List of Irish American politicians

This is a list of notable Irish American politicians.

Politicians

• James G. Barry - St. Louis mayor [3] "James G. Barry was born in Ireland in 1800..."
• William B. Barry - US Congressman
• Edward P. Boland - US Congressman [4]
• James E. Boyd - Omaha mayor [5] "He was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, September 9, 1834..."
• Bob Brady - US Congressman [6]
• William J. Brady - New Mexico Territorial representative and Sheriff of Lincoln County, from County Cavan
• David C. Broderick - US Senator [7]
• John T. Browne - Houston mayor [8] "Born in Dublin, Ireland..."
• Billy Bulger - President of the Massachusetts State Senate [9] "Bulger, one of the most successful Irish-American politicians of his generation..."
• Aedanus Burke - US Congressman [10] "Aedanus Burke (1742 - 1802) of Galway went to Virginia..."
• Thomas Burke - North Carolina governor [11] "Thomas Burke, born about 1747 in Galway, Ireland, moved to Orange County in North Carolina about 1770 from Virginia..."
• Thomas A. Burke - Cleveland mayor, US Senator [12]
• William J. Burke - US Congressman [13] "Born near London, England of Irish parents..."
• Brendan Byrne - former Governor of New Jersey
• Jane Byrne - Chicago mayor [14] "She turns to the Irish mayor of Chicago, Jane Byrne..."
• Thomas R. Byrne - St. Paul mayor [15]
• James F. Byrnes - US Senator [16] "He was the grandson of Irish Catholic immigrants who came to American after the Great Irish ..."
• Hugh Carey - New York governor [17]
• Charles Carroll of Carrollton - the sole Catholic signatory of the American Declaration of Independence [18]
• Bob Casey, Jr. - U.S, Senator and former Pennsylvania state Treasurer
• Robert P. Casey - former Pennsylvania governor [19]
• John Michael Clancy - US Congressman [20] "born in County Queens, Ireland, May 7, 1837; immigrated with his parents to the United States..."
• Jimmy Carter, US President
• Grover Cleveland , US President
• Bill Clinton, US President
• DeWitt Clinton - New York City mayor [21] "He was the son of an Irish-American Revolutionary War hero and a Dutch mother."
• W. Bourke Cockran - US Congressman [22]
• Patrick Collins - Boston mayor [23] "Patrick Collins (1844-1905) was the second Irish-born mayor in Boston's history..."

Timothy Collins (1977- ). Republican candidate for Pennsylvania's 175th legislative district in 2000.

• Martin Condon - Knoxville mayor [24] "The career of Knoxville's first Irish Catholic mayor..."
• John Conness - US Senator [25] "Senator John Conness of California, an Irish immigrant himself..."
• James Cooney - US Congressman [26]
• John Coughlin - First Ward Alderman in Chicago 1893-1938 [27]
• Richard Croker - Tammany Hall boss [28] "Richard Croker was born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1841..."
• Joseph Crowley - US Congressman [29] "Crowley was also named one of the Top 100 Irish American Leaders..."
• James Michael Curley - Boston mayor [30] "James Curley the son of Irish immigrants from County Galway..."
• Thomas Cusack - US Congressman [31] "born in Kilrush, County Clare, Ireland..."
• Richard J. Daley - Chicago mayor [32] "Richard J. Daley, an only child, was born in 1902 into an Irish Catholic neighborhood of south Chicago..."
• Richard M. Daley - Chicago mayor, son of Richard J. Daley
• William M. Daley - U.S. Secretary of Commerce, son of Richard J. Daley
• Charles Patrick Daly, Chief Justice of New York Court of Common PleasNew York
• John Darragh - Pittsburgh mayor [33] "John Darragh was born in Ireland, but emigrating to America at an early day became a prosperous farmer."
• William Dawson - St. Paul mayor
• John J. Dempsey - New Mexico governor
• John N. Dempsey - Connecticut governor
• Éamon de Valera - President of Ireland [34] "The child of a Spanish father and an Irish mother, de Valera was born in New York City, but moved to Ireland upon the death of his father. He became a teacher of mathematics and an avid supporter of the Irish language movement..."
• Michael Donohoe - US Congressman [35] "Michael Donohoe was born in Killeshandra in 1864. After spending a short time teaching in the local National School he emigrated to the U.S. in 1886..."
• Bob Dornan - former US Congressman from California
• Mike Doyle - US Congressman from Pennsylvania [36]
• John G. Downey - California governor [37] "John G. Downey, who became governor at the early age of 32, was born in Ireland..."
• Warren J. Duffey - US Congressman from Ohio [38] also [39]
• Tom Dunn - Mayor Eizabeth NJ
• Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne - Chicago mayor and Illinois governor
• James Duane - New York City mayor [40] "James Duane, son of an Irish-born merchant, became the first Irish-American mayor in 1784..."
• Mark M. Fagan - Jersey City mayor [41]
• Mike Fahey - Omaha mayor [42]
• Thomas Fallon - San Jose mayor
• James A. Farley - Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, US Postmaster General [43] "One of five sons, Jim Farley was born on May 30, 1888, to Irish Catholic immigrant parents in Grassy Point, New York..."
• John Frederick Finerty, US Congressman
• Joseph E. Finerty, Gary mayor
• John F. Fitzgerald, Boston mayor
• Thomas Fitzsimons, US Congressman
• John Fitzpatrick, New Orleans mayor
• Mike Fitzpatrick, US Congressman from Pennsylvania
• Peter F. Flaherty, former Pittsburgh mayor
• Michael P. Flanagan, US Congressman
• Daniel J. Flood, US Congressman from Pennsylvania
• Raymond Flynn, Boston mayor
• William S. Flynn, Rhode Island governor
• Mark Foley, US Congressman from Florida
• Thomas Gallagher, Pittsburgh mayor
• Martin Galvin, founder of NORAID
• J. Joseph Garrahy, Rhode Island governor
• William Jay Gaynor, New York City mayor
• Martin H. Glynn, New York governor
• Charles P. Gillen, Newark mayor
• Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Senator, mother is of Irish decent.
• Thomas F. Gilroy, New York City mayor
• Patrick Gleason, Long Island City political machine boss
• William R. Grace, New York City mayor
• J. Harold Grady, Baltimore mayor
• William T. Granahan, US Congressman
• James D. Griffin, Mayor of Buffalo, New York, New York State Senator
• Frank Hague, Jersey City mayor
• James M. Hanley, US Congressman
• Jerramiah T. Healy, Jersey City mayor
• James J. Heffernan, US Congressman
• Brian Higgins, US Congressman
• John Hogan, US Congressman
• John Patrick Hopkins, Chicago mayor
• Harry R. Hughes, Governor of Maryland
• Denis M. Hurley, US Congressman
• Henry Hyde, US Congressman
• John F. Hylan, New York City mayor
• Thomas Kean, former Governor of New Jersey
• Frank Keating, Oklahoma governor
• William J. Keating, former Congressman from Ohio
• Augustine B. Kelley, US Congressman
• Patrick H. Kelley, US Congressman
• Edward A. Kelly, US Congressman
• Edward Joseph Kelly, Chicago mayor
• John Kelly, Tammany Hall boss
• Joseph J. Kelly, Buffalo mayor
• Randy Kelly, St. Paul mayor
• Michael Kenna, First Ward Alderman in Chicago 1897-1923

United States President John F. Kennedy laying a wreath at Commodore John Barry Memorial in Wexford, Ireland in 1963.

• Edward Kennedy, US Senator
• John F. Kennedy, US President
• Joseph Kennedy, rumrunner, U.S. ambassador
• Mark Kennedy, former US Congressman
• Patrick J. Kennedy, US Congressman
• Robert F. Kennedy, US Senator
• Martin H. Kennelly, Chicago mayor
• John V. Kenny, Jersey City mayor
• Peter T. King, US Congressman
• Patrick Leahy, US Senator, his father is of Irish decent
• Huey Long, Louisiana governor
• Robert Lowry, US Congressman
• Stephen Lynch, US Congressman
• Thomas Lynch, Jr., signatory to the Declaration of Independence

M-Z

• Lisa Madigan, Illinois Attorney General
• Michael Madigan, Illinois Speaker of the House, Illinois Democratic Party Chairman
• George Maguire, St. Louis mayor
• Mike Mansfield, US Senator, Ambassador
• William McAleer, US Congressman
• Gerald McCann, Jersey City mayor
• Patrick McCarran, US Senator
• Carolyn McCarthy, US Congressman
• Eugene McCarthy, US Senator
• Joseph McCarthy, US Senator
• P.H. McCarthy, San Francisco mayor
• William C. McCarthy, Pittsburgh mayor
• Frank McCoppin, San Francisco mayor
• John W. McCormack, Speaker of the House
• Jim McDermott, US Congressman
• John J. McDonough, St. Paul mayor
• Lawrence E. McGann, US Congressman
• Edwin D. McGuinness, Providence mayor
• James Kennedy McGuire, Syracuse mayor
• John J. McGrath, US Congressman
• J. Howard McGrath, US Senator, Rhode Island governor
• James McGreevey, New Jersey governor
• Nancy McHale Polech, Democratic Party stragegist and candidate in Upstate NY
• Thomas McKean - signatory to the Declaration of Independence [44] "Thomas M'Kean was the second son of William M'Kean, a native of Ireland, who sometime after his emigration to America, was married to an Irish lady, with whom he settled in the township of New-London..."
• Bernard J. McKenna, Pittsburgh mayor
• Joseph McKenna, US Attorney General
• William McKinley - US President [45] "He was the 7th child born to William and Nancy Alison McKinley (of Irish and Scottish descent)."
• Hugh McLaughlin, Brooklyn Democratic party boss
• Joseph McLaughlin, US Congressman
• Robert McNamara, United States Secretary of Defense under President John F. Kennedy
• Frank J. McNulty, US Congressman
• Michael R. McNulty, US Congressman
• Marty Meehan, US Congressman
• John Purroy Mitchel, New York City mayor
• Robert M. Moore, Cincinnati mayor
• Jim Moran, US Congressman
• John Morrissey, US Congressman
• Daniel Patrick Moynihan, former US Senator
• P.H. Moynihan, US Congressman
• William J. Moxley, US Congressman
• Bryan Mullanphy, St. Louis mayor
• James C. Murray, US Congressman
• Timothy P. Murray, Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
• Charles F. Murphy, Tammany Hall boss
• Dick Murphy, San Diego mayor
• Frank Murphy, Detroit mayor, Michigan governor
• George Murphy, US Senator
• Isaac Murphy, Arkansas governor
• Morgan F. Murphy, US Congressman
• Timothy Murphy, US Congressman
• Tom Murphy, Pittsburgh mayor
• William T. Murphy, US Congressman
• Richard Neal, US Congressman
• Michael N. Nolan, Albany mayor
• Mary T. Norton, US Congressman
• Frank O'Bannon, Indiana governor
• Christopher D. O'Brien, St. Paul mayor
• Hugh O'Brien, Boston's first Irish mayor
• James O'Brien (US Congressman)
• John P. O'Brien, New York City mayor
• Thomas J. O’Brien, US Congressman
• Dan O'Connell, Albany mayor
• Bob O'Connor, Mayor of Pittsburgh
• Maureen O'Connor, San Diego mayor
• Herbert R. O'Conor, Maryland governor
• Kenneth O'Donnell, Senior Aide to President John F Kennedy
• William O'Dwyer, New York City mayor
• James A. O'Gorman, US Senator
• Barratt O'Hara, US Congressman
• Arthur J. O'Keefe, New Orleans mayor
• Martin O'Malley, Baltimore mayor
• Charles H. O'Neill, Jersey City mayor
• Thomas O'Neill, Speaker of the House
• William A. O'Neill, Connecticut governor
• Daniel O'Reilly, US Congressman
• Barack Obama
• George F. O'Shaunessy, US Congressman
• Sarah Palin - Alaska governor, Republican nominee for Vice President in 2008, her mother is of partial Irish ancestry.
• George Pataki - New York governor [46] "The grandson of Hungarian immigrants on his father's side and Italian and Irish immigrants on his mother's side, Pataki grew up on a small farm in Peekskill..."
• Tom Pendergast, Kansas City Democratic machine boss
• James D. Phelan, San Francisco mayor, US Senator
• George Washington Plunkitt, Tammany Hall member
• Jack Quinn, US Congressman
• John Quinn, US Congressman

United States President Ronald Reagan speaking to large crowd in his ancestral home in Ballyporeen, Ireland in 1984.

• Ronald Reagan (1911 - 2004) the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). At age 69, he was the oldest person elected President. Before entering politics, Reagan was a popular motion picture actor, as well as head of the Screen Actors Guild, a television actor, an announcer for the Chicago Cubs, and a motivational speaker. His speaking style, which was widely regarded as well-delivered and persuasive, earned Reagan the accolade "The Great Communicator" from the media. His presidency was marked by several innovative acts of Anti-Communist tactics (the most prominent being the Iran-Contra Affair)^[1]
• Thomas Reilly, Massachusetts Attorney General
• Daniel J. Riordan, US Congressman
• Richard Riordan, former Los Angeles mayor
• William R. Roberts, US Congressman
• John J. Rooney, US Congressman
• George H. Ryan, Illinois governor
• Jim Ryan, former Illinois Attorney General, father was Irish, mother was Italian
• Paul Ryan, US Congressman
• Tim Ryan, US Congressman
• William Ryan, US Congressman
• Wilson Shannon, Ohio governor
• William F. Sheehan, Buffalo democratic machine boss
• James Shields, US Senator
• Sargent Shriver, Democratic politician
• Al Smith, New York governor, Democratic Party presidential candidate (Irish grandparent; Smith identified as an Irish American)
• James Smith, signatory to the Declaration of Independence
• P.J. Somers, Milwaukee mayor
• Michael J. Stack, US Congressman
• Christopher D. Sullivan, US Congressman
• James Sullivan, Massachusetts governor
• Patrick Joseph Sullivan, US Senator
• Timothy Sullivan, US Congressman
• William Howard Taft, US President
• James Hugh Joseph Tate, first Catholic mayor of Philadelphia
• George Taylor, signatory to the Declaration of Independence
• Charles Thomson, secretary to the Continental Congress
• Matthew Thornton, signatory to the Declaration of Independence
• John F. Tierney, US Congressman
• John V. Tunney, US Senator
• Jimmy Walker, New York City mayor
• David I. Walsh, Massachusetts' first Catholic governor
• James T. Walsh, US Congressman
• Patrick Walsh, US Senator
• Thomas W. Ward, Austin mayor
• Thomas J. Whelan, Jersey City mayor
• William Whipple, signatory to the Declaration of Independence
• Kevin White, Boston mayor

Footnotes