The Winged Fist and the Pint: Tracing the Untold Irish-American Thread
An unexpected thread led me from a history workshop to the Winged Fist archives—and into the story of the Irish American Athletic Club. If you have stories, artifacts, or even pub lore from Sunnyside tied to the IAAC, I’d love to hear them.
Like many of the best discoveries on this journey, it started unexpectedly.
I have beern deep into the writing of Pints and Power—already immersed in the pour, the ritual, the diaspora. The idea that a pint of Guinness wasn’t just a drink but a kind of cultural tether had taken root. Then came an online workshop by historian Davy Holden, focused on Irish-American identity and history. One moment in particular stopped me cold.
He spoke about the Irish American Athletic Club (IAAC)—a group I hadn’t heard of. And yet, the more he described it, the more it felt like it belonged in the story. The IAAC welcomed all backgrounds but was deeply rooted in Irish working-class grit. They didn’t just run races—they redefined what it meant to be Irish in America.
And then came Martin Sheridan. A Mayo-born NYPD detective. An Olympic champion. A man who trained, lived, and served in a world where Guinness was likely never far from the end of the bar. Not because it was trendy. But because it grounded you. Sheridan didn’t drink for show. He lived with purpose. Pride. Permanence.
That thread led me to the Winged Fist archives—a stunning, quietly curated online repository preserving the IAAC’s legacy. A goldmine. The more I read, the more it felt like a missing piece. Because while the book explores Guinness as a cultural force at home and abroad, the IAAC may be one of the strongest expressions of what that force looks like when it flexes. Quiet power. Public presence. Irish identity with backbone.
And I want to go further.
So, if you’re reading this and:
- You have a family member who may have been part of the IAAC...
- You know of stories, medals, photographs, or oral histories tied to the Winged Fist...
- You’ve heard family stories about Irish pubs in the Sunnyside area of New York—especially ones with ties to early 20th-century athletes, NYPD officers, or Olympic lore...
- You know of pubs that may still remember or speak of IAAC members or regulars...
…please consider sharing.
Drop a comment below or message me on Instagram.
Sometimes, the real history isn’t in the headlines—but in the handshake after the race, the quiet pour after the shift, the legacy passed down and nearly forgotten.
Let’s find it.
—Mike
