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Old Posted Jul 14, 2021, 9:18 PM
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Wigs Wigs is offline
Great White Norf
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Niagara Region
Posts: 10,969
Buffalo still has a strong Irish American community. In the theater district downtown, there's even the Irish Classical Theater company run by an expat from Ireland. There are two St. Patrick's Day parades, one celebrating the old Irish neighborhoods, and the large one downtown. There's the Buffalo Irish Center, Tara Irish import shop, Irish dancing all still exist to keep the spirit of Ireland alive.

Traditionally the less well off aka "shanty Irish" that worked as laborers, grain scoopers, etc. settled in the areas known as the Old First Ward and The Valley. Their (usually modest) homes were typically within walking distance of the grain elevators, steel mill, or other industry where they worked.
A typical single family home in this area is worth only between $60-100k as this area has experienced some serious depopulation.

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The middle class Irish settled in the nicer area of South Buffalo a bit further away from industry, and built some larger and nicer homes on larger lots. Two major city (Olmsted designed) parks, Cazenovia Park and South Park (which houses the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical gardens) are in this area.
The main commerical strip, Seneca Street, is currently undergoing a revitalization in part due to the rehabilitation of the Seneca theatre into a mixed-use complex.
Nicer single family homes in this area sell for $200-250k (with the nicest ones currently going through bidding wars).

The pubs in these areas typically remain in Irish American hands for generations

Arguably the nicest Church in WNY, Our Lady of Victory basilica, was built just across the city line in Lackawanna (near South Park/Botanical gardens) in the 1920s with donations flooding in from Catholics around the world.
https://www.olvbasilica.org/



Last edited by Wigs; Jul 14, 2021 at 11:31 PM.
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