The Irish in Omaha, Nebraska have constituted a major ethnic group throughout the history of the city, and continue to serve as important religious and political leaders.
[13] That year at the Nebraska Republican Party's annual convention in Lincoln, the delegates created a statement showing "the usual approval of the struggle for Irish home rule".
They held an annual St. Patrick's Day celebration, and they moved into all levels of Omaha society, including politics and city government.
[17] Starting in the late 19th century, Omaha's Irish crime lord and political boss Tom Dennison gathered power in the early 1900s.
His powerful political machine controlled all gambling, liquor and prostitution schemes in Omaha for almost 50 years, including having "Cowboy Jim" Dahlman elected mayor twelve times.
[citation needed] In 1906 Irish language scholar Douglas Hyde visited Omaha, raising a great deal of money for Gaelic League.
Dr. Richard Scannell, the bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha was a native of County Cork and spoke perfect Irish, as did many more residents of the city.
After learning that more than one-sixth of the city's residents claimed Irish heritage, Hyde urged them to take steps to preserve their language and history.
[19] In 1909 an Irish policeman named Edward Lowery was murdered trying to arrest a Greek immigrant in South Omaha who was accused of having sex with a young "white" woman.
[21] En route to an assignment in rural Nebraska in 1912, Irish-born Father Edward J. Flanagan became concerned about the welfare of orphans in the Omaha.
Several social organizations, including the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Omaha Area Emerald Society, and the Irish American Cultural Institute have chapters in the city.