The Irish Wilderness is located within the Eleven Point Ranger District of the Mark Twain National Forest, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Alton, Missouri.

Attractions include White's Creek Cave (temporarily gated to protect endangered bats), Fiddler and Bliss Springs, traces of old tramway railroads, and overlooks of the Eleven Point River.

Wildlife present include black bear, mountain lion, whitetail deer, timber rattlesnakes, turkey, and bald eagles.

[5] Bishop John Joseph Hogan saw the potential for the immigrants to have their own land, to farm and settle in families.

Jerry Ponder (1937-2005) is responsible for much of the research about the Civil War in the area of southern Missouri, especially Ripley County.