The history of the Irish in Texas parallels that of the state. Although heavy concentrations of the Celtic people appear in certain areas of early Texas such as Staggers Point, west of the Guadalupe River, and in towns like San Antonio, Corpus Christ, Refugio and Houston, they left their imprint on the whole state. Their special contributions have sometimes passed unnoticed because of their very numbers and the fact they are often classified as Anglo-Saxon or Anglo-American. Small as the early numbers were, this is only the story of examples of Irish participation in Texas's settlement, independence and development up to the turn of the present century Irish descendants are now legion and a book listing everyone or bestowing contemporary honors is not the purpose here.