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Overview
THE DUBLIN NEIGHBORHOOD
In the mid-19th century, a small but determined community of Irish immigrants made their home in a modest cluster of streets here in Plymouth. Drawn by work opportunities and the promise of stability after years of hardship in Ireland, these families built a neighborhood defined by resilience, faith, and the shared experience of starting anew in a young and growing America.
The name “Dublin” was hidden away for decades in documents of the Pilgrim Society from around 1970, which described ancient names of locales within the town of Plymouth. Among these entries was the name “Dublin,” given to the very area where we stand for today’s ceremony. This rediscovered reference echoed what earlier census rolls and maps also reveal—a remarkably high concentration of Irish-born families who lived side by side in this corner of town, forming a tight-knit immigrant enclave.
Historical documents-including mid-19th-century census forms and early street maps-help us trace the borders of this neighborhood and understand the lives of the people who worked in Plymouth’s mills, on its waterfront, and in trades that supported the town’s expanding economy. Though the landscape has shifted over the generations, these records bring into focus a vibrant Irish settlement that contributed deeply to the cultural and economic life of the community.
The surviving homes allow us to see the places where this Irish immigrant community lived, raised families, and built the foundation of their lives in Plymouth. Their legacy remains an enduring part of the town’s immigrant story.
- 25 Water St, Plymouth, MA, 02360