Irish Connections to Castle Island in South Boston

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Castle Island in South Boston 

Historic Castle Island dates to 1634, when early Puritan settlers built a fort with mud walls.  During the American Revolution it was called Fort William, and was a key outpost for British troops during the  Siege of Boston, which ended on March 17, 1776.  

The earliest reference to the Irish occurred in the 1770s, when several Irish regiments in the British Army were stationed here.  Among them were the 14th and 29th Irish Regiment, whose soldiers were involved in the Boston Massacre as well as the Battle of Bunker Hill. 

In 1799, U.S. President John Adams changed the name from Fort Williams to Fort Independence.  Between 1834 and 1851, Fort Independence was rebuilt as a pentagonal five-bastioned, granite fort built. Located at 2010 William J. Day Boulevard, it is open to the public for tours, and is part of a beautiful outdoor setting.  See National Park Service for details.



Through the 20th century, Fort Independence was under federal control and used by the military during World War I and World War II, according to the Department of Conservation & Recreation.  

Today the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation oversees Fort Independence and Castle Island as a historical site and park that is open to the public year-round. The Castle Island Association conducts tours of the Fort during the summer months, according to Mass Historical Society. 
Fort Independence and Castle Island are on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. 


In 1949, South Boston State Senator John E. Powers helped to create Pleasure Bay, a 170 acre lagoon encircled by a pedestrian walkway that runs alongside South Boston's coastline overlooking Dorchester Bay, leading right to Castle Island. 

Donald McKay Memorial at right

South Boston has had a vibrant Irish community since the early 19th century, starting with the establishment in 1818 of St. Augustine, the first Catholic cemetery in Boston. Since then, successive generations of Irish immigrants settled here, many of them from Galway and involved in the fishing industry.  One of the most famous South Boston natives was James Brendan Connolly, an Olympic champion who also wrote 25 books, many of them about the sea. 

Castle Island landmarks of Irish interest include the Harry McDonagh Sailing Center and Sullivan’s, a famous Irish-American eatery.  Scottish-American boat maker Donald McKay is also honored with a memorial. Right next to Castle Island is the Thomas J. Butler Memorial Park, 4.4-acre multi-use park for runners and walkers named to honor South Boston civil leader Tom Butler.

These sites and more are being added to a South Boston Irish Heritage Trail currently being created.

Research + Text, Michael Quinlin




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