Left: William Brown; Right: Bernardo O’Higgins Riquelme
Irish Immigrants in the Americas
The Irish immigrants and their offspring have played a significant role in the history of the Americas. In Argentina, for example, their most famous Irish citizen was William Brown, who created the Argentine Navy and led the country’s armed forces in the wars against Brazil and Spain. In Puerto Rico, Irish immigrants heavily influenced the island’s economy through their involvement in the sugar and tobacco industries. And one of Chile’s founding fathers was Bernardo O’Higgins Riquelme, who helped free the country from Spanish rule during the Chilean War of Independence. He was also the second Supreme Director of the country.
