Paul McElhinney

Paul McElhinney is a writer based in Wexford, Ireland. His work focuses on politics, history, culture, and sport. He is the author of "Lion of the RAF," a biography of Air Marshal Sir George Beamish, and has contributed to several Irish, British, and American publications. He has researched the influence of the Scots-Irish and Catholic Irish in the state of Pennsylvania since William Penn in the 17th century and up to the present day.

The Enduring Irish Legacy in Pennsylvania

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Irish And American Flags Symbolizing International Friendship And Unity

Pennsylvania’s deep and lasting connection with Ireland stretches back to the 17th century, shaping the state’s history through waves of immigration, political involvement, business, and cultural life. The first major group of Irish immigrants to Pennsylvania were the Scots-Irish, or Ulster-Scots—Presbyterians who fled religious persecution in Ireland. Welcomed by William Penn’s “oasis of religious tolerance,”