As America became more industrialized after the Civil War, Irish laborers found new, and better-paid, work. Many worked building railroads and in factories and mines.

Over 3,000 Irish helped to build New York’s Erie Canal, which had to be dug with shovels and horsepower, and thousands more worked on railroads, farms and in mines. In mill towns in New England, Irish provided low-cost labor at textile mills.

Four-leaf clovers, leprechauns, rainbows, pots of gold – all of these are Irish symbols brought into American culture, generally shown on St. Patrick’s Day to indicated good luck, wealth, and prosperity (Myths). Lastly, the Irish influenced American culture by means of the Gaelic and Celtic languages.

The Irish built America When most Irish people arrived they went straight to work, hired by Irish contractors to build the America we know today. Everything from railroads, streets, canals and sewers were built by the Irish before graduating to mass transit projects and skyscrapers.

Below are the countries outside of Ireland that had the most Irish migrants in 2015, according to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs….10 Countries With the Most Irish Emigrants.

The outbreak of World War I greatly reduced immigration from Europe but also imposed new duties on the Immigration Service. Internment of enemy aliens (primarily seamen who worked on captured enemy ships) became a Service responsibility.

Foreign-born soldiers composed over 18 percent of the U.S. Army during World War I. Many immigrants also volunteered to serve in the military, often to prove their loyalty to the U.S. and demonstrate their patriotism for their new country.