Where in the ADK? Irishtown
A piece of Irish heritage in the Adirondacks.
St. Mary’s Church in Minerva
This week's "Where in the ADK?" comes from the Town of Minerva, or Irishtown, to be exact. Located in the southwestern corner of Essex County in the Adirondack Park (roughly 90 miles north of Albany), Minerva was founded in the early 1800s.
It only seems appropriate that during the week before St. Patrick's Day, we feature a little piece of Irish heritage in the ADK.
The origins of Irishtown in the Adirondacks.
In 1823, a group of Irish families — the O'Neils, Donnellys, the Dougherty family, and Kellys — purchased the northeastern part of the Minerva, and so the area became known as Irishtown.
In 1848, Irishtown residents erected St. Mary's Church surrounded by a cemetery. The faithful followed when a larger Catholic church was built in nearby Olmsteadville, yet St. Mary's still survives. Every May, parishioners hold a Memorial Mass and an occasional baptism or wedding.
In 1847, the Town Board authorized $14 to build a school in Irishtown made from logs. The school year lasted for four months back then, perhaps in anticipation of inclement winter weather or to accommodate the farming schedule.
In 1860, a school was built to replace the log school. It was situated just east of St. Mary's Church and its cemetery. The school has been built and rebuilt numerous times and still stands today.
For more information on Irishtown, visit the Town of Minerva website.
Visit places near Irishtown and Minerva.
Find St. Mary’s Church in Irishtown, near Minerva, NY.
Show your love for the Adirondacks with our apparel and gifts.
Events in the area.
Widlund Gallery and North Creek Railway Depot Museum present an exhibit of artifacts from skiing’s early days in the Adirondacks.
Experience a Valentine’s weekend of winter magic with live music, an authentic Adirondack ice bar, fire displays and more.
Enjoy three fun-filled, family-friendly days of events on Northern Lake George during Presidents’ Day Weekend.
Try out winter fishing for the first time or revisit a favorite pastime during the first of NYS’s free fishing events in 2025.
Snocade, Indian Lake’s week-long winter carnival has something for everyone.
Experience the thrill of an Adirondack Winter Carnival on Brant Lake.
Celebrate local Adirondack farmers and producers at the Essex Chili Cook Off.
Indie folk singer-songwriter Caity Gallagher and pianist Dan DeKalb perform at Tannery Pond Center.
Wild and wacky winter family fun at Chestertown’s annual Krazy Downhill Cardboard Sled Derby.
Scott Hopkins and Joe Newberry bring the "Banjo Heartbeat Tour" to Tannery Pond Center in North Creek.
The 11th Annual Ticonderoga Winter Carnival offers various indoor and outdoor events, plus fireworks Feb. 28 to March 1.
A thrilling weeknd of ice fishing at Schroon Lake Fish and Game Club’s annual Ice Fishing Derby.
Thirteenth Annual Garden and Landscape Symposium hosted by the King’s Garden at Fort Ticonderoga.
The Star Trek Original Series Set Tour welcomes back the OG Captain Kirk for two days of tours, conversations and fun in Ticonderoga.
