Boston’s Freedom Trail is famous for its Revolutionary War history, but if you know where to look, you will discover another important part of the city’s story: its Irish heritage.
Boston’s history is deeply connected to Ireland. Before the arrival of more than 100,000 Irish immigrants fleeing the devastating Great Famine, Irish people were already part of Boston’s story. As you walk the Freedom Trail, you will find overlooked landmarks that tell the story of Irish immigrants, Irish-American leaders, and the generations who helped shape Boston and the United States.
Irish History Along the Freedom Trail
Follow these Irish historical sites on our Google Map:
Robert Gould Shaw Memorial: An Irish Artist’s Masterpiece
Across from the Massachusetts State House stands the impressive Robert Gould Shaw Memorial, one of Boston’s greatest works of public art.
The memorial honors Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, the first African American volunteer regiment in the United States Army during the Civil War.
On July 18, 1863, the 54th Massachusetts led an attack on Fort Wagner in South Carolina. During the battle, Shaw was killed while leading his troops forward. His body was buried in a mass grave alongside his soldiers by Confederate forces, an act intended as an insult. Shaw’s father considered it an honor that his son was buried with the men he commanded.
The 54th Massachusetts became famous for its courage and helped prove that African American soldiers could fight with the same bravery and skill as any troops in the Union Army.
The memorial was created by Irish-American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one of the greatest American sculptors of the 19th century. Many consider the Shaw Memorial his masterpiece. The story of the 54th Massachusetts was later portrayed in the film Glory, starring Matthew Broderick as Colonel Shaw.
John F. Kennedy: Boston’s Irish-American President
Located on the Massachusetts State House lawn, the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Statue honors Boston’s most famous Irish-American political family.
The statue shows President Kennedy walking out of the State House, representing his connection to Massachusetts politics and public service.
Another Kennedy landmark can be found nearby at the Union Oyster House on Union Street. One of Kennedy’s favorite restaurants, the Union Oyster House dedicated the booth where he frequently sat in his memory after his assassination on November 22, 1963.
Irish Connections at Granary Burying Ground
The Granary Burying Ground, established in 1660, is the third-oldest cemetery in Boston and one of the most visited stops on the Freedom Trail.
Most visitors come to see the graves of famous Revolutionary figures like Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock. However, the cemetery also has important connections to Boston’s Irish history.
Robert Treat Paine, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, was of Irish descent. He served as Massachusetts’ first Attorney General and was the prosecutor in the Boston Massacre trial, where his friend John Adams successfully defended the British soldiers.
John Hancock, another signer of the Declaration of Independence and Massachusetts’ first elected governor, also had Irish ancestry. Hancock helped finance the American Revolution with his own money and became famous for his large signature on the Declaration.
Near Samuel Adams’ grave is Patrick Carr, an Irish immigrant who was one of the five people killed during the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770.
Old City Hall and Boston’s Irish Mayors
Walking down School Street, you will find Old City Hall, which served as Boston’s City Hall from 1865 to 1969.
During that time, many of Boston’s Irish-American mayors worked from this building, including one of the city’s most famous political figures, James Michael Curley.
The building remains one of the most beautiful examples of French Second Empire architecture in Boston and is an important reminder of the influence Irish immigrants had on Boston politics.
Boston Irish Famine Memorial: Remembering the Great Hunger
The Irish Famine Memorial is one of the most important landmarks connected to Boston’s Irish history.
Beginning in 1845, a potato fungus devastated Ireland, destroying the main food source for millions of poor Irish families. More than one million people died, and another million left Ireland seeking a better life.
Many immigrants traveled on overcrowded ships known as “Coffin Ships” because of the terrible conditions and the number of people who died during the journey.
Boston became one of the most popular destinations for Irish immigrants. More than 100,000 Irish immigrants arrived in Boston between 1845 and 1850, forever changing the city.
The Irish brought new traditions, neighborhoods, and religious communities to Boston. Their arrival helped transform Boston into one of America’s largest Catholic cities.
Today, Boston’s Irish influence can still be seen throughout the city — especially every St. Patrick’s Day.
Kevin White Statue: Boston’s Modern Irish Political Legacy
Outside Faneuil Hall stands a statue honoring Mayor Kevin White, who served as Boston’s mayor from 1968 to 1984.
White became nationally known for guiding Boston through difficult years of racial tension, school desegregation, and economic challenges.
He is also remembered for an unusual moment in Boston history. In 1972, after members of the Rolling Stones were arrested in Rhode Island, Mayor White helped arrange their release so they could perform their scheduled concert at the Boston Garden.
James Michael Curley: Boston’s Legendary Irish Mayor
Near Union Street, just off the Freedom Trail and close to the Holocaust Memorial, you will find a statue of James Michael Curley.
Curley is one of Boston’s most colorful political figures. His career lasted from 1911 to 1950 and included four terms as mayor, three terms as a U.S. Representative, and one term as governor of Massachusetts.
He was famous for connecting with Boston’s working-class Irish immigrant neighborhoods during a time when many Irish Americans faced discrimination.
Curley’s political slogan, “Vote early and often,” became one of the most famous phrases associated with Boston politics.
Rose Kennedy Greenway and the Kennedy Family’s Irish Roots
The Rose Kennedy Greenway is a 1.5-mile system of parks created after the massive Big Dig construction project transformed Boston’s downtown.
The greenway honors Rose Kennedy, the matriarch of the Kennedy family and mother of John, Robert, and Ted Kennedy.
Rose was born in Boston’s North End in 1890, when the neighborhood was still home to many Irish immigrant families. Her birthplace can be found at 4 Garden Court Street.
Nearby, visitors can also see St. Stephen’s Church, where Rose Kennedy was baptized.
Goodwife Ann Glover: Boston’s Irish Witch Trial Victim
Near the entrance to Boston’s North End neighborhood, you will find the pub Goody Glovers, named after Goodwife Ann Glover, the last person executed for witchcraft in Boston.
Born in Ireland, Ann Glover was part of a group of Irish Catholics forced to leave Ireland during the rule of Oliver Cromwell. She eventually arrived in Boston, where she worked as a housekeeper.
In 1688, after several children in the household where she worked became ill, Ann was accused of witchcraft. During her trial, she was asked to recite the Lord’s Prayer. Because she spoke little English, she recited it in Gaelic and broken Latin — which prosecutors used as supposed evidence against her.
Ann Glover was hanged on Boston Common on November 16, 1688.
Her story is one of the earliest connections between Irish history and Boston’s colonial past.
Explore Boston’s Irish History
The Freedom Trail tells the story of America’s Revolution, but it also tells the story of the immigrants, families, and communities who built Boston into the city it is today.
From Irish famine survivors to presidents, politicians, artists, and activists, Boston’s Irish heritage is everywhere — if you know where to look.
What Irish landmarks can I visit in Boston?
Boston has many landmarks connected to Irish history, including the Irish Famine Memorial, Kennedy family sites, Granary Burying Ground, and monuments honoring Irish-American leaders.
