Abstract
In 1955 and 1956, the Irish Festival Singers, a small professional vocal ensemble, directed by pianist Kitty O’Callaghan, toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada performing over a hundred concerts. The tours enjoyed wide coverage in the Irish and American press, with high profile media appearances, including for Bing Crosby and Ed Sullivan.
Central to the concert tours were the carefully crafted programmes of Irish art songs and folksongs in Irish and English, demonstrating the breadth of the Irish song tradition. The singers featured included Veronica Dunne, Dermot Troy, Austin Gaffney, Georgina Carroll, Sylvia O’Brien and James Cuthbert. The harp also had a prominent role with Sheila Larchet joining the ensemble for the second tour.
Drawing on the Marjorie Courtney Collection held in the Library of Technological University Dublin, as well as digital newspaper archives, this paper considers the impact and significance of the Irish Festival Singers concert tours in terms of Ireland’s cultural identity and Irish-American connections in the 1950s.
Central to the concert tours were the carefully crafted programmes of Irish art songs and folksongs in Irish and English, demonstrating the breadth of the Irish song tradition. The singers featured included Veronica Dunne, Dermot Troy, Austin Gaffney, Georgina Carroll, Sylvia O’Brien and James Cuthbert. The harp also had a prominent role with Sheila Larchet joining the ensemble for the second tour.
Drawing on the Marjorie Courtney Collection held in the Library of Technological University Dublin, as well as digital newspaper archives, this paper considers the impact and significance of the Irish Festival Singers concert tours in terms of Ireland’s cultural identity and Irish-American connections in the 1950s.
| Original language | English (Ireland) |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - 20 Jun 2025 |
| Event | Society for Musicology in Ireland, 23rd Annual Plenary Conference - University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland Duration: 19 Jun 2025 → 21 Jun 2025 Conference number: 23 https://musicologyireland.com/events/conferences/SMI_2025 |
Conference
| Conference | Society for Musicology in Ireland, 23rd Annual Plenary Conference |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | SMI 2025 |
| Country/Territory | Ireland |
| City | Dublin |
| Period | 19/06/25 → 21/06/25 |
| Internet address |
