veteran, was a national VP of the Government Employees Union. His picture, shaking hands with JFK, adorns the cover of Rory O’Donnell and The Kennedys because early in his career JJ brought a Marine Colonel up on charges for sexual harassment. A first for the Corps and an incident that could have cost JJ his job. However, he prevailed, protected the female, kept his job, and had the Marine officer demoted.
Actors, Actresses, Sports Figures & Puglists
Tommy Loughrin (Puglist)
Grace Kelly
Jack Dempsey
Gene Tunney
Gentleman Jim Corbett
Writers and Artists
Rita Fitzpatrick • In the early 1940’s, Rita was the first female promoted to the Chicago Tribune’s city desk
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