Kentucky Irish American
Encyclopedia
The Kentucky Irish American was an ethnic weekly newspaper in Louisville, Kentucky
, which catered to Louisville's Irish community
.
It was first published on July 4, 1898, founded by William M. Higgins. It was a four-page weekly. Higgins would run the paper until his death on June 9, 1925. He based it in the heavy-Irish neighborhood of Limerick
at 319 Green Street, even after the Irish residents began moving away from Limerick to other parts of Louisville.
The Kentucky Irish American was distinctly Irish, and would de facto serve the Catholic community of Louisville. After World War I
and the creation of the Irish Free State
in 1922, the paper turned to local affairs, specializing in shill
ing for the Democratic Party. During the 1920s it regularly defended its community from attacks by the second incarnation of the Ku Klux Klan
. Other groups that the paper saw as enemies was Great Britain
and the Republican Party. It railed against women's suffrage
, Prohibition
, and the League of Nations
. The newspaper infamously declared as its headline after Al Smith
lost the 1928 Presidential election
"Bigotry Won the Day".
After Higgins death, the Kentucky Irish American became a Barry family publication. John J. Berry was Higgin's first associate, working with him to begin the paper, and continuing it after Higgin's 1925 death. Berry's son, John Michael (Mike) Berry, ran it after John J's death in 1950 until the end of the paper's run. Mike's brothers and wife helped to publish it, and it was distributed by Mike's brother Joseph's children. It was during Barry's time that the annual Saint Patrick's Day
edition would be printed with green ink. In 1934 Mike began a back-page sports section, which remained in the paper, save during the hiatus caused by World War II
.
The 1930s saw the Kentucky Irish American regularly defend Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal
policies. During World War II the paper routinely published columns written by various Barry family members who were serving in the military. In the 1960s the paper routinely defended the New Frontier
policies of John F. Kennedy
and criticize The Courier-Journal
and Kentucky governor A. B. Chandler. The paper saw wide distribution outside Louisville. Roosevelt and Harry Truman both subscribed to the paper, and the sportscaster Red Smith
said that the Kentucky Irish American was "all the excuse a man needs for learning to read".
The newspaper's offices were moved from Limerick to Breckenridge Street in 1966, but interest in the paper still waned. The final issue was published on November 30, 1968. Mike Barry became a sports writer for The Louisville Times
and commentate on sports for both WAVE television
and radio. Following his death in 1992, he was inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame on April 10, 2000.
The University of Louisville
has copies of almost all issues of the Kentucky Irish American, held on sixteen pieces of microfilm due to the paper's fragility.
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, which catered to Louisville's Irish community
History of the Irish in Louisville
The history of the Irish in Louisville is a long one as involvement of Irish in Louisville, Kentucky dates to the founding of the city. The two major waves of Irish influence on Louisville were first the Scots-Irish in the late 18th century, and those who escaped from the Irish Potato Famine of...
.
It was first published on July 4, 1898, founded by William M. Higgins. It was a four-page weekly. Higgins would run the paper until his death on June 9, 1925. He based it in the heavy-Irish neighborhood of Limerick
Limerick, Louisville
Limerick is a neighborhood one mile south of downtown Louisville, Kentucky USA. It was developed in the 1860s as a place of residence for employees of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad freight yard. It was named because nearly all of the residents were from the Irish county of Limerick. The St....
at 319 Green Street, even after the Irish residents began moving away from Limerick to other parts of Louisville.
The Kentucky Irish American was distinctly Irish, and would de facto serve the Catholic community of Louisville. After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and the creation of the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
in 1922, the paper turned to local affairs, specializing in shill
Shill
A shill, plant or stooge is a person who helps a person or organization without disclosing that he or she has a close relationship with that person or organization...
ing for the Democratic Party. During the 1920s it regularly defended its community from attacks by the second incarnation of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
. Other groups that the paper saw as enemies was Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and the Republican Party. It railed against women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
, Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
, and the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
. The newspaper infamously declared as its headline after Al Smith
Al Smith
Alfred Emanuel Smith. , known in private and public life as Al Smith, was an American statesman who was elected the 42nd Governor of New York three times, and was the Democratic U.S. presidential candidate in 1928...
lost the 1928 Presidential election
United States presidential election, 1928
The United States presidential election of 1928 pitted Republican Herbert Hoover against Democrat Al Smith. The Republicans were identified with the booming economy of the 1920s, whereas Smith, a Roman Catholic, suffered politically from Anti-Catholic prejudice, his anti-prohibitionist stance, and...
"Bigotry Won the Day".
After Higgins death, the Kentucky Irish American became a Barry family publication. John J. Berry was Higgin's first associate, working with him to begin the paper, and continuing it after Higgin's 1925 death. Berry's son, John Michael (Mike) Berry, ran it after John J's death in 1950 until the end of the paper's run. Mike's brothers and wife helped to publish it, and it was distributed by Mike's brother Joseph's children. It was during Barry's time that the annual Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It commemorates Saint Patrick , the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of :Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion , the Eastern...
edition would be printed with green ink. In 1934 Mike began a back-page sports section, which remained in the paper, save during the hiatus caused by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The 1930s saw the Kentucky Irish American regularly defend Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
policies. During World War II the paper routinely published columns written by various Barry family members who were serving in the military. In the 1960s the paper routinely defended the New Frontier
New Frontier
The term New Frontier was used by Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy in his acceptance speech in the 1960 United States presidential election to the Democratic National Convention at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as the Democratic slogan to inspire America to support him...
policies of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and criticize The Courier-Journal
The Courier-Journal
The Courier-Journal, locally called "The C-J", is the main newspaper for the city of Louisville, Kentucky, USA. According to the 1999 Editor & Publisher International Yearbook, the paper is the 48th largest daily paper in the United States and the single largest in Kentucky.- Origins :The...
and Kentucky governor A. B. Chandler. The paper saw wide distribution outside Louisville. Roosevelt and Harry Truman both subscribed to the paper, and the sportscaster Red Smith
Red Smith (sportswriter)
For other uses, see: Red Smith Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith was an American sportswriter who rose to become one of America's most widely read sports columnists.-Career:After graduating from Green Bay East High School, site of Packers home games until 1957, Smith moved on to...
said that the Kentucky Irish American was "all the excuse a man needs for learning to read".
The newspaper's offices were moved from Limerick to Breckenridge Street in 1966, but interest in the paper still waned. The final issue was published on November 30, 1968. Mike Barry became a sports writer for The Louisville Times
The Louisville Times
The Louisville Times was a newspaper that was published in Louisville, Kentucky. It was founded in 1884 as the afternoon counterpart to The Courier-Journal, the dominant morning newspaper in Louisville and the commonwealth of Kentucky for many years. The two newspapers published a combined edition ...
and commentate on sports for both WAVE television
WAVE (TV)
WAVE aka "WAVE 3" is the NBC television station in Louisville, Kentucky. Owned by Raycom Media, the station broadcasts from its main studio in downtown Louisville...
and radio. Following his death in 1992, he was inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame on April 10, 2000.
The University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
has copies of almost all issues of the Kentucky Irish American, held on sixteen pieces of microfilm due to the paper's fragility.