mpowers01
Irish-Americans doing their part
This photo is of Anne Murphy (left) and a co-worker in the packing room at Newberger's Towel Factory in Totowa, New Jersey (Library of Congress). The contributions of Irish women have been vast, and often, unrecognized. Like their counterparts, Irish women were often unskilled and unprepared to work in demanding environments. Due to the famine, however, Irish women were forced to participate in the exodus from Ireland, sometimes by themselves. Employment was limited in the United States, but Irish women struggled to do their part. Servant girls would often send money back to Ireland to their families; mothers would work odd jobs as well as raise families. When their husbands were injured, it was often up to Irish-American wives to provide the majority of the household income. As sweatshops and factories became more prevalent, women were hired as employees due to their nimble hands and decreased wage-rates. During the second World War, women from across the United States, to include Irish-Americans, participated in the war effort, often taking over dangerous and hard work that had usually been done by men. (McCaffrey 1992). In present society, Irish American women continue to exude the Irish work-ethic that has become a staple of the Irish-American culture.
CITATIONS:
McCaffrey, L. J. 1992. Textures of Irish America. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press.
memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/displayPhoto.pl?path=/service/afc/...
ADDITIONAL LINKS:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Americans#Occupations
Irish-Americans doing their part
This photo is of Anne Murphy (left) and a co-worker in the packing room at Newberger's Towel Factory in Totowa, New Jersey (Library of Congress). The contributions of Irish women have been vast, and often, unrecognized. Like their counterparts, Irish women were often unskilled and unprepared to work in demanding environments. Due to the famine, however, Irish women were forced to participate in the exodus from Ireland, sometimes by themselves. Employment was limited in the United States, but Irish women struggled to do their part. Servant girls would often send money back to Ireland to their families; mothers would work odd jobs as well as raise families. When their husbands were injured, it was often up to Irish-American wives to provide the majority of the household income. As sweatshops and factories became more prevalent, women were hired as employees due to their nimble hands and decreased wage-rates. During the second World War, women from across the United States, to include Irish-Americans, participated in the war effort, often taking over dangerous and hard work that had usually been done by men. (McCaffrey 1992). In present society, Irish American women continue to exude the Irish work-ethic that has become a staple of the Irish-American culture.
CITATIONS:
McCaffrey, L. J. 1992. Textures of Irish America. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press.
memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/displayPhoto.pl?path=/service/afc/...
ADDITIONAL LINKS:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Americans#Occupations