Irish-American TV families: Favorites for St. Patrick's Day
A tourist is shot outside a hip Lower East Side restaurant, and Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) works to solve it with Frank Reagan's (Tom Selleck) help, on "Blue Bloods." Credit: CBS
Happy St. Patrick's Day, everybody! Let's celebrate by hailing these five memorable Irish-American TV families:
THE FITZGERALDS on "The Fighting Fitzgeralds" (2001) -- Comedy co-created by L.I. filmmaker Edward Burns and inspired by his 1997 film, "The Brothers McMullen." Brian Dennehy starred as a grouchy, retired fire captain who constantly squabbled with his three adult sons, who lived in the same home.
THE CAFFEES on "Brotherhood" (2006-08) -- Showtime drama about two brothers in Providence, R.I., who have taken very different paths in life. Tommy (Jason Clarke) is an ambitious local politician, while Michael (Jason Isaacs) is a criminal with ties to New England's Irish Mob.
THE DONNELLYS on "The Black Donnellys" (2007) -- Drama co-created by Paul Haggis ("Smash") about four Hell's Kitchen brothers who get caught up in New York City's criminal underworld.
THE REAGANS on "Blue Bloods" (2010- ) -- Family of New York law enforcers headed by patriarch and NYPD commissioner (Tom Selleck). His three kids are a detective (Donnie Wahlberg), an assistant district attorney (Bridget Moynahan) and a police officer (Will Estes).
THE GALLAGHERS on "Shameless" (2011- ) -- Another Showtime drama featuring an Irish-American family. But this one was set on the South Side of Chicago and focused on the dysfunctional family of alcoholic Frank Gallagher (William H. Macy), a single father of six children.
