Making an American Institution

How do you go from this

Irish heading to America

To this

Saratoga Racecourse

It’s hard for our generation to imagine the physical and mental effort to move across the world with no possessions and no idea of the life that was to follow. This is the story of a man who mastered everything that came his way. He was a winner. Taken from an article we wrote previously, this was inspired from a recent trip through Templemore, Co Tipperary. An inspiration for when you get knocked down and have to start again.

What do Saratoga Racecourse in New York and the film Gangs of New York have in common? John Morrissey.

John Morrissey was born in Templemore, Co. Tipperary in 1831 and his family moved to America in 1833. By the time he was 18 he was working for the Irish gangs and got a reputation as a fighter. As leader of the Dead Rabbitts he came across William Poole (Bill the Butcher) and the Bowery Boys when given the task of stopping them from rigging an election, something he achieved. 

He also taught himself to read and write. During a lifetime of adventure, he was involved in the gold rush in California, fought for the heavyweight boxing title and became a state Congressman. He then set up a casino in Saratoga and then founded the famous racecourse. 

John Morrissey died in 1878, aged just 47. From a small town in Ireland to becoming one of the most famous achievers in America.

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HOLLYWOOD FILMMAKING IRISH STYLE

If you want to get ahead in Hollywood, then think like Irish filmmaker Rex Ingram who, in 1921 made a film still talked about today. This is an extract from Variety:

The magnitude of The Four Horsemen is staggering, and it is not hard to believe the statistics relative to the production. It is said to have cost approximately $800,000; director Rex Ingram had 14 assistants, each with a cameraman; more than 12,000 persons were used, and 125,000 tons of masonry and other material employed; $375,000 insurance was carried on the art works, furniture, etc, used in the picture, which was six months in the making.

Bing Crosby in Ireland

Bing Crosby in Co. Tipperary. He visited Nenagh in north Tipperary because in the 60’s he had a nanny called Bridie Brennan from the area. He decided to pay a visit after travelling to Ireland to see how his race horse performed.