Many people have been celebrating St. Patrick's day Wednesday and here in the Mid-Ohio valley there are several connections to the Irish.

Historian of the Campus Martius and Ohio River Museums, Bill Reynolds, said the last ocean going sailing vessel built in Marietta went to Cork, Ireland.

Reynolds said in 1846 and 1847 the John Farnum sailing vessel was built to take corn to Ireland during the potato famines.

When the boat came back, immigrants came back aboard it.

Reynolds said "there were 17 females amongst the immigrants and all but three of them found jobs in Philadelphia where the boat landed. Those three were sisters- the Kennedy sisters- and there are descendants in Parkersburg, Marietta, and Churchtown."

Local historian Jim Miracle said the Irish, Scotch Irish and Germans built the railroad through Wood County. Another historian, Eldon Young , said the Irish also helped build the railroad across the river in Washington County.

Young will be presenting a program about the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad at the former Cutler school building in April. A date has not yet been determined. Young

On April 17, Miracle said the Parkersburg Art Center is having an Irish Festival.