About the Trail

The Irish Heritage Trail was first created in 1994 by Michael Quinlin, co-founder of Irish Boston (Boston Irish Tourism Association) when he was assistant parks commissioner of Boston Parks and Recreation Department.

The Irish Heritage Trail is one of the major walking trails in the city that explores an important segment of Boston’s history and heritage. The Irish trail sites intersect with the Freedom, Black and Women’s trails, underscoring the city’s common historical themes.

In 2026, we've added new stops along the Irish Heritage Trail in downtown, such as the Swan Boats in the Public Garden, the Edgar Allen Poe statue in Park Square, and the Kip Tiernan Memorial in Back Bay.

In addition to expanding the downtown trail, we are also expanding Irish Heritage Trail in Boston’s neighborhoods, including South Boston, Charlestown, North End, Dorchester, Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, East Boston and others.

Over the next two years, the Irish Heritage Trail project is expanding across Massachusetts, adding 140+ sites of Irish significance in cities and towns, such as the Celtic Cross in downtown Worcester and the new statue of Patriot quarterback Tom Brady at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

The Irish Heritage Trail's target audience includes tourists, educators, history lovers and New England residents.  Since 2003, more than 300,000 free maps have been distributed in stand-alone maps, brochures and in each issue of Travel & Culture magazine, published three times a year (March, June, November). The trail has been widely profiled in the media, on television, radio, online and print.