List of Irish American mobsters by era

This is a list of Irish-American mobsters by era which includes organized crime figures of predominantly Irish-American criminal organizations or individual mobsters from the early 1900s to the present.

Pre-Prohibition: c. 1880-1919

*Richie Fitzpatrick (1880-1905) - a New York mobster and member of the Eastman Gang
*Michael Cassius McDonald, "King Mike" (d. 1907) - an early organized crime figure in Chicago prior to Prohibition
*John Morrissey, "Old Smoke"(1831-1878)- leader of the Dead Rabbits, boxer, murderer of nativist gang leader William "Butcher Bill" Poole, and senator.
*James Patrick O'Leary, "Big Jim" (1860-1926) - a Chicago organized crime figure involved in illegal gambling

Prohibition: 1920-1933

Boston, Mass

*Frank Wallace (d. 1931), a Boston mobster and leader of the Gustin Gang during Prohibition.
*Dan Carrol, a Boston organized crime figure involved in bootlegging and illegal gambling

Chicago, IL

*Louis Alterie, "Two Gun" (1886-1935) - A Chicago mobster and member of the North Side Gang.
*Maurice Enright, "Mossy" (d. 1920) - a Chicago labor racketeer associated with the North Side Gang
*Frank McErlane (1894-1932), a Chicago mobster and partner of bootlegger Joseph "Polack Joe" Saltis
*George Moran ¹, "Bugs" (1891-1957) - a Chicago mobster and last leader of the North Side Gang
*Dean O'Banion (1892-1924), Chicago mobster and founder of the North Side Gang
*Edward O'Donnell, "Spike" (1890-1962) - a Chicago mobster and leader of the Southside O'Donnells during Prohibition
*James M. Ragen (1881-1946) - a Chicago organized crime figure involved in bootlegging and illegal gambing
*Roger Touhy (d. 1959), a Chicago mobster and bootlegger during Prohibition

New York, NY

*Vincent Coll "Mad Dog" (1908-1932), a New York mobster and freelance enforcer during Prohibition [Delap, Breandan. "Mad Dog Coll: An Irish Gangster". Dublin: Mercier Press, 1999. ISBN 1-856-35291-9]
*Eddie Diamond, a New York mobster and brother of Jack "Legs" Diamond
*Jack Diamond (1897-1931), a New York mobster involved in bootlegging during Prohibition
*Bill Dwyer "Big Bill", a New York mobster involved in bootlegging during Prohibition
*Vannie Higgins (1897-1932) - a New York mobster involved in bootlegging during Prohibition
*Owney Madden, "The Killer" (1892-1965) - a New York organized crime figure involved in bootlegging and former leader of the Gopher Gang

t. Louis, Mo

*William Colbeck, "Dinty" (1891-1943) - a St. Louis organized crime figure and one time leader of Egan's Rats
*William Egan "Jellyroll" (d. 1923) - a St. Louis mobster and co-founder of Egan's Rats

Other cities

*Tom Dennison - (1858-1934), a.k.a "Old Grey Wolf", was a political boss in Omaha for more than 30 years
*Danny Hogan, "Dapper" (1880-1928) - an organized crime figure involved in bootlegging in St. Paul during Prohibition
*John Patrick Looney (1865-1947), a bootlegger and organized crime figure in northern Illinois during Prohibition
*Danny Walsh (1893-1933), a prominent bootlegger and organized crime figure Providence during Prohibition

Depression-era and Post-World War II: 1934-1975

Boston, Mass

*Joe Dermody (d. 1954) - a Boston mobster and father of Ronald Dermody
*Cornelius Hughes (d. 1966), a Boston mobster and hitman for the McLaughlin Brothers with his brother Stevie Hughes
*Stevie Hughes (d. 1966), a Boston mobster and, with his brother Corneilius Hughes, a hitman for the McLaughlin Brothers
*Donald Killeen (d. 1972) - a Boston mobster and head of criminal activities in South Boston.
*Bernard McLaughlin, "Bernie" (d. 1961) - a Boston mobster and founder of the McLaughlin Brothers
*Edward McLaughlin, "Punchy" (d. 1965) - a Boston mobster and member of the McLaughlin Brothers
*George McLaughlin, (b. 1927) - a Boston mobster and member of the McLaughlin Brothers
*James McLean, "Buddy" (1929-1965) - Boston mobster and former head of the Winter Hill Gang
*James O'Toole, "Spike" (1929-1973) - a Boston mobster and associate of the Winter Hill Gang
*Joseph Sullivan, "Mad Dog" (b. 1940) - New York mobster and freelance assassin for the Genovese crime family
*Howie Winter, (b. 1929) - Boston mobster and former right-hand man to Winter Hill Gang leader James "Buddy" McLean. Winter became boss of the Winter Hill Gang after McLean's death.

New York, NY

*Harold Bowers, New York union leader involved in labor racketeering and associate of the Westies
*Mickey Bowers, member of the Westies who worked with cousin Harold Bowers as a labor racketeer
*Elmer Burke "Trigger" (d. 1958) - New York mobster and freelance assassin
*George Donahue, New York labor racketeer
*John M. Dunn "Cockeye", (d. 1949), a New York mobster and enforcer for labor racketeer Joe Ryan
*Eddie McGrath, a New York organized crime figure who controlled the waterfront area and oversaw criminal activity in Hell's Kitchen during the 1940s
*Hughie Mulligan, New York mobster and organized crime figure in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen during the 1950s
*Joseph Ryan, "Boss Joe" - New York labor racketeer and organized crime figure
*Andrew Sheridan, "Squint" (d. 1949) - a New York mobster and enforcer for labor racketeer Joe Ryan
*Mickey Spillane (1934-1977), New York mobster and head of Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen during the 1950s and 60sHarold and Mickey Bowers were never Westies. Harold was dead aat the beginning of the Westie era. Mickey was much older than any of the Westies and was in no way ever associated with them.

Other cities

*Danny Greene (d. 1977) - a Cleveland mobster involved in union racketeering
*Joseph Vincent Moriarty, "Newsboy Moriarty" (1910-1979) - New Jersey mobster involved in the numbers racket
*Carleton O'Brien (1913-1952), an independent Providence mobsterHarold and his brother Mickey Bowers were not part of the Westies. Harold was dead at the time the Westies came into being and Mickey may have over lapped briefly he was certainly never a Westie. He was very much older than any of the Westies.

Modern : 1975-Present

Boston, Mass

*James J. Bulger "Whitey" (b. 1929) - Boston mobster and former leader of the Winter Hill Gang
*Ronald Dermody (b. 1965) - a Boston mobster and associate of Whitey Bulger
*Arthur Doe, Jr. "Butchy" (b. 1960) - Boston mobster and son of mobster Arthur Doe, Sr.
*Stephen Flemmi "The Rifleman" (b. 1935), a Boston mobster and associate of Whitey Bulger
*Jimmy Flynn (b. 1934) - a Boston mobster and member of the Winter Hill Gang
*Patrick Nee (b. 1943), Boston mobster and associate of Whitey Bulger
*John Shea, "Red" (b. 1965) - a Boston mobster and member of the Winter Hill Gang
*Kevin Weeks, "Two" (b. 1965) - Boston mobster affilited with the Winter Hill Gang and a later government witness

New York, NY

*Edmund Boyle, "Eddie" (b. 1965) - Gambino crime family associate
*Jimmy Burke, "Jimmy the Gent" (1931-1996) - a New York mobster and associate of the Lucchese crime family
*James Coonan (b. 1947) - a New York mobster and leader of the Westies during the 1970s and 80s
*Mickey Featherstone (b. 1947) - a New York mobster and member of the Westies
*Henry Hill ¹ (b. 1943) - a New York mobster and associate of the Lucchese crime family
*Frank Sheeran, "The Irishman" (1920-2003) - an associate and freelance assassin for the Genovese crime family

Providence, RI

*Kevin Hanrahan (1956-1992) - a Providence mobster and associate of the Patriarca crime family
*Gordon O'Brien, an associate of the Patriarca crime family
*Frank Salemme, ¹ "Cadillac Frank" (b. 1933) - a Boston mobster and one time leader of the Patriarca crime family

Birmingham, AL

*Carlton C Russell "The General" - a Birmingham organized crime boss and under boss involved in gambling, white collar crime, and enforcement
*William Snell "Little Man"- a Birmingham organized crime underboss involved in gambling, loan sharking, and blue collar crime

Footnotes

:¹ Is of mixed ethnicity.

References

Further reading

*English, T.J. "Paddy Whacked: The Untold Story of the Irish American Gangster". New York: HarperCollins, 2005. ISBN 0-06-059002-5
*Fox, Stephen. "Blood and Power: Organized Crime in Twentieth-Century America". New York: William Morrow and Company, 1989. ISBN 0-688-04350-X