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Refinement is easier to pull off in black and white.

EVER WONDERED WHAT your ancestors were like?

Maybe you hold out hope they did great things and held positions of power?

This collection of Irish-Americans make that task a little bit easier – bringing a large number of eminent gentlemen together in one place, complete with photographs.

The men were all at one time or another members of the American Irish Historical Society.

There pictures have all been gathered together here on this Flickr account.

14591335397_61e30e017f_z Colonel David M Flynn and Rev. Philip J. Garrigan Flickr / Internet Archive Book Images Flickr / Internet Archive Book Images / Internet Archive Book Images

The book, dating from 1913, mostly recounts the different members that the society had and some of the activity they got involved in – drawing together their experiences at that time.

Colonel David M. Flynn was vice-president of the New Jersey branch of the society after the election of President Woodrow Wilson. He was involved in organising an event to welcome the new President to the area.

The event featured four to five thousand supporters marching with Japanese lanterns before witnessing a speech by the President himself.

Flynn was an old personal friend of Wilson and presented him with a “loving cup” from the society.

14591064700_baaeb7a19c_z John P. Hopkins and J.P. O'Brien Internet Archive Book Image / Flickr Internet Archive Book Image / Flickr / Flickr

The society put a large focus on the roots that its members had back in the old country and the position that they have assumed within American society. One passage of the book reads:

That natives of Ireland came to this country in amazing numbers, overcame great obstacles, suffered hardships, made great sacrifices and contributed gloriously to the development of our country, to the records of human progress, to the expansion of industry, the securement of liberty, the exposition of the highest and best traits in national life, is a matter of such common knowledge as to need no rehearsal.

14777423672_79c34b4037_z Michael O'Byrne and John Lavelle Internet Archive Book Images / Flickr Internet Archive Book Images / Flickr / Flickr

It states that it hopes the document and the organisations shall “gain ground upon which history shall base its judgement of the Irishman upon this continent.”

14591266947_fee9b4060f_z Former President of the United States Woodrow Wilson Internet Archive Book Images / Flickr Internet Archive Book Images / Flickr / Flickr

Former President of the United States Woodrow Wilson also features in the book. Wilson had grandparents from just outside of Strabane in Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

During his time in office he was occasionally criticised for not taking a firmer stance on Irish nationalism.

Read: Did this famous Irish designer nearly fall into obscurity because of chauvinism?

Also: This Irish company has gone public in New York and it’s already worth a cool $1.6 billion

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