By Mary O’KEEFE

March is Irish American Month and Women’s History Month, so I thought I would combine both. 

In the 2020 census, 38.6 million people identified as being of Irish heritage only or in combination (meaning some portion of their heritage is Irish). Those identifying as Irish-only was 10.9 million. That is behind those who identified solely as English people or in combination with other cultural roots (46.6 million). Behind that are those who identified either as being solely German or in combination with another background (45.0 million).

The Irish are part of the fabric of the U.S. There were several Irish immigrants who fought in America’s Revolution and in the Civil War. 

Protestant Irish were treated differently from Irish Catholics. Millions of Irish Catholics arrived in the U.S. during the Great Famine in the late 1800s. Ireland’s Great Famine extended from 1845 to 1852; however, the effects of that period lasted for decades. 

There are a lot of historical records reflecting how the Irish Catholic immigrants were treated when they arrived in the U.S. Saying they were not welcomed is an understatement. The Irish who were escaping the Great Famine in Ireland were judged as drunks, violent, wild and often inhuman, people. In many newspapers they were depicted as monkeys that normally had a club in one hand – representing their tendency toward fighting – and a bottle of whiskey – the drunk – in another. In fact, the majority of immigrants were hard-working individuals who wanted to escape the starvation tactics of the British, who had invaded their land. 

Of the wave of arriving Irish (mostly Irish Catholic) that came to America during the Great Famine over 50% were women. The first Irish “émigré” who immigrated to the U.S. and went through the Ellis Island Station was Anna “Annie” Moore. She passed through the federal immigrant inspection at Ellis Island in New York Harbor. There are bronze statues of Annie, created by Irish sculptor Jeanne Rynhart, at Cobh in Ireland and on Ellis Ireland. She arrived from County Cork, Ireland on Jan. 1, 1892 with her brothers Anthony and Phillip. She was the first person to pass inspection at the newly opened facility – Ellis Island Station.

My mother’s family had emigrated from Ireland before the Great Famine; my father’s family – and both sides of great grandparents – came over during the time of the Great Famine. I can’t imagine how desperate they must have been to get on what were called “coffin ships” to come to a new land and then face a population that hated them simply because of where they were from and the way they chose to worship … some things never change. 

But the Irish are a strong lot. Most of those who survived the trip across the ocean worked hard to build a life in their new home and never forgot their culture. They even expanded and changed some of their traditions; for example, days like St. Patrick’s Day went from a mainly religious day in Ireland to an all-out celebration in America. 

Irish women played a powerful role in the fight against British rule. Several hundred women took part in the 1916 Rising, or Easter Rising, fighting alongside their male comrades, according to the National Museum of Ireland. 

In a world where women were often not mentioned in governing the land they lived on, in 1916 Ireland’s women were included in the proclamation that was read during Easter Rising – between British troops and “rebellion’s visionary leaders.” Armed men commandeered the main post office in Dublin and read a proclamation declaring an Irish Republic. That proclamation began with, “To the people of Ireland, Irishmen and Irishwomen…” At the beginning of the proclamation women were included. This may not seem like a big deal but when many other countries, including the U.S., excluded women from being mentioned in government documents as part of a governing force, this inclusion was a big deal. It meant something that the freedom fighters included women as an equal part of the Republic of Ireland. 

“The Irish Republic is entitled to, and hear-by claims, the allegiance of every Irishman and Irishwoman,” the proclamation stated. 

Ireland, and women of Irish heritage, are often thought of as fighters, as strong women who never stop. I know in my family the strong Irish-woman backbone was never in doubt and luckily that attitude was adopted by my dad who throughout his life embraced and fought for his Irish heritage. 

I am an admirer of Irish-born actress Maureen O’Hara. She was born outside of Dublin, Ireland and was a well known actor in the U.S. where she lived most of her life. She wrote a wonderful memoir entitled “’Tis Herself” where she spoke about what women in the film industry had to face. She never stepped back from her strength as a woman and her strength in being of Irish heritage.

“Being an Irishwoman means many things to me. An Irishwoman is strong and feisty. She has guts and stands up for what she believes in. She believes she is the best at whatever she does and proceeds through life with that knowledge. She can face any hazard that life throws her way and stay with it until she wins. She is loyal to her kinsmen and accepting of others. She’s not above a sock in the jaw if you have it coming,” she is quoted in “’Tis Herself.”

Heat is the main story in weather for the next few days. We will be seeing temperatures close to 30 degrees above normal starting today into next week. Today and Friday will see the highest temps – in the upper 90s – “knocking on the door to 100,” according to NOAA. 

“It is a classic recipe with high pressure aloft and a weak offshore flow,” according to a NOAA meteorologist. 

There is no predicted rain in the future, and winds will be light but will see higher gusts in the mountains. 

And the lows will be in the low 70s, so not a lot of nighttime relief. Even the beach communities will see higher temperatures in the 80s and 90s. 

NOAA has issued a heat advisory from today, March 12 at 10 a.m. until March 13 at 8 p.m.