Irish Traditional Musicians in Chicago 1920-2020

The presentation, Irish Traditional Musicians in Chicago 1920-2020, is drawn from Richie Piggot’s recently published book Cry of a People Gone. It includes a history of the development of Chicago and that city’s attraction for Irish immigrants from the mid-nineteenth century onwards and provides details of Irish musicians who lived there from 1920 to 2020.
The presentation focuses on some of the major events relating to Irish traditional music in the city such as the formation of the Irish Musicians Association of America (IMA), major tours of musicians and dancers to and from Ireland, and the organizing of the first Fleadh Cheoil festivals in America.