An Irish Diary on Jimmy Walker - the first Mayor of New York to resign

Jimmy Walker (1881-1946) was the first Mayor of New York to resign. His father came from Co. Kilkenny and emigrated to the US in 1870. The two men entered political office and worked for their constituents. Of the two, Jimmy is still remembered today (but for all the wrong reasons!). I have just written an Irish Diary in the Irish Times newspaper about him. Read it here. 

 

Mayor Jimmy Walker. Image source.

Jimmy Walker visited Ireland in 1927. This is a newsreel showing some scenes from his visit. It includes his meeting W.T. Cosgrave (1880-1965) in Dublin and his trip to Kilkenny where he spoke to locals in Castlecomer - the town where his father was born and where he was made a Freeman of the city. In Castlecomer, you can see bare-footed children walking through the town in advance of the marching band and the car carrying Walker into the town.

 

Source of the newsreel.  

 

Jimmy Walker was Mayor of New York during the so-called Jazz Age and was also in office during the Wall Street Crash of 1929. He was forced to resign in September 1932 following a long-running investigation into corrupt practices in the New York Police Department and judiciary. There is a good article here from the Smithsonian Magazine which explains the case against Walker. It is well worth a read.

 

Photography of Jimmy Walker (center wearing hat and smoking a cigarette) flanked by city officials and police.