James F Walsh

Climbing Irish James F Walsh

Can Northern Ireland Catholics, demeaned as Papists, climb out of England's Plantation's religious bigotry and ethnic intolerance?In 1922, when England broke Ireland apart, Papists Michael and Bridget Connolly undergo a Plantation Minister's sniper fire. They escape to Free Ireland and are demeaned as 'Orangemen'. In 1925 Immigration is to Chicago a City riven with Prohibition's organized crime gangs. Michael, a master carpenter, is not free from criminal Labor Organizers, and Bridget demeaned as 'Irish Immigrant Trash.' The Great Depression does not reduce Michael or Bridget to residue resulting from England's Planation during America's pre-revolutionary days. In 1938, the opportunity to operate his own business organization lures Michael, Bridget, and their four Chicago born children to Oklahoma City during the height of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, during the plight of the 'Okies, ' folks too troubled to be intolerant. In 1939, a move to Dallas finds the Connollys meeting head-on with intolerance in the form of 'Dirty Catholic Yankee.' The Connolly lads find themselves in fist fights. Yet, Michael's work expands and Bridget dedicates her energies to the donut road of pacification. In 1943, Michael's mathematical talents win him a position with a Detroit Metallurgy Firm. The Conollys relocate where intolerance takes the form of Hillbilly. No matter the bigotry and intolerance, the Connolly's are CLIMBING IRISH