Two Irishmen identified in one of New York's most famous pictures

@ antoman, I suppose a pint of guinness at mid-day will do then. Sáinte! :)

Antoman: If you're interested in a little more info on the Mohawks who work construction, go thestraightdope.com. The article you'd be looking for is from '92, "Why Do So Many Native Americans Work on Skyscrapers?" I responded to you hours ago and tried to cut and paste the url, but my post didn't come online, for whatever reason.

This iconic photo is loved the world over!

Bia anseo.

We go from breakfast directly to dinner.To save a few shillings like.God help the poor bastids that has a hore's breakfast...a cigarette and a cup of coffee.

@Searlit-Technically there's no Irish for lunch.Anyway we can't afford it now and we certainly could'nt in times past.

My Son and his wife have a poster size print of this photograph. Looking at the faces, I would say most of them looked like Irish men. A brave lot, whoever they are. Correct me if I'm wrong - doesn't Ám Lón mean lunch time? I'm not criticizing, I want to get it right, as I'm a learner of the Irish language.

Thank you wjb1tex.

An amazing picture of amazing men. It was one year, to the day I believe, from demolition of the old Waldorf Astoria Hotel onsite, to the official opening of the ESB. There's another iconic picture, former NYS Governor (and first Catholic to run for President) Irish-American Al Smith cutting the ribbon. Standing next to him is a curly-headed young boy who would grow up to become Augustinian Fr. Arthur Smith, my high school history teacher. Antoman, you're right, but it's not just any Native Americans (many, if not most of whom, I've found, call themselves Indians) it's Mohawks, members of the Iroquois Confederation, also known as the Six Nations. http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/659/why-do-so-many-native-americans-work-on-skyscrapers

The Mohawk Indians found in upstate New York and on up to Quebec Canada were masters of working on the high iron. I lived in Rochester New York at the time and the Indians would come in to work on new buildings from time to time. Of course they were only 10 or 20 story buildings but none the less still high enough to kill one from a fall. I was a bartender at the time, and in addition to my awe at their incredible lack of fear, I was amazed at their ability to party at the bar until closing time (2 AM) and then at 7 AM would be walking a narrow beam 15 stories above ground.

A family history gem is that photo.

Great photograph. Makes a lot of sense that some of the men would be Irish emigrants. Fearless fellas.

wouldn't catch me dead up there

Interesting article.I remember hearing or reading years ago that Native American Indians would work at such heights because they were fearless or something.Perhaps some of our American friends who visit this site can confirm that.