The Irish of Richmond

The next talk in their series on Richmond’s villages will take Chris McConville and Robert Pascoe into the half-forgotten world of the Richmond Irish. The first Irish in Richmond were the Anglo-Irish who settled Richmond Hill, in streets like The Vaucluse and Erin Street, in the colonial era.

They were followed by the working-class Catholic Irish.; the Loughnans, the O’Connells, the Cremeans. These clans came to define twentieth-century Richmond. Prominent Richmodites of Irish background also included Francis Bourke, Jack Dyer (on his mother’s side), and Dan Minogue.

Our suburb was shaped by their politics, their language, and their outlook on life. They bequeathed Richmond its glorious pubs, its bitter-sweet humour, and its inclusivity. Despite their relatively diminished numbers, the Richmond Irish still make their presence felt in so many ways.

Tea and coffee included.