The park was built by Charles E. Logue, a renowned builder who immigrated from County Derry, Ireland to Boston in 1881 at the age of 23. He founded a successful company that built many of the city's schools, hospitals and college campuses over the next four decades. His company, now called Logue Engineering, is still in operation five generations later.
The architect for Fenway Park was James E. McLaughlin, who was born in Nova Scotia to a Canadian father and Ireland-born mother, Mary Mulcahy, born in Ireland. The family emigrated to Boston in 1885. McLaughlin designed other famous buildings, such as the Boston Latin School and the Police Station on D Street in South Boston.
On opening day, April 20, 1912, Boston Mayor John 'Honey Fitz' Fitzgerald threw out the first ceremonial ball from the stands, and Thomas 'Bucky' O'Brien was the starting pitcher for the Sox. Tommy Connolly was the umpire behind home plate, and Michael McGreevey led the boisterous Royal Rooters cheers from the stands.
Read Greening of Fenway Park for a timeline of other Irish activities, from Irish football and hurling, to political rallies featuring Eamonn deValera.
Fenway Park is part of Boston's Irish Heritage Trail, which includes 20 sites in Boston and an additional 20 sites in the neighborhoods, plus dozens of Irish landmarks across Massachusetts.
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