06/29/2026
Kate Mullany was a nineteen-year-old Irish immigrant when she became the head of her household. Her father had died in 1864, leaving behind a sickly mother and three sisters, and a brother who depended on her to survive. Like many daughters of Irish immigrants in Troy, New York, she went to work in the one place that offered steady pay to women: the collar laundries.
Kate entered this system out of necessity. What she saw was not just hardship, but injustice. In February 1864, she helped change that. Working with coworkers Esther Keegan and Sarah McQuillan, Mullany helped organize roughly 300 women across Troy’s laundries into what became the Collar Laundry Union. Within days, they struck. Their demands were simple: better wages and relief from dangerous conditions. The strike began on February 23. Within a week, it succeeded.
In 1868, Mullany’s leadership drew national attention. She was appointed Assistant Secretary of the National Labor Union — the first woman to hold a national office in an American labor organization. In that role, she worked to encourage organization among working women beyond Troy.
In honour of the 250th anniversary of the United States of America and to celebrate the Irish-American contribution to its growth and enduring success, we have designed a commemorative jersey for our community and beyond.
Order yours today:
https://proknitwear.com/ancient-order-of-hibernians/