IRISH IN AMERICA
A Musical Record of the Irish People in the United States: 1780 - 1980


'The Castle Garden' by Hippolyte Sebron (1801 - 1879) was painted in 1856, between the Great Famine and the American Civil War at a time when nearly 200,000 people or one-quarter of the population of New York City was Irish-born. The old fort of Castle Clinton was New York's immigrant station from 1855 to 1890.
Col. Michael Corcoran, having led a double life in Co. Donegal as a revenue policeman by day and a member of the insurgent Ribbonmen by night, refused to parade the all-Irish 69th Regiment at a New York civic reception for the Prince of Wales on October 11th, 1860 and was remanded for court martial. Charges were dropped only after the outbreak of the Civil War. The 69th fought valiantly at the Battle of Bull Run where Col. Corcoran was wounded and captured. Upon his release from a Confederate prison camp, he was accorded a welcome in New York City which rivaled that shown Prince Edward.
Most Famine Irish forsook working the land which had treated them so harshly in Ireland and stayed in and around the port cities of the Eastern United States, eventually taking over their political machinery. Many others pushed onward, often working in lumber camps, mines, railroads, and cattle ranches on the American frontier.
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A Ground-Breaking New Compact Disc from Folk-Legacy Records & South Street Seaport Museum
For the first time - a musical history of the Irish People in the United States: 14 songs and 4 traditional dance tunes spanning 200 historic years between 1780 and 1980.

World Launch: Inishowen International Folk Song & Ballad Seminar, Co. Donegal, Ireland in March 2001.

Timeless Songs, Fine Singing... and Great Irish & American Musicians
Produced by Dan Milner in association with South Street Seaport Museum in New York City and painstakingly researched and recorded over 2 years, this new compact disc presents songs detailing the lives of newly arrived Irish Immigrants - laborers, factory hands, homemakers, soldiers, sportsmen and politicians - plus first generation Irish-Americans - cowboy rustlers, card sharks, dancing vaudevillians and workers adrift in the Great Depression.
The songs come from 19th Century broadsides and songsters, great folk song collections and by word-of-mouth. Renowned ballad singer Dan Milner & banjo virtuoso Bob Conroy sing them with keen understanding and great conviction.
Milner & Conroy are joined by 5 All-Ireland Champions. Brian Conway & Pat Mangan (fiddles) and Billy McComiskey (accordion) come together with United States National Guitar Champion Orrin Star (mandolin, banjo, guitar) and the sterling talents of Brendan Dolan, (flute, whistle, piano), Eliot Grasso (uilleann pipes), Terry McKee (bouzouki), Jan Oosting (piano) and Denny Ryan (bass). Champion step-dancer Niall O'Leary from Dublin adds to the excitement. A team of great supporting singers features All-Ireland Champion Jim McFarland of Derry and American folk music stalwarts Dick Swain, Lisa Null, Deirdre Murtha, Bonnie Milner, Bill Grau and Frank Hendricks.
THE SONGS AND TUNES:
McNally's Row of Flats / The Girl I Left Behind - The Man of the House / The Sons of Liberty / Drill Ye Tarriers, Drill / The Irish Volunteer / Pat Murphy of Meagher's Brigade / The Roving Gambler / Scovill's Rolling Mill / Tell Her I Am - Richard Brennan's / The Day I Played Base Ball / Katie Kearney - Christmas Eve / The West Rutland Marble Bawn / Billy the Kid / The Hard Working Miner / The Portland County Jail
Bob Conroy recording 'The Portland County Jail'

What the Critics Say...
"Dan Milner and Bob Conroy, via the estimable Folk-Legacy Records, bring forth an album that is a glowing example of scholarly research. They have strong, keen edged, expressive voices and they sing with an honest simplicity that reveals the meaning at the heart of every song... a totally exemplary album." - Roy Harris, The Living Tradition, Scotland

"An unmatched overview of Irish America." - John Brophy, Hibernia, Ireland.

"The songs are fascinating documents... a record of a truly fine ballad singer and an excellent singer / banjo player, backed up by several of the greatest Irish musicians in the world... an album that works great as Irish entertainment with the added bonus of intellectual interest." - Steve Winick, Dirty Linen, USA.

"The scope of the project is impressive, but even more so is the manner in which the two make a really fine album... a stellar job." - Rob Weir, Sing Out!, USA.

"A real gem of an album. Great songs really well sung with splendid musicians." - Folk Roots, England.

"Singing is passionate, backing and tunes by fiddler Brian Conway, accordionist Billy McComiskey, and piper Eliot Grasso are tight and well placed... Exhaustive notes give dimension to this hugely interesting album." - Fintan Vallely, Sunday Tribune, Dublin, Ireland.

"The musicianship on both the accompaniment and the associated tunes is of the highest order but it is for the songs that this album will be sought out... an album that puts the Folk back in Folk Music." - Sean Laffey, Irish Music, Ireland.

"Historically fascinating collection..." - Claddagh Records, Ireland.
 
Oil painting 'The Castle Garden,' courtesy of South Street Seaport Museum, New York. Engraving of Brigadier-General Michael Corcoran and rotograph 'Monday Morning in N.Y. City' from the collection of Dan Milner. Photograph of Bob Conroy by Dan Milner.