14. The Irish in Pennsylvania Coal Country

Pennsylvania has a long history of coal mining. In the late 19th century, the conditions in the coalfields were atrocious leading to major conflict between the miners and the mine owners. The most notorious incident involved the execution of twenty Irish immigrants for their role in what was dubbed the Molly Maguires, a secret society of miners. While the convictions were based on dubious testimonies, they have become synonymous with the hard lives in these mining communities.

In this episode, Damian and Fin are joined by Jake Wynn. Jake is a historian and expert in the mining history of Pennsylvania. In this podcast, we explore the fascinating history of the Irish in Pennsylvania's Coal Country.

Check out Jake Website Wynning History

Listen to Jake's podcast Public History with Jake and Justin Podcast is excellent!

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Other resources on the topic

Book: Kevin Kenny. Making Sense of the Molly Maguires

Book: Mark Bulik. The Sons of Molly Maguire: THe Irish Roots of America's First Labor War

Eckley Miner's Village Museum

Sound by Kate Dunlea

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