San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously votes to establish an Irish Cultural District in the Sunset
A Landmark Day for Irish San Francisco
Jennifer Drennan, librarian at the Patrick J. Dowling Library, United Irish Cultural Center; Liam Reidy, executive director of the United Irish Cultural Center; San Francisco Supervisor Alan Wong; and PJ Masterson, St. Patrick's Day Parade Planning Committee chair and recording secretary for the Board of the United Irish Societies of San Francisco
On St. Patrick's Day 2026, in a fitting tribute to generations of Irish men and women who helped to build this city, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved legislation to establish an official Irish Cultural District in the Sunset neighborhood. It was a historic moment, one that the San Francisco GAA community should celebrate with immense pride.
The legislation was introduced by District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong, a lifelong Sunset resident and son of immigrants who has dedicated his career to public service in the neighbourhood he grew up in. Presenting the bill on St. Patrick’s Day was obviously no coincidence.
"The Irish community has played an important role in shaping San Francisco's history and continues to be a vibrant part of the Sunset today."
— Supervisor Alan Wong, District 4
Wong framed the legislation as a matter of equity and recognition: "We don't have one for the Irish community, and I think they are deserving of equal recognition, given their history in the city and what they have done to build San Francisco."
A Story That Begins with the great hunger
To understand the significance of this vote, it helps to know the history. Irish immigration to San Francisco began in earnest in the mid-19th century, driven by the devastating Great Hunger that forced more than 600,000 people to leave Ireland for the United States. In a remarkable twist of history, the California Gold Rush of the 1840s coincided almost exactly with the Hunger, drawing many of those Irish emigrants westward to California.
By 1870, Irish immigrants and their descendants accounted for more than 20% of San Francisco's entire workforce, an extraordinary percentage despite widespread anti-Catholic hostility and significant barriers to employment. Many settled in the Sunset District, which became a proud Irish enclave in the southwest part of the city.
The Irish shaped San Francisco in ways that are still felt today: in its labour movement, its political institutions, its parishes, its schools, and, of course, its sporting culture. That Gaelic sports have a strong home in this city is no accident; it is part of the same story.
KEY FACTS & FIGURES
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on St. Patrick's Day 2026 to establish the district.
The legislation will unlock $240,000 in funding to support Irish cultural programming in the Sunset.
The district will promote traditional Irish music, dance, language, and Gaelic sports events.
A boundary committee will formally define the district, likely covering the southwest part of the city.
The United Irish Cultural Center on 45th Avenue near Sloat Boulevard — open since 1974 — is at the heart of the community the district will serve.
Approximately 2.5 million Californians claim Irish heritage — more than any other U.S. state.
What the District Will Do
The new Irish Cultural District is grounded in San Francisco's Cultural Districts programme, a city initiative dedicated to preserving, maintaining, and developing unique cultural and historic assets, as outlined in the city's administrative code. Critically, the approved legislation will unlock $240,000 in dedicated funding — money that can be put to work supporting the programmes and spaces the community has long needed.
Liam Reidy, Executive Director of the United Irish Cultural Center, was direct about what is at stake: "One of the big things I would like Supervisors to know is the amount of programming that we are providing here for the community, whether it is youth programs or intergenerational — we don't have enough space."
That funding, and the formal recognition it comes with, opens doors to foundations, government grants, and partnerships that can help the UICC and sister organisations grow their reach. Jeanne Connolly, Treasurer of the United Irish Cultural Center, captured the spirit of it well: "It's not just four blocks. It's kind of the idea that in the Sunset the Irish were here and have come and are sustaining life in the Sunset."
Under the legislation, the district will explicitly promote:
Traditional Irish music and dance
The Irish language (Gaeilge)
Gaelic sports events — hurling, football, camogie, and handball
Cultural institutions reflecting the deep roots of the Irish community in the Sunset
The explicit inclusion of Gaelic sports in the legislation is a direct recognition of what the San Francisco GAA has been building for generations. Our games are not a footnote — they are named as a cornerstone of what this district is meant to celebrate and sustain.
What This Means for the San Francisco GAA
For the SFGAA, this legislation is more than symbolic. It is a formal acknowledgement by the city that Gaelic games are part of San Francisco's cultural heritage. They’re woven into the fabric of the same community that helped build this place.
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The establishment of this district creates new possibilities: for funding, for events, for visibility, and for the next generation of players and supporters who can grow up knowing that their sport and their culture are recognised and valued here. It strengthens the case for dedicated facilities and community space. It puts Irish culture, including Gaelic sports, on the city's official cultural map.
As the boundary committee does its work and the district takes formal shape in the months ahead, the SFGAA will be looking for opportunities to engage. We encourage all members and supporters to stay informed, to show up, and to make sure the voice of our playing community is part of the conversation.
"A testimony to the strength and depth of the Irish American population in the southwest side of the city."
— Liam Reidy, Executive Director, United Irish Cultural Center
To Supervisor Alan Wong and all those at the United Irish Cultural Center who have worked tirelessly on this, go raibh míle maith agaibh. A thousand thanks. It’s a day to be proud of.
