The Irish population in West Yorkshire at the turn of the century held massive influence over the surrounding country. In fact, Yorkshire was the epicenter of organized Irish politics by the 1890s. They backed Isaac Butt's legislative scheme for a parliament in College Green by establishing their own Home Rule Associations. The first one outside of Ireland was raised in York. There is more however these small examples prove that York was the place to be for an Irish activist living in England at the start to the twentieth century.
There is still a heavy population of Irish living in Yorkshire today. Many of my schoolmates were Irish descendants.