Since 2005, the central research initiative of Glucksman Ireland House, the Center for Irish Studies at New York University, has been an Oral History of Irish America Project. Its goal is to record the experiences of a wide range of Irish Americans towards an understanding of the durability and elasticity of ethnic identity over time.
More than 350 interviews form this collection, capturing a cross section of memories from men and women whose life histories intersect with culture, education, religion, media, business, government and the professions, whether the individual is an immigrant or removed by several generations from Ireland.
The Project Directors are Dr. Linda Dowling Almeida, Dr. Marion R. Casey, and Dr. Miriam Nyhan Grey of the Glucksman Ireland House Faculty; past interviewers have included Dr. Ìde O'Carroll, Dr. Danielle Zach, and Virginia Ferris, M.A.
The digitally recorded oral histories are deposited in New York University’s Division of Libraries as part of the Glucksman Ireland House Oral History Collection (AIA030) in the Archives of Irish America. They are open to researchers by appointment; for further information, please contact irishamerica.archives@nyu.edu.
To listen to a selection of those whose voices have been recorded for the Oral History of Irish America Collection, click here.
Excerpts from the collection have been used to illuminate the Irish-American experience through a series of podcasts produced by project co-director Linda Dowling Almeida on topics ranging from immigration reform to 9/11. See: Oral History Podcasts