St. Patrick's Day: Quick, which US president was most Irish?
| Washington
With St. Patrick鈥檚 Day upon us, this question comes to mind: Who鈥檚 the most Irish US president?
OK, 鈥渕ost Irish鈥� isn鈥檛 exactly a scientific category. And lots of presidents claim ties to the Emerald Isle, including President Obama, who visited his ancestral home in Moneygall, County Offaly, last year.
But the answer is obvious. He鈥檚 a Democrat. He鈥檚 often included in historians鈥� lists of the Top 10 US chief executives. And he isn鈥檛 who you think.
Presidents play up Irish heritage for one big reason: votes. About 12 percent of the US population considers itself of Irish descent, according to census data.聽
The days of Irish control of big cities are long past. But pockets of Irish political strength remain in Boston, Philadelphia, and other metro areas. Irish heritage is so widespread in the United States that in some ways a little wearing of the green emphasizes a politician鈥檚 American heritage.
That鈥檚 why Mr. Obama is hosting his Irish eighth cousin at the White House this year. It鈥檚 why Bill Clinton threw a St. Patrick鈥檚 party that ended with a line dance to 鈥淲hen Irish Eyes Are Smiling.鈥� It鈥檚 why Richard Nixon once considered leading a St. Patrick鈥檚 Day parade 鈥� in Dublin.
Ten US presidents had fairly direct ties to Ireland, while more than 22 have Irish progenitors 鈥� however distant 鈥� on their family trees. Ronald Reagan loved to get together with House Speaker Tip O鈥橬eill for a little Irish-themed humor. (Sample Reagan joke: 鈥淢y father told me that the Irish built the jails in this country 鈥� then proceeded to fill them.鈥�) However, Reagan was only moderately Irish; his great-grandparents on his father鈥檚 side had come to the US from County Tipperary.
Then there was John Kennedy. He鈥檚 the one you picked as 鈥渕ost Irish,鈥� right? Wrong. You have to go back to Kennedy鈥檚 great-grandparents to find ancestors who were Irish-born.
Our pick? Andrew Jackson. Old Hickory was a founder of the modern Democratic Party and a fierce supporter of individual rights (except for native Americans). He is the only president whose parents were both born in Ireland. They left County Antrim for the New World in 1765, two years before Andrew was born.
