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My Grandfather's Immigrant Eyes Songs & History of Irish Emigration to America
Luck was clearly not with the Irish after the British conquered them in the late 1600s. The seeds of the conflict that still smolders today were planted as Irish property was confiscated and the people were reduced to a peasant class in their own land. The starvation of the Great Potato Famine in the 1840s devastated these downtrodden people, and their mass migration to America was the first of many such waves from across Europe in the 1800s and early 1900s. Click on the player below to hear a bit of Irish melody ... The Irish were not welcome in America, and their story in our country is one of struggle, perseverance and triumph. In this program Jeni combines historical narrative with her extensive knowledge of traditional Irish music to create a complex portrait of an enduring people, from those who made a new life for themselves in America to those who stayed behind and struggled with the loss of their sons and daughters. This has been the most popular of Jeni's programs and is particularly effective when presented around St. Patrick's Day - though it is of interest year-round. This program runs one hour. |
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