countless other ethnicities have used the Italian organized crime model in their own mafia Yep, the Mexican Mafia even began as a direct immitation of the so-called Italian Mafia. But not the Irish...the Irish were the original American Gangsters, the original organized crime, a dubious distinction I know, but still...being Irish-American I guess I should be ashamed of that fact, but I can't help but feel a bit of pride in the fact that we were first:crazy The  Irish  were the real OGs!:p