The recorded Irish influence in Milford began in the mid 1800’s with the opening of the Silver watch case factory in June 1864. The founder of this factory was Desire Bournique who grew the business until it required 55 men and boys to produce 400 watch cases per week. Many of these craftsmen were Irish and Catholic.  Mr. Bournique was also Catholic and an immigrant from France. 

 

The first Catholic church built in Milford was a wooden structure whose cornerstone was laid on May 15th, 1877 on the corner lot of James and 8th Street.  This church was named after St Patrick and was supported by the local immigrant parishioners, even after the watch factory closed when Mr. Bournique died in the fall of 1884. 

 

The legacy and culture of our immigrant forbears whispers to us even today such as when you see the symbol of the Rainbow, a common sight in their beloved homeland. Or in the stories of the leprechauns that are fairies of a diminutive size, who always carry a purse containing a shilling and place a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. 

 

Guinness was always a common porter in Ireland, brewed beginning in the 1770’s in Dublin, Ireland.  Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig), is a religious and cultural holiday held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (c. 385 – c. 461), the foremost patron saint of Ireland.  Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals, céilithe, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks.  Historically, the Lenten restrictions on fasting and drinking alcohol were lifted for that day, which encouraged the holiday's tradition of some revelry. 

 

We continue to honor our Irish heritage on St Patrick’s Day to celebrate Ireland’s patron saint and our Irish Ancestry.