- Source: Irish Mexicans
Irish Mexicans (Spanish: Irlandés-mexicano or Hibernomexicano; Irish: Gael-Meicsiceach) are inhabitants of Mexico that are immigrants from or descendants of immigrants from Ireland. The majority of Irish immigrants to Mexico were Catholic.
History
A few Mexican Irish communities existed in Mexican Texas prior to the Texas Revolution. They were fully integrated into Mexican society at the time and were linked to their host society through inter-marriage, a shared language, and business ties. When revolution broke out, many Irish sided with Catholic Mexico against Protestant pro-U.S. elements. The Saint Patrick's Battalion was a Mexican Army unit of mostly Irish soldiers who deserted from the U.S. army during the Mexican–American War. Veterans of the battalion were awarded with the Cross of Honor for their service to the Mexican government. In some cases, Irish immigrants or Americans left from California (the Irish Confederate army of Fort Yuma, Arizona during the American Civil War in 1861) and blended into Mexican society instead.
Álvaro Obregón (O'Brien) was president of Mexico during 1920–1924 and Ciudad Obregón and its airport are named in his honor. Actor Anthony Quinn is another famous Mexican of Irish descent. There are also monuments in Mexico City paying tribute to those Irish who fought for Mexico in the 1800s.
Notable Irish Mexicans
Louis CK, Mexican born comedian and actor, mother was Irish American, father was Mexican/Hungarian. CK (Szekely) was partially raised in Mexico City
Margo, Mexican actress and dancer of Irish descent
Alejo Bay, governor of Sonora from 1923 to 1927
Lynda Carter, American-born actress of Irish-Mexican descent
Ignacio Comonfort, President of Mexico in 1855
Santiago Creel, Mexican politician of Irish descent
Dolores Creel Miranda, Mexican artist of Irish descent
Philip Crosthwaite, born in Ireland, was an early settler of San Diego, California and Rosarito, Baja California
Aarón Díaz Spencer, Mexican actor, singer, and model to Irish-American mother
Cristina Fink, retired high jumper of Spanish, Dutch, Irish, and German descent
Carlos Gallardo, Mexican actor, producer and occasional screenwriter and director to a Mexican father and an Irish mother
Judith Grace, television hostess
Grey Griffin, American-born actress of mixed Irish-Mexican descent
José Santiago Healy Brennan, Mexican Journalist, born to Irish born parents in Monterrey
John Holloway, Irish-born Mexican lawyer, Marxist-oriented sociologist and philosopher currently living in Mexico
Luis Humberto Crosthwaite, Mexican writer of Irish-American descent
William Lamport, the real-life Zorro
Hugo Oconór, Spanish governor of Texas from 1767 to 1770
Juan O'Donojú, viceroy of New Spain
Rómulo O'Farril, founder of newspaper Novedades
Edmundo O'Gorman, writer
Juan O'Gorman, architect
Pablo O'Higgins, American-Mexican artist, muralist and illustrator of Irish descent
Tomas O'Horan, Mexican lawyer, magistrate and senator of Irish descent
Patricio O'Ward, Mexican Indy Car driver
Anthony Quinn, actor
Sara Ramirez, Mexican singer and actress (mother of Irish-American descent)
Roberto Ransom, Mexican writer of Irish descent
Jon Riley, born in Ireland, served in Mexican Army during the Mexican-American War and founded Saint Patrick's Battalion
Guillermo Sheridan, Mexican writer of Irish descent
Justo Sierra O'Reilly, Mexican novelist and historian of Irish descent
Michael Wadding, Jesuit priest and missionary
See also
Alvarez Kelly, a Western film about an Irish Mexican in the American Civil War.
Saint Patrick's Battalion
Ireland–Mexico relations
References
Coogan, Tim Pat (2002). Wherever Green is Worn. Arrow Books. ISBN 0-09-995850-3.
External links
Murray, Edmundo [1] "The Irish in Latin America and Iberia: A Bibliography - Mexico and Hispanic North America"
Murray, Edmundo [2] "The San Patricio Battalion: A Bibliography"
History of Mexico: The Irish Presence at the Houston Institute for Culture.
The legend of Zorro was an Irishman (William Lamport).
The O'Brien clan in Mexico.
Primary and secondary sources relating to the Irish in Mexico (Sources database for Irish research)