Irish Trailblazers in the American Revolution

General John Stark Statue at New Hampshire State Capital Building in Concord By Michael Quinlin The Irish and Scots-Irish played key roles on the battlefields and high seas during the American Revolution. Historic figures such as Commodore John Barry, General John Sullivan, matross Margaret Cochrane Corbin, spy Hercules Mulligan, Governor George Clinton, Colonel Henry Knox and aide-de-camp Stephen Moylan helped to win the war with their valor and devotion to liberty. Additionally, nine Irish-Americans signed the Declaration of Independence, three born in Ireland and six more of Irish or Scots-Irish descent, among them Charles Carroll of Maryland. Countless Irish-America farmers, tradesmen, laborers, printers, writers, artists, wives, daughters and nurses also contributed to the war effort. Last summer we launched the Revolutionary Irish Trail, a national project to chronicle the various Irish and Scots-Irish contributions to the America Revolution. Our goal is to identify Revolu...