Book excerpt: The fascinating story of the Irish in Boston unfolds in this engagingly written history-cum-guidebook. Full of heroism and romance, politics and brawls, it tells the stories behind the well-known history and vividly portrays what life was like for the Harrigans, Gallaghers, Kelleys, Finnegans and others who made their home in Boston over the past three centuries. From the days of "No Irish Need Apply" in the 1850s to the inauguration in 1960 of the first Irish Catholic president, the Boston Irish have molded the history of the city--and the nation--in all areas of culture and society, and their spirited tale is told in these pages. The cast of characters includes such larger-than-life personalities as *Hugh O'Brien, Boston's first Irish Catholic mayor (1885) *John Singleton Copley, America's first great portrait painter *Louis Sullivan, the father of American Architecture, born in Boston's South End in 1856, *Brendan Connolly, the first top medalist in the modern Olympic Games (1896) *John L. Sullivan, world heavyweight boxing champion *Patrick Kennedy and Bridget Murphy, progenitors of the Kennedy political dynasty Those who want to do more than just read about the saga of the Irish in Boston will also find information on dozens of Irish-related historic and cultural sites, such as the Irish Famine Memorial, the Civil War Monument, St. Augustine's Cemetery, the Irish Cultural Centre, the JFK Library, and the pub where Seamus Heaney and his buddies frequently enjoyed a pint. Also included is a directory of Irish gift shops, annual events, genealogical resources, Irish organizations, and Irish-related academic courses. This one-of-a-kind guide is a complete source for the total Irish experience, both past and present.