In this groundbreaking study, George O'Dwyer traces the origins of the Irish Catholic community in Lowell, Massachusetts, from its early settlement in the 1820s to the present day. Drawing on archival sources and oral histories, the author examines the social, economic, and religious factors that shaped the Irish American experience in Lowell and challenged the dominant English Protestant culture. A must-read for anyone interested in the history of immigration and ethnic identity in America. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.