St. Patrick’s Weekend in Irish New York

If the crowds at the annual St. Patty’s parade are too much for your family, check out this lower-key, lower-Manhattan walking tour, exploring Gotham's historical Irish roots. Get the kids in their walking shoes and stroll through the "Little Ireland" district of the Lower East Side between City Hall and Houston Street. Kids will hear stories of how Irish immigrants influenced the history of the Big Apple and why St. Patrick's Day is way more popular here in NYC than in Ireland. Highlights of the walk include a tour of old St. Patrick's Cathedral, the childhood home of Al Smith (a spokesman for the Irish Americans in the 1920s), the founding site of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (an Irish Catholic fraternal organization), the location of the first Catholic Church in NYC and the former locations of Tammany Hall and the Five Points slum. Note: the meeting point will be in front of St. Paul’s Chapel. Ages 9 and up.