For the 250th anniversary of the US, UCD’s Clinton Institute and EA WorldView have produced Ireland and the Making of America, an 8-episode VideoCast.

Sport became one of the most important ways Irish immigrants connected with one another, maintained ties to home, and found their place in American society.

In our 7th episode, historian Mike Cronin of Boston College in Ireland explores the Irish sporting experience in America: from the arrival of Gaelic games in the 19th century to the Irish presence in baseball, boxing, basketball, and beyond.

From a GAA tour that saw Irish athletes travel across the United States to the rise of Irish-American baseball players, managers and owners, Mike examines how sport could preserve Irish identity while also becoming a powerful vehicle for assimilation, social mobility, and belonging.