Irish Channel Manche irlandaise Cuisle na hÉireann | |
|---|---|
 St. Alphonsus Church on Constance Street in the original Irish Channel | |
 Interactive map of Irish Channel | |
| Coordinates:29°55′23″N90°04′55″W / 29.92306°N 90.08194°W /29.92306; -90.08194 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| City | New Orleans |
| Planning District | District 2, Central City/Garden District |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.83 sq mi (2.1 km2) |
| • Land | 0.50 sq mi (1.3 km2) |
| • Water | 0.33 sq mi (0.85 km2) |
| Elevation | 7 ft (2.1 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
• Total | 1,907 |
| • Density | 3,800/sq mi (1,500/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 504 |
Irish Channel is aneighborhood of the city ofNew Orleans. It abuts the Garden District Area on the north side. Although the original site was located predominantly on the east side of Jackson Avenue, its boundaries as defined by theHistoric District Landmarks Commission are:Magazine Street to the north, Jackson Avenue to the east, theMississippi River to the south and Louisiana Avenue to the west.
Irish Channel is located at29°55′23″N90°04′55″W / 29.92306°N 90.08194°W /29.92306; -90.08194[1] and has an elevation of 7 feet (2.1 m).[2] According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the district has a total area of 0.83 square miles (2.1 km2). 0.50 square miles (1.3 km2) of which is land and 0.33 square miles (0.9 km2) (39.76%) of which is water.
The boundaries of the Irish Channel, originally part of the now incorporated Faubourg Lafayette wereTchoupitoulas Street and Magazine Street between Felicity Street and Phillip Street. The east boundary was later moved to Jackson street in the 1930s for the St. Thomas Development which was demolished in the late 1990’s. Most of the original location of the Irish Channel is now considered part of the Lower Garden District and the location of historic Irish Channel landmarks such as Adele Street, St. Andrews Street, St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Alphonsus Church, along with a police station, Walmart, Boettner Park, and the River Garden development. In 2002, prior toHurricane Katrina, the New Orleans City Planning Commission defined the boundaries of the Irish Channel asTchoupitoulas Street, Toledano Street, Magazine Street, and First Street.[3]
The mostly working-class neighborhood was, as the name implies, originally settled largely by immigrants fromIreland in the early 19th century. However early on the area also had people of other ethnicities, includingGerman,Italian, andAfrican American, living nearby each other. The origin of the name is obscure. However, one school of thought says that the Irish "channeled" into the area, while another says that rain would settle into the streets of this predominately Irish neighborhood at the time.[4]
Significant emigration from Ireland to the United States occurred during the period 1810 - 1850, with a particularly large wave to New Orleans during the decade of the 1830s. The point of debarkation was Adele Street, where many immigrants, penniless, took up residence in simple cottages (shotgun houses).[5] These Irish immigrants arrived primarily to dig theNew Basin Canal,[4] and were generally regarded as expendable labor.[5] Many of these immigrants were misled by shipping companies who led prospective immigrants to believe that New Orleans was close to other Irish enclaves in the United States such as New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston. These Irish immigrants were predominantlyRoman Catholic, in contrast to the Protestant Scots-Irish that were more common as immigrants to most of the rest of theSoutheastern United States.[4] In addition to the Irish Channel, many Irish immigrants also settled atIrish Bayou, in present-dayEastern New Orleans. Irish immigrants found New Orleans a better cultural match than most Southeastern areas of the United States due to the large predominant Roman Catholic European population already there.
At the time of early immigration to the Irish Channel, this area was outside of the incorporated city of New Orleans, and the area was known as Lafayette, being formally annexed into New Orleans in 1852 as the 10th Ward.[6] Irish ethnicity dominated despite the multi-ethnicity of the area. Adele Street was the center of activity in the early days of the Irish Channel.[6]St. Alphonsus Church, constructed in 1855 by theRedemptorist Fathers, served the religious and cultural needs of this Irish immigrant population for many years.[7] In 1874, a painting of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was brought to St. Alphonsus and a National Shrine established. For generations Irish school children as well as parishioners and visitors would participate in novenas to Our Lady at St. Alphonsus church. These services were so well attended that the city placed additional street cars in service to carry the large number of attendees.[8] In these early years, churches were built to serve various other ethnic groups.St. Mary's Assumption Church served the German immigrant population of the Irish Channel, while Notre Dame de Bon Secours Church served the French immigrants.
The Irish Channel developed a reputation for ruffians early in its history,[9] a reputation that slowly eroded. Much of this centered on conflicts between ethnic groups, eventually congealing as gangs, such as the St. Mary's Market Gang, the Shot Tower Gang, the Pine Knot Gang, the Ripsaw Gang, and the Crowbar Gang.[6] The river front area was home to petty thieves and prostitutes, although much of the gang activity of the time centered on the corner of St. Mary Street and Religious Street.[5]
Through the early 20th century much of the population worked in theport of New Orleans before modern shipping innovations greatly reduced the need forstevedores and similar jobs. There were also localbreweries in the area. This had significant economic consequences, with the resulting poverty persisting today.[10]
Since about the 1960s, the neighborhood has been majorityAfrican American, with substantial minorities of the descendants of the 19th century immigrants and more recentLatino immigrants.[11] Parades and parties are held on and aroundSt. Patrick's Day which are enjoyed by many locals whether they are of Irish ancestry or not. Examples of organizations that parade on St. Patrick's Day and promote other civic activities are theIrish Channel St. Patrick's Day Club and theIrish Channel Corner Club. The local chapter of theAncient Order of Hibernians also promotes Irish Channel heritage.[12] Parasol's Bar and Tracey's Bar, a block apart on Third Street, are a focal point for St. Patrick's Day parades in the Irish Channel.[5]
The area is known for much surviving working class and middle class 19th century residential architecture, including manyshotgun houses. The neighborhood included the formerSt. Thomas Development, now part of the River Garden community.
Built on the city's old high ground, the neighborhood escaped the catastrophic flooding of most of the city in the aftermath ofHurricane Katrina in 2005 (see:Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans).
As of thecensus of 2000, there were 4,270 people, 1,750 households, and 904 families residing in the neighborhood.[13] Thepopulation density was 8,540 /mi² (3,285 /km2).
As of thecensus of 2010, there were 3,373 people, 1,665 households, and 649 families residing in the neighborhood.[13]
A historically working-class neighborhood of New Orleans, the Irish Channel is home to a number of notable landmarks, including:
The Irish Channel is zoned to schools in theNew Orleans Public Schools (NOPS) and theRecovery School District (RSD).
The Batiste Cultural Arts Academy is a K-8 charter school operated by the charter management organizationReNEW Schools that is located in the former Live Oak Elementary School Building in the Irish Channel. As of 2012 it has over 600 students. In 2012 the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities stated that the school was one of eight that would participate in the Turnaround Arts program.[14]
AfterHurricane Katrina, Live Oak was a school directly operated by the RSD.[15] In 2009 about 75% of the fourth graders at the Live Oak Elementary School failed the LEAP test.[16] In 2010 the school had a performance score of "40" which was below the "65" that was the level considered "academically unacceptable."[15] Cindy Chang ofThe Times-Picayune said former Live Oak Elementary School was performing so poorly thatPaul Vallas, the superintendent of the RSD, gave the school to the ReNEW charter management school group, which specialized in taking control of poor performing schools. ReNEW repurposed the school into Batiste Academy. Gary Robichaux, the executive director of ReNEW, had full control over the school's hiring and firing, and he kept 15% of the previous teaching staff and brought younger teachers to replace them.[16]
The Audubon Charter School Upper Campus is located in the Irish Channel.
The Japanese Weekend School of New Orleans (ニューオリンズ日本語補習校Nyū Orinzu Nihongo Hoshūkō), aWeekend Japanese school program, holds its classes at the Waldorf School.[17]
Many early jazz musicians includingTom Brown, theBrunies brothers,Nick LaRocca, andTony Sbarbaro lived in the Irish Channel.[18] PrizefighterJohn L. Sullivan trained in the Irish Channel,[6] since much prizefighting centered in New Orleans in the late 19th century.[19]
"Anti" O'Rourke was a show man who earned his living as a diver, often diving fromsteamboats on the Mississippi River. He originated the jack-knife dive, which he termed the "Anti Dive".[6]
Francis Xavier Seelos was aBavaria-bornRedemptorist priest who served those stricken by yellow fever in the Irish Channel in 1866/67 and died of the disease. He was declared "blessed" byPope John Paul II and his feast day is celebrated on October 5.[20]
Eleanor McMain was asocial activist in the Irish Channel in the early part of the twentieth century, leadingKingsley House to become a center forprogressive movements.
The New Orleans Brennan family arerestaurateurs known especially forCommander's Palace and many other local restaurants, were born and reared in the Irish Channel. Commander's is owned and operated by Brennan cousins, Lally Brennan and Ti Martin.
Paul Sanchez, singer-songwriter and founding member ofCowboy Mouth, grew up in the Irish Channel.
