Irish Titan, Irish Toilers: Joseph Banigan and Nineteenth-century New England Labor

by Scott Molloy

In 1847 Joseph Banigan, an Irish Potato Famine refugee, established himself in Rhode Island as an entrepreneur. This was a time when "No Irish Need Apply" signs abounded and discrimination against the Irish and other immigrants--institutionalized in the constitution of his adopted state--hindered voting and other human rights. Bucking this trend and belying his humble origins, Banigan succeeded spectacularly in the emerging local rubber footwear industry, becoming the president of the United States Rubber Company--one of the nation's major cartels, and New England's first Irish-Catholic millionaire. Backed by primary and secondary research on two continents, Molloy's inquiry into Bannigan's notoriety and success singularly codifies and elucidates the Irish-American experience during this critical period in American labor history.

309 pages, Paperback

First published July 31, 2008

Reviews

[Drew Skokowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joseph Banigan was both friend and foe of the labor movement.
Also, he was so competitive and miserly to sue for an unpaid salary, which with all his wealth was basically meaningless. The next moment, he is making a charitable donation for more then the unpaid salary.

Amazed to discover how someone your never heard had an impact on your life.
Banigan's donations helped to start CUA, where I met my beautiful wife.
Yes David Byrne, that is my beautiful wife.