A Walk Through Irish Boston
by DAVID D. HASKELL, United Press International (UPI) BOSTON, March 14, 2001 -- The Irish Heritage Trail is not just another tourist attraction in Boston, but a reminder that oppressed people can turn tragedy into triumph. The trail tells the story of the Boston Irish through a 3-mile walk that visits parks, memorials, cemeteries and public buildings. "The trail reveals a succession of Irish leaders who excelled in their chosen field, be it politics, literature, art, music, entertainment or sports," said Michael P. Quinlin, who runs the Boston Irish Tourism Association. With 26 percent of its residents claiming Irish ancestry, Massachusetts is the most Irish state in a nation in which there are some 44 million people of Irish heritage. Boston, the state capital, is also considered by many to be the capital of Irish-America for a variety of reasons, and not just because 22 percent of its residents are of Irish descent. It is the closest U.S. port to Ireland. It had a steady, u...