The book begins with a history of Chicago and the reasons why emigrants from Ireland came to the city. It gives two personal accounts of what it was like to emigrate from Ireland; the first during the Great Famine of 1845-1850 and the second 100 years later in the late 1940s/early 1950s.
The next two sections of the book give detailed biographical information on Irish musicians who came to Chicago from Ireland and also includes first generation Irish American musicians born in Chicago. Section one covers the period from 1920-1945 and the second from 1945 – 2020.
The remaining chapters cover significant milestones in the development of Irish music in Chicago which include the formation of the Irish Musicians Association of America (IMA); tours of Irish musicians and dancers in both Ireland and America and the history of the first Fleadh Cheoil in Chicago (1964-1969).
There are two appendices to the book specifically covering accordion players in Chicago and a personal (previously unpublished) memoir by Frank Thornton on Irish music in Chicago. The book includes hundreds of photographs, primarily donated to me by the families I interviewed, which greatly add to the telling of the history of Irish music in Chicago.

– Richie Piggott, Chicago

Softcover and signed by Richie Piggott.