Braintree Among Most Irish Towns in Massachusetts

BRAINTREE, MA — They don't call the South Shore the Irish Riviera for nothing.

With St. Patrick’s Day being celebrated through Sunday, don't be surprised if Braintree and other nearby communities are more excited about the holiday than others. That's because Braintree has the eighth highest percentage of residents with Irish ancestry, coming in with 40.2 percent, according to U.S. Census data.

Marshfield takes the crown as the most Irish community in Massachusetts, with 46.4 percent of residents claiming to be a bit Irish.

In fact, eight of the 10 most Irish towns in the state are on the South Shore, with Walpole and Nahant taking seventh and ninth.

Below is a list of the top 10, according to census data obtained by the Boston Globe.

1. Marshfield - 46.4 percent
2. Hanover - 46.3 percent
3. Scituate - 46.2 percent
4. Whitman - 44 percent
5. Norwell - 42.3 percent
6. Abington - 41.7 percent
7. Walpole - 41.4 percent
8. Braintree - 40.2 percent
9. Nahant - 40.2 percent
10. Weymouth - 39.3 percent

Image: File Photo