PHOTOS - Hurricane Sandy hits New York - Super storm causes destruction and flooding - slideshow
Like at 9/11, Irish Americans were hit disproportionately hard by Hurricane Sandy with three of the most Irish neighborhoods in America on the front line.
Breezy Point, the furthest point of Queens, where 111 houses burnt down and hundreds were left homeless, is the most Irish area in America.
It is heavily populated by Irish firefighters and cops and was also devastated after 9/11 when the neighborhood lost 32 of their own sons.
City Council President Christine Quinn paid tribute to the Irish firefighters and cops she met on a tour of the devastated area. “All they wanted to say was they need help with their rebuilding permit” she said, “That shows their Irish spirit and heart and determination to rebuild.”
PHOTOS - Hurricane Sandy hits New York - Super storm causes destruction and flooding - slideshow
Senator Chuck Schumer stated that the great sense of family in the Irish enclave meant that those left homeless had relatives more than ready to take them in. ”You have to understand these are very close-knit families,” he said.
Mayor Bloomberg, who toured the wreckage at Breezy Point, stated, “To describe it as looking like pictures we have seen at the end of World War II is not overstating it.”
According to the 2010 Census, Breezy Point has the highest numbers of Irish in America at 60.3 per cent.
While it is not a proper incorporated town it is actually a massive co-operative combining three smaller areas.
In 1962, the mainly Irish American residents purchased 500 acres of land from the government at below value cost and the community became a co-operative.
Rockaway Beach, which was the second town blitzed by Sandy, was known for decades as the “Irish Riviera” because of the numbers of Irish who vacationed there.
The 2000 census showed the population at 25.4 per cent of Irish heritage.
Meanwhile in New Jersey, also Ground Zero for Sandy, Spring Lake, one of the most Irish neighborhoods in America was badly hit.
Spring Lake has an Irish population of 40 per cent according to the 2010 Census.
PHOTOS - Hurricane Sandy hits New York - Super storm causes destruction and flooding - slideshow
19 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.TTrain | Mar 07, 2013, 05:55 PM EST
My heart truly goes out to all those who were severely hit and killed, and whose property was ruined, by Sandy. My deepest and most heart-felt condolences go out to them, the victims of that tragic storm, and their families. God bless, and may all three communities bounce back and rebuild! Though if I might add ((at the risk of coming across as rude and improper)), Squantum, this coastal peninsula/neighborhood found in the northern part of Quincy, Massachusetts, and which juts out in both Boston and Quincy Bays, has been listed as the MOST IRISH neighborhood, on this per capita basis, in the United States, with at least 60% of its residents claiming Green genes ((and most of whom hail from either South Boston or Dorchester, two very, very famous and prominent Irish-American strongholds!)). Yes, I believe that Squantum is number ONE ((both literally and symbolically!))! Check it out on wiki! Squantum it is!!! All the best!
EphraimKibbey | Nov 01, 2012, 06:03 PM EDT
Scrivner - I am afraid that it is not good. I just saw on MSNBC that they found the bodies of a 2 children and an elderly couple this morning. Apparently many of the NY deaths occured on the Island. They are going door to door looking for survivors but much of the Island is still impassible. Today's Huffington Post has an article about the Island's devastation. Our prayers for your friends and all those caught up in this as well as their families.
Scrivner | Nov 01, 2012, 03:17 PM EDT
Can anyone tell me what the situation on Staten Island is? Have not heard from friends who live there and am concerned. They are both Irish-American, he is retired NYPD, they lost enough people on 9/11, and do not need more suffering.
boulder | Nov 01, 2012, 10:41 AM EDT
This story is inaccurate, unfortunately. These sensational pieces don't serve any communities well. Kathy O'Neill (West Orange, NJ native)
anglo-norman | Nov 01, 2012, 12:31 AM EDT
To the people of the east coast of all backgrounds I send my condolences to the people who lost their lives & a speedy recovery to the afflicted & homeless.
EphraimKibbey | Nov 01, 2012, 12:25 AM EDT
Celtick8c - My wife and I LOVE Wildwood and Cape May City. Congratulations on the survival of your pier. We were both relieved to see the amazing pictures of how well the tip of the peninsula fared because it was to the left of the eye and the strongest winds on that side were blowing out to sea much of the time. Everyplace to the right of the eye got hammered with storm surge. Cape May City's concrete sea wall like Charleston's battery walk and New Orleans' Riverwalk may be what the whole Jersey Shore has to use to rebuild since it has now lost its protective sand dunes. Had it been a bit longer, Cape May might have avoided the bit of water the city did take on. As these neighborhoods rebuild they need to take lessons from their more experienced southern counterparts and be ready for what Governer Cuomo pointed out is a "storm of the century" now happening EVERY year. Our prayers are with ALL of those hit by this storm in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and parts of Canada as well as New Jersey, New York, Haiti and Cuba. A 1000 mile wide storm cuts a wide swath of damage.
longislander1940 | Oct 31, 2012, 09:41 PM EDT
What idiot decided to break down this storm to Irish neighborhoods? Will the Irish be treated differently than the others? I am Irish and in the center of the storm.
GregShox | Oct 31, 2012, 09:27 PM EDT
hjfarmer, I suppose I'm what Americans would call a liberal, but I wouldn't want anything to do with Cillowen's moronic comment.
Celtick8c | Oct 31, 2012, 08:17 PM EDT
There is an Irish neighborhood at the NJ Shore that got VERY Lucky. I'm fortunate to be writing to you from the living room at my home in North Wildwood, NJ. My heart breaks for those who have lost so much,and makes me appreciat all the more my little home by the sea. I will be contributing to the Red Cross where 91 cents of every dollar goes directly to the cause. Along with our first responders the red cross runs in when everyone else is running out.
like2tweet | Oct 31, 2012, 03:41 PM EDT
The best Irish in the world are in the Rockaways and Breezy
kmackey | Oct 31, 2012, 03:03 PM EDT
Eamonn12, have you been there? Have you seen their St. Paddy's day parade? Been to any of the pubs? I have been to all three neighborhoods, summered in one and live in Rockaway for nine years. You are very WRONG.
Eamonn12 | Oct 31, 2012, 02:51 PM EDT
Terrible tragedy but I agree with MOTOPAC. These are not Irish neighborhoods at all.
jimod4343 | Oct 31, 2012, 02:15 PM EDT
How ironic, and an understatement, that the place is called 'Breezy Point'.
Chiefjustice | Oct 31, 2012, 01:22 PM EDT
Retired and liveing in South FL. We learned to prep. for this kind of weather... With a Huricane Chest and a full tank of gas..Back when we lived in the Adirondacks, we were prepaired for Ice storms and Blizzards..
MOTOPAC | Oct 31, 2012, 12:46 PM EDT
I don't think the storm set out to discriminate. I doubt Hurricane Sandy could tell the difference from an Irish or a Scot or a Brit or an African or an Asian or Native American. Besides, there aren't many actual real "Irish" in these neighborhoods. They're overwhelmingly mostly white Yankees with Irish surnames, or distant Irish lineage (usually blended with other Euro bloodlines) that makes them about as "Irish" as Eddie Murphy. But just because they're a buncha Yankees doesn't make their situation any less tragic, ya'll. They just got a big taste of what Southerners get much, much more often.
bob40wil | Oct 31, 2012, 11:04 AM EDT
So a storm or storms, there were actually three storms, that covered an 800 mile area and effected 60 million people picked on the Irish more then anyone else, how sad.
hjfarmer | Oct 31, 2012, 09:40 AM EDT
Being from another part of the country, I wonder how best to help and know my support will go to my Irish friends.. CILLOWEN, shame on you for wanting to make such tragedy, political. Yet one more example of "compassionate liberals."
cillowen | Oct 31, 2012, 09:30 AM EDT
their support of luciferian romney might be the cause.
jamieLM | Oct 31, 2012, 09:16 AM EDT
My prayers go out to all of those who are suffering again from the aftermath of a very frightening and horrific event. So much misery and destruction over such a widespread area. My husband and I've made a monetary donation to the relief effort.