"In this illustrated history, Dermot Quinn calls upon a treasury of photographs and newspaper clippings that uncover the story of how the Irish in New Jersey maintained their cultural roots while also embracing their role in laying the foundations for the social, economic, political, and religious landscapes of the country they now called home." "Featuring a wealth of anecdotes, sermons, diary entries, and biographical sketches, as well as early census statistics and scholarly references, this volume will appeal to historians and general readers alike. Quinn chronicles the emigration of many families from a conflict-torn and famine-stricken country to the new and unfamiliar land whose discriminatory policies and unwelcoming streets often fell far short of being paved with gold."--BOOK JACKET.