Searching for San Patricio: A Ramble in Old New Spain

In Searching for San Patricio, Michael Lynch explores the little-known history of the Irish in the south and central United States, and Mexico. Encouraged to visit the Texan town of San Patricio de Irlanda (St Patrick of Ireland), he decides, while in the neighbourhood, to explore more of the territory that at one time had formed part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. All the while, he is on the lookout for Irish connections. His journey takes him to San Juan in Puerto Rico, whose massive fortifications were designed by Irish engineers, and Florida, home at one time of the Hibernia Regiment of Spain. In New Orleans, he discovers that Alexander 'Bloody' O'Reilly executed the leaders of a rebellion against Spanish rule. He visited the Irish colonies of South Texas, and Lincoln in New Mexico where the Irish lined up against Billy the Kid. In the Old West, he learns about Nellie Cashman, the Angel of the Cassiar, visits Tombstone and the OK Corral and finds out about Irish gunslingers and desperados and miners and prospectors; and in Mexico he retraces the final movements of John Riley and the Foreign Legion of San Patricio in the Mexican-American War. An entertaining and informative travelogue, Searching for San Patricio touches on an unsung part of Irish history. AUTHOR: Michael Lynch was born and brought up in County Tipperary, Ireland. In his mid-twenties, he left to travel around Australia, but stopped off in London on the way and took a while to get any further (he has since made it to Australia, although London remains his base). Always interested in Irish history, his time living away from his home country resulted in an interest in the history of the Irish abroad. This led to his first book, The Irish Continent, the result of a seven-month trip to South America that uncovered the continent's many Irish links. His latest book, Searching for San Patricio, picks up on the theme of the history of the Irish diaspora. A journey through the south and central United States and Mexico reveals the often-overlooked history of the Irish in the territories that once made up the Viceroyalty of New Spain.