The Shanachie Volume 11
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CDnnedicui Irish-American T~e Sbanacbfe Hisloric8/SDciebJ Janualfj - Februalfj /999 VDL~No. / Chinese-Irish love affair blossomed, then withered n the recently published I anthology, The New York /n"sh, an entire chapter is de- voted to the fairly common I r I' 19th century custom of I Chinese-Irish marriages. .:-~ .. , .. '..t, ~ "" ," "Chinese-Irish marriages .J were sufficiently noticeable in ~ ; " New York City," writes John Kuo i"-:.-.~~ -' Wei Tchen, "to merit regular I'~!'~r, , . comment in the city's newspa , I' . iI, pers, even warranting caricatures i :. and drawings, which dominated 'l If the media's representation of :1 f r Chinese in New York City. i' i·' "Harper's Weekly reported in 1857 that 28 Irish women selJing apples have 'gone the way ofmat rimony with their elepbant-eyed, olive skiIUled contemporaries ... And decades later, in 1890, ·····::~ffif~:ng~ withth~ Harper's Weekly devoted a ·:·x" ":. ','. • :. '.-. .::~:·,·times;~VVti~ we began double-page centerfold spread showing a Chinese-Irish couple and their children. 't~~~~~ "Those familiar with New This 1880 vintage cartoon depicts the close relationship o/Chinese York immigration and settlement and Irish in New York City in that era. ··NQVi~tit.ha~, we're patterns would not be totally sur prised by this Irish-Chinese phe Although it is not mentioned The romance began when :.::.::.::~~r.n;~:r;e~·~;~~rq&:·····: nomenon. Chinese immigrants in The New York Irish, there was Katie, "a young woman \\,ith fair .·_t:<~(?i(H~:i::i~f ::}: '.',' '.:;.: could be found in the Fourth and at least one COIUlecticut tie in all skin and blue eyes," took the train /WhJIe w.:··c.n loOk\vith a Sixth Wards ofLower Manhattan of this: In 1892, Katie McCor from Hartford to visit relatives .:, .S8I'1S$ ohcHisfuhio~on ... Many Irish lived in these two mack, an Irish girl from Hartford who were among the Irish living in wards up until the time of Italian took up with a New York Chinese Chinato\l,TI. i~~iil:~~1~:'~ and Jewish immigration ..." resident named Chu Fong. (Please turn 10 Page 3) Etiquette stressed at Irish dancing prof's New Year gala th~hhe.1ir'$t 601ssues of Th$:sh$n~hle have A reception sponsored by danc those attending included 50 of a novel program issued by the in Prpughtto light have only ing instructor P.H. Kelley Kelley's students from Meriden structor. The cover represents a scratched the surface of known formally as Professor Kel along with their partners and life-like, hall:tone photograph re the history of our people ley - was one ofthe major events large delegations from the Irish production of Professor Kelle\, and their contributions to ofthe holiday season in Meriden in instructor's dancing classes in and on the rewrse side a pen and thiS state. Much research 1897. Southington and New Britain. ink reproduction of the correct r~ain$ undone on such The reception was held on the "Elaborate preparations have waltz position with the motto, 'So evening of 30 at the Grand been made for the event," com topics as the Irish in 0010 Dec. stands the statue that enchants the (PktlSe hUll to P",e 2) Army of the Republic Hall. Kerr's mented the Meriden Morning world.'" Orchestra provided the music and Record, "not the least ofwhich is (Please hUll to Page 1) FAMINE JOURNAL January - February 1849 #21 Perspective Conditions In Galway In Early 1849 Evictions In Dingle London Times, Jan. 6, 1849 - The Limerick Chronicle pub The arrival of 1849 brought Gort Union, Board of Guardians, lishes the subjoined 'black list' no relief from the Famine in Jan. 20, 1849 - The Gort Union, in of evictions in Kerry: From the Ireland. In fact, 3 1/2 years common with others situated on the lands of Cahirtrant, the property after the potato crop fIrst Connaught coast, has been a serious of Lord Ventry and in a parish failed in 1845, the death and sufferer from bad or inferior crops whence that nobleman's title is ~ destitution were as wide during the past season. Owing to late derived, 36 families, compre spread as ever. Death by sowing, imperfect tillage and hending 188 souls, have been starvation was common, insufficiency of manure, in addition expelled. From the lands of death from disease was on to the geneml blight, the crop of potatoes may be almost said Dunshean, the property of Lord the increase in the crowded to have failed; few, ifany, having arrived at full and perfect Ventry,24 families including workhouses and the death toll growth, while a great portion were blasted before the 113 individuals, have been ex was mounting from an out formation of the tuber, and the remainder consisted principally terminated. From the same bad break of cholera in illster. of half-grown roots, small in size, in quality and townland, belonging to the same Also increasing mpidly was frequently black and decayed in appearance. nobleman, 7 families of con the pace of evictions. Potatoes, we may say, are nearly exhausted, more especially acre holders, comprehending 37 Reports from throughout among the poorer class of occupiers. We have, however, persons, have been driven forth. the country indicated the new reason to believe that some of the larger farmers are holding a From Cahirquin, the property of year would bring an even portion for seed and we observe that some are still brought to Lord Ventry, II families, num larger emigration than the market, where they bring from 6d. to 7d. per stone. These are bering 49 human beings, have early years of the Famine. "It almost invariably smail, wet and diseased. Turnips are more been thrust out by process of is a growing expectation in plentiful; a fair quality of these roots may be had in some law. From Clountys, in the par Ireland," the London Times localities at Is. 6d. per cwt. ish of Dunurlin, the property of said in an editorial, "that we Of livestock, the number in the hands of tenant-farmers is Lord Ventry, 10 families, num are now about to witness one evidently diminishing. The decrease is observable in all bering 40 human beings, have of the most momentous op descriptions - cows, sheep, horses and swine, particularly been deprived of house or hold emtions of society - the the latter. ing. From the townland of Cap removal of a people en masse pagh, in the parish of Clahane, to a distant shore. The half We do not perceive agricultural opemtions with a view of not far from the shores of Bran million who have got off with preparing for a future crop, progressing to any extent among don, and belonging, too, to Lord no very great stir in the the farmers generally. Many of the small holders have left Ventry, 19 families, comprising course of two years are but their land, up to this, altogether untouched and few of the 97 Christian beings, have been an advanced guard to the larger occupiers are making extensive arrangements for the ejected by a posse of bailifTs main body that follows ... coming season. Moreover, the quantity of land surrendered, acting under the power of En every one of the half million deserted or the last occupier of which was removed, is glish law. Total of recent evic who have safely effected considemble and is now in great measure waste. This coupled tions from Lord Ventr)'s prop their retreat consecrates his with the roofless cottages, dilapidated fences, and almost total erty near Dingle, 170 families; flfst earnings to the pious absence of cattle or sheep, stacks of com or pits of potatoes, 532 souls. work of rescuing a parent, a from the fIelds, gives to many districts of the union a desolate brother, or a sister from Ire and disheartening appearance, and affords but a gloomy ... And Elsewhere prospect for the next harvest ... land. London Times, Jan. 5, 1849 There is scarcely any employment now for the labouring - The Athlone Sentinel has the population of this union, with the exception of two or three of following statement: The num FAMINEJOURNAL the larger proprietors who still keep a few men at work, ber of ejectments tried last week chiefly consisting of small holders of land who are not at the Roscommon and Meath Published bimonthly dur eligible for reliefunder the poor law, there is little or no Quarter Sessions incredibly ex Ing the l50th anniversary demand for agricultural labourers ... ceeds the usual numtx.'r for of the Irish Potato Famine. The recent increase of disease - principally fever and hearing. Verv few of the unfor Copyright 1999, Connecti dysentery - has added another item to the difficulties of the tunate creatures were able to cut Irish-American His union. Probably arising from cold and wet, superadded to take defence, and were in al torical Society, P.O. Box insufficiency of wholesome food and the absence of proper most all ~s ejected. A fresh 120020, East Haven, CT covering, the progress of sickness amongst the poorer classes mass of human beings will, con· 06512. since winter set in has been mpid, and in many cases fatal ... sequently, be sent on the world to augment the existing misery. _____________________________________ Pilg- 3 Hartford lass fell for Chinese merchant while visiting New York (Cottlinuedfrom Page 1) was visiting. After that, according York, "He made love in warm lady and, ''Next thing he knew she While there, she was intro to Chu, Katie made a dead set for style and she quickly said yes to had gone to Hartford with a man duced to Chinese immigrant Chu him and he fell in love with her his wooing.