chicago has a large irish american population, with many still residing on the south side. the early years of chicago coincided with the significant rise in irish immigration in the 1830s and 1840s. some irish already lived in chicago when it was incorporated as a city in 1837. in the next few years irish numbers grew rapidly, particularly after the arrival of refugees from the great famine. by 1850 irish immigrants accounted for about one-fifth of the city's population. many of the city’s politicians are descendants of this group, including previous mayor richard m. daley. the irish were able to assert themselves in politics due to their large population but also the fact that they knew english and that – thanks to the geographic position of ireland on the periphery of europe – they did not have ancestral ethnic rivalries. as the old saying went, ""a lithuanian won’t vote for a pole, and a pole won’t vote for a lithuanian. a german won’t vote for either of them. but all three will vote for a turkey. – an irishman." only the wasps hated the irish, and the wasps all lived on the north shore."" the irish gained entry to chicago's fire and police departments and have kept family traditions of participation in these units. the irish laid the foundations for many of the city's roman catholic churches, schools and hospitals. the irish are still very active in the city's politics.