What is the history of Irish immigration to Hubbardston?

Irish immigration to Hubbardston began in 1849 when John Cowman became the first Irish Catholic settler in North Plains Township. Fleeing the Great Famine, Cowman found fertile farmland and sent word to family and neighbors in Counties Wexford and Monaghan, Ireland. By 1851, six more Irish families had arrived through chain migration — relatives and neighbors following established settlers. Key families included the Roach/Roche, Welch, Hogan, Cahalan, McKenna, Connell, Shiels, and McCormick clans. St. John the Baptist parish was organized in 1855, and by the 1880s, Hubbardston was a predominantly Irish Catholic community — a character preserved to this day.