The Irish were early settlers in Western Virginia, arriving in large numbers in the mid-1800s. They helped build key transportation networks like the National Road, the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, and several turnpikes and railroads, including the Baltimore & Ohio. Many Irish immigrants came to escape the Great Famine (1845–1850), working as laborers and settling in places like Lewis County, where they built communities and churches.

The Irish were strong Union supporters during the Civil War and greatly influenced American Catholicism. Many local places, like Irish Ridge, reflect their legacy. By the late 1800s, West Virginians of Irish descent had become politicians, such as U.S. Senator John Kenna, and industrialists, such as Michael Owens.