Waterbury Irish Cover, History Press, 2015

Hooray! Waterbury Irish: From the Emerald Isle to the Brass City may be purchased directly from me through Etsy! There you will also find the book that led up to this one (From the Old Sod to the Naugatuck Valley), and will have the option of purchasing them together at a discount. Shipping prices will be determined during the Etsy check-out. Credit cards, debit cards and Etsy gift cards are accepted. In person, cash and checks are possible and there will be a way to pay with credit cards then without shipping added. Click “Custom” or email me if you would like the book signed for a particular person. For those who are near Connecticut, please note that book release events are scheduled in Waterbury for October and November. It would be wonderful to see you!

Thursday, October 15, Mattatuck Museum, 6 p.m. (PPT talk, signing)
Saturday, October 17, Silas Bronson Library, 10:30 a.m. (PPT talk, signing)
Saturday, October 17, Barnes & Noble Bookstore, 5 p.m.-ish
Saturday, November 14, John Bale Book Company, (2-3 p.m. discussion following High Tea at noon)

As an Etsy listing, the term “hand-made” is necessary. Although this is a mass-market book, much hand-work went into its production, beginning with a great deal of photo restoration and preparation. The book was researched and written by me, with content assistance from John Wiehn and several additional contributors. It includes six of my original photographs, and many more that were not included may eventually find their way to the Etsy shop to be available as digital images, suitable for framing.

When I began seriously to do family history research in 2006 my goal was to find the wave migration link between the earliest Irish families who entered the Greater Waterbury area and their correct location in Ireland. Since physical records in the Waterbury and Naugatuck city halls do not go back to the decades that I needed, I began to study entire communities and search all available records sideways, with a deep focus upon surnames that applied to my extended lines. This, my second book, completes the project. I hope it will serve as a helpful foundation for others who have Irish ancestral connections to the Greater Waterbury and New Haven County regions of Connecticut.

The History Press explained, “The hard work of nineteenth-century Irish immigrants in Waterbury helped place the city on the map as the Brass Capital of the World. In the early years of immigration, Irish Catholics held Mass in secret, but eventually beautiful churches were built, attracting the most revered clergy in Connecticut. Soon Irish and Irish Americans established themselves as city leaders and professionals in the community. Dr. Charles A. Monagan was a founding member of St. Mary’s Hospital, while his son John later became mayor. Some achieved fame through their excellence in sports, such as Roger Connor, who held a long-standing record for career home runs until it was broken by Babe Ruth. Detailed research and oral histories from living descendants bring to light the remarkable Waterbury Irish legacy.”

Please spread the word! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ConnecticutIrish/

©2015 Janet Maher / Sinéad Ni Mheachair

All Rights Reserved