By Carol McCracken (Post # 462)

Life long Hill resident, Michael C. Connolly, will be celebrating the publication of his new book when he talks about it, Seated by the Sea: The Maritime HIstory of Portland, Maine and Its Irish Longshoremen” tomorrow evening at the Maine Historical Soceity at 489 Congress Street at 7 pm.

The Irish Longshoremen is a subject in which he has long been interested in and talking about. But it’s the first time he’s had a book on the subject, Connolly said recently. He grew up on the Hill hearing stories of the Longshoremen from his father, who was Irish although he never visited Ireland. Connolly is a professor history at St. Joseph’s College.

Allan Levinsky, an author who works at the Maine Historical Soceity, has perused the book and said it’s about the influence of the waterfront in Portland’s history. It covers the history of the Longshoremen movement before 1850. Around 1850, the Irish population took over the Longshoremen’s duties from the African-American commmunity when they came to the US because of the potato famine in Ireland. Levinsky said it’s a good book and a valuable resource.

The book may be purchased from the Maine Historical Society gift shop for $65. per copy.