Presents the experiences of two burgeoning cities and the Irish people that helped to establish Irish identity within them

Provides an in-depth study of the Irish in Melbourne and the ethnic social history of Chicago's earliest decades
Based on primary sources from across the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States and Australia
Brings together religious, urban, and civic society histories to ask new questions of Irish diaspora history

Set within colonial Melbourne and Chicago, this book explores the shifting influences of religious demography, educational provision and club culture to shed new light on what makes a diasporic ethnic community connect and survive over multiple generations.

Sophie Cooper focuses on these Irish populations as they grew alongside their cities establishing the cultural and political institutions of Melbourne and Chicago, and these comparisons allow scholars to explore what happens when an ethnic group so often considered 'other' have a foundational role in a city instead of entering a society with established hierarchies. Forging Identities in the Irish World places women and children alongside men to explore the varied influences on migrant identity and community life.