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The Most Irish City: Boston is Second. What City is First?

Author adam12
(Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

Every St. Patrick’s Day, Bostonians embrace their Irish heritage (even if they don’t have any). But Boston isn’t the most Irish city.

 

According to a recent ranking from The Shane Co., Boston is in the number two city when it comes to Irish ancestry. Still, the numbers are pretty damn impressive for a second place showing. Out of the 100 most populous cities that The Shane Co. ranked, the found that 20.5% of Bostonians claim Irish ancestry. That’s just about one out of every five Boston natives you meet walking the streets of the city!

 

So who edged us out for the number one spot? That would be Buffalo, NY. But it’s not by a lot. The percentage of population in with Irish ancestry in Buffalo is 21.1%. So they have us edged out by less than a percentage point. Keep that in mind once the football season rolls around and the Buffalo Bills are beating up on our New England Patriots. At least we almost have Buffalo beat in Irish ancestry!

 

The Most Irish City: Boston is Second. What City is First?

The Shane Co. piece didn’t just stop at tallying up the Irish population, though. They also went through and counted the cities with the most Irish pubs (per 100K residents). Boston lands in the Top 5 there at number 4, with 1.388. Again, we’re edged out by Buffalo, which ranked ahead of is in third with 1.463. I’ll take Boston’s Irish pubs over any other city’s, no matter where we rank.

 

Back to the topic of Irish ancestry, let’s round out that Top 5. Because I think you might be surprised when you see which cities fall in behind Buffalo and Boston: Syracuse, NY; Scranton, PA, and Philadelphia, PA. And if that’s not enough Irish for you this St. Patrick’s Day, feast your eyes on 7 more facts right here. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Adam 12 is the Program Director of Boston's ROCK 92.9, heard weekdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. He's been flexing his encyclopedic rock knowledge in New England for over 2 decades, both on-air and online, at WBCN, WFNX, Boston.com, and indie617. At ROCK 92.9, he keeps you in the know on the big stories from the Boston music scene and writes about great places to eat, drink (beer), and to spend time outdoors in and around Boston.

7 Boston Irish Pubs to Visit (and One That's Not)

Whether it’s St. Patrick’s Day or any day, this short list of Boston Irish Pubs will set you right the next time you’re craving a pint.

 

But first: the “one that’s not.” And by “one that’s not” I don’t mean a pub that’s not Irish. Nor do I mean a pub that’s not in Boston. I mean a pub that’s not with us anymore. Technically, it wasn’t even a proper “pub.” Technically–by name–it was a “lounge.” And it’s been gone for so long that it didn’t even make my list of Boston’s Best Dive Bars.

 

It was T.C.’s Lounge, on Haviland St. in the Back Bay. And I think of it often.

 

I was thinking of T.C.’s recently when a listener reminded me of the anniversary of T.C.’s demise. It was March 13, 2012. A small electrical fire broke out behind the bar. And instead of being allowed to close and repair, T.C.’s was told to close for good. That put an end to a run that started back in the ’70s. My uncle Neil was a regular there when he worked on the other side of Haviland St. in the ’80s. T.C.’s landed on my map when I was at Northeastern in the ’90s, and I made a regular habit of visiting there in the 2000s. There was no place in the city like it.

 

7 Boston Irish Pubs to Visit

I could go on and on about the “one that’s not,” but this piece is about Irish pubs that are still open. So let’s get to ’em. These are the pubs that do big business every year on St. Patrick’s Day. But they’re worth visiting any day, be it for a pint or a shot or a pint and a shot. So belly up to the bar. And please: drink responsibly.

  • J.J. Foley's Cafe

    Located in the South End, J.J. Foley’s has been operating since 1909, making them the oldest Irish pub in Boston. Personally, J.J. Foley’s has come through for me in the clutch a couple of times over the years. It was my sober-up spot after an Andrew W.K. show at the Roxy a million years ago. And it’s where I stopped with friends on our long walk home after the 2013 Boston Marathon.

  • The Black Rose

    For the entirety of the 2010’s, I deejayed Irish Breakfast at The Black Rose on State St. every St. Patrick’s Day. I’d play Irish rock and Irish punk between sets from the likes of Black 47 and Christian McNeill. The tradition continues with my friends at indie617 this year. I might even head down there myself!

  • The Banshee

    I worked in Dorchester for the bulk of the 2010s. The Banshee was my home-away-from-home. If you’re a fan of actual football, you’ve probably been there yourself. They hosted a hell of a World Cup party a few years ago.

  • Irish Village

    Back in the 2000s, when I worked at WBCN, we’d split time between Hogan’s Run (R.I.P.) and Irish Village. The village is still alive and kicking in Brighton. Too bad my buddy Fred doesn’t drink anymore. We had some good times there back in the day.

  • The Burren

    Davis Square in Somerville boasts The Burren, which is legendary. Live music seven nights a week. All the Irish liquids you could ask for. And a pretty impressive vegan selection, too.

  • Lansdowne Pub

    A Fenway favorite. Top-notch selection of beer and whiskey. An outstanding menu. And a great sound setup for live music. I’ve hosted quite a few live acts here and it’s always a great time.

  • Ned Devine's

    Faneuil Hall’s finest. Where the tourists and the locals come to mix it up. Multiple bars, too, which is key. The home of the Dave & Chuck the Freak .5K!

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