Assistant Professor in Political Science James Walsh says there were about 3,000 Irish-born people in the town of Leadville at any one time during the silver rush. Walsh, who has spent 20 years researching Irish history in Leadville and is publishing a book next year, says life for those who came was harsh, with the Irish at the bottom of the social ladder.

Lost Irish of Leadville: How the Colorado silver rush drew thousands of emigrants high up the Rocky Mountains
The Irish Times, Sept 16