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.
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Events in the area.
Experience the sweetest time of the year over three weekends in Thurman, NY.
David Gerrold, creator of Tribbles, takes center stage in Ticonderoga on March 22.
Celebrate local Adirondack farmers and producers at the Essex Chili Cook Off.
Reverie Road, a fresh, eclectic celtic combination, performs at Tannery Pond Center near Gore Mountain.
Thirteenth Annual Garden and Landscape Symposium hosted by the King’s Garden at Fort Ticonderoga.
Attend an Easter Egg Hunt at Hunter Way Farm in Moriah on Lake Champlain and you might also get to meet the Easter Bunny.
Meet the mastermind behind “The Trouble With Tribbles” at the Star Trek Original Series Set Tour on April 26, 2025.
The Star Trek Original Series Set Tour welcomes back the OG Captain Kirk for two days of tours, conversations and fun in Ticonderoga.