Newspapers played an important role in reflecting and shaping the public’s attitudes toward the Irish Famine immigrants in 1845 and the struggle for Irish independence. The Great Hunger and its aftermath gave the press a new sense of purpose and some newspapers became essential in the new environment. The central claim of this article is to highlight the valuable role that Irish-American journalism played in aiding the Irish Great Famine immigrants, their national cause in America and at home, as well as shedding light on other issues such as poverty, crime, famine, immigration and patriotism.