SNIPPET: Although many Irish came to America before 1845, most of the Irish emigrants came to escape the ravages of the famine. From 1846 to 1848, 1,700,000 Irish arrived. They were poor, uneducated, unskilled, and filled with hope for a life in the new world. What they met was not always what they had expected, but they were not defeated. Many American roads, bridges, and skyscrapers were built by immigrant Irish; and thousands of Irish immigrants distinguished themselves in the Civil War, sometimes fighting one another on opposing sides, and in one instance, at least, Irish fighting for the Confederacy praised the courage of the Union soldiers. You may want to learn more about John BARRY, Father of the American Navy, John DUNLOP, the Irish-born printer of the United States Declaration of Independence, or John Boyle O'REILLY, an Irish-American journalist and battler for civil rights in 19th century America. O'REILLY 's poetry is some of the finest, including "A White Rose," in which he penned these beautiful lines: "The red rose whispers of passion/And the white rose breathes of love/Oh, the red rose is a falcon/And the white rose is a dove/But I send you a cream-white rosebud/With a flush on its petal tips/For the love that is purest and sweetest/Has a kiss of desire on the lips." --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.701 / Virus Database: 458 - Release Date: 6/7/2004