5. Ridgefield settler James Carty briefly worked as a barrel maker for the Hudson’s Bay Company after coming from Ireland in 1833. He is remembered as the first — and for about 10 years the only — non-native settler on what would become Ridgefield. He died in 1873, nine years before the burgeoning community built its first store. There have been many notable members of the Carty clan. Another James Carty, nephew of the first settler, had a son, William Carty, who was a long-time Democratic state legislator from Ridgefield, serving 22 years as a representative until 1960 when he lost his re-election bid. William Carty’s son James E. Carty, who died in 2001, was a respected Clark County prosecutor, known for being fierce, yet fair.
6. East County landmark Spud Mountain is about 2 miles away from Northeast Ireland Road. Spuds, or potatoes, caused the worst famine to occur in Europe in the 19th Century. The root cause of the disaster were potato crop failures, caused by the late blight plant disease. The famine is considered to have led to a mass emigration of Irish people during that time. Ireland Road was named by two Irish immigrants, who started a farm in 1879 near Northeast 292nd Street, which connects to the road. The area was named Ireland by Patrick Kelly and his wife, but now the name only applies to Ireland Road, according to a local history book by Pat Jollota: “Naming Clark County.”
7. Dance academy Breda Yeates owns and operates Yeates Academy of Irish Dance with business partner Molly Malone. Yeates and husband Peter also represent Irish heritage with their Irishtown Public House, 11600 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd. The Yeates’ daughter, Sinead, is the dance school’s instructor and choreographer.
8. Irish ancestors There are an estimated 55,600 or so Clark County residents who have some ancestors from Ireland. That’s a bit higher than the nearly 54,300 who claim English ancestors, according to a recent United States Census Bureau survey.