The first organized street gangs in New York were Irish, not Italian. That fact is documented and came decades before Italian immigrants established their own criminal networks. The Irish controlled the docks, the political halls, and the unions first.
So why did no Irish Commission ever emerge? Why was there no Irish Lucky Luciano to build a national crime board? Why were there never five Irish families?
According to former Colombo family capo Michael Franzese, the answer comes down to structure. The Irish had violent, capable, and dangerous crews. What they lacked was a system that outlived its leaders.
The Italian Mafia built that system. The Irish gangs, for all their toughness, did not.
## The Irish Were First
The Forty Thieves are widely recognized as the first organized street gang in New York. Formed around 1825 in the Five Points neighborhood, the gang operated out of a grocery store and was founded by a man named Edward Coleman.
Other Irish gangs followed. The Dead Rabbits, the Whyos, the Gophers, and the Hudson Dusters all controlled their territories through the 19th century. They were tied to the docks, to local politics, and to the streets.
The Irish were there before the Italians. They ran the city before the Mafia arrived. But they never created a lasting national organization.
## The Westies and the Genovese Connection
Franzese describes the Westies as a highly capable Irish gang that controlled the Manhattan waterfront. He knew the leadership personally, including Jimmy Coonan and Mickey Featherstone. Both men, he says, were efficient and dangerous.
The Genovese family, led by Vincent “Fat Tony” Salerno, reportedly approached the Westies for a specific job. According to Franzese, the Genovese wanted Jimmy Hoffa killed and preferred the Irish to handle it. Franzese says he confirmed this more than once and holds documents supporting the claim.
The Genovese offered a favor in return. The Westies accepted. It was a partnership of convenience, not fear. Franzese is clear that the Gambinos and other Italian families were not afraid of the Westies. They simply recognized their capabilities and used them.
## The Difference Between Dangerous and Organized
Franzese draws a sharp line between being dangerous and being organized. The Irish were both violent and organized to a degree. But when their leaders fell, their organizations fell with them.
Jimmy Coonan is serving 75 years in prison. When he went down, the Westies effectively collapsed. The same pattern repeated in Boston and Cleveland.
Whitey Bulger ran the Winter Hill Gang in Boston. He was also an FBI informant for decades, working with agent John Connolly. Bulger fled and remained a fugitive for 18 years. Franzese says he saw Bulger in Santa Monica multiple times without knowing who he was.
When Bulger was finally caught, he was killed in prison. The Winter Hill Gang was finished.
Danny Greene led the Irish mob in Cleveland. He fought a violent war against the Italian Mafia there, marked by car bombings in 1977. Greene was tough and relentless, but he was eventually killed. After his death, the Irish mob in Cleveland ceased to exist.
## The System That Survives
Franzese argues that the Italian Mafia survived because of its structure. When a boss goes down, another takes his place. The organization continues.
The Commission, created by Lucky Luciano, gave Cosa Nostra a governing body. Membership rules, including the requirement that a father be Italian, kept the organization exclusive. The system was designed to outlast any single individual.
The Irish had strong crews. They had influence in politics and law enforcement. But they operated more like independent gangs. When the leader was removed, the gang was removed.
## Still Standing After 100 Years
Franzese acknowledges that Cosa Nostra is not as powerful as it once was. The RICO Act, passed specifically to target the Mafia, took a heavy toll. He himself was charged under RICO three times.
But the five families still exist in New York. Cosa Nostra still exists across the country. The Irish mob, by contrast, is largely gone.
Franzese’s conclusion is straightforward. The Irish were capable, violent, and effective. But they did not build a system. The Italians did. And that system is why, in his view, the Italian Mafia ultimately won.
The Irish had their moments. They had power and influence. But when their leaders fell, they fell. The Mafia replaced its leaders and kept going. That, Franzese says, is the real difference.