“Timothy Meagher’s
Inventing Irish America
places the construction of ethnic identity in a specific historical context. It does so superbly, weaving a sophisticated treatment of the evolution of Irish American life into a rich account of Worcester, Massachusetts, from 1880 to 1928. The result is a major contribution to American ethnic history and an excellent example of the importance of carefully grounded historical analysis for understanding social group formation.” —
The Journal of American History
“Arguably one of the most important case studies since Oscar Handlin’s
Boston’s Immigrants, 1790–1865
. . . . Meagher breaks new ground by charting the complex interaction between this generational transition and the intergroup struggles for power, resources, and status that shaped and reshaped Irish American identity.” —
American Historical Review
“Meagher does a fine job of combining detailed, thoughtful analysis with pertinent illustrations from those who participated in this complex story. . . . [T]he book will certainly be interesting and accessible to others with interest in Irish and Irish American culture. In conveying a multifaceted analysis, Meagher has brought a community to life.” —
History: Review of New Books
“Meagher’s rich and detailed study is filled with marvelous stories. . . . It would not be an exaggeration to call this book a masterpiece both of historical detail and of a new and sophisticated theory of the second generation.” —
American Catholic Studies
Timothy J. Meagher is associate professor of history and university archivist at Catholic University of America. He is the author of
A Guide to Irish American History
, and co-editor, with Ronald H. Bayor, of
The New York Irish
, winner of the James Donnelly Sr. Prize from the American Conference for Irish Studies.