America 250

Events to celebrate Irish influence on America

In celebration of the anniversary of the nation’s founding, Irish and old-time musicians are joining scholars from ETSU and Ireland, May 15 and 16, to discuss and celebrate America’s Irish Influences. The two-day event, “America 250: Celebrating The Role of the Irish,” will be held on the ETSU campus on Friday, and at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park in Elizabethton on Saturday. 

Attendance for both days is free and open to the public.

Friday’s gathering at the Reece Museum on the ETSU campus begins at 5 p.m. with a panel discussion titled “The Irish Influence on American Music.” Panelists include Dr. Hannah Gibson, an ethnomusicologist in Northern Ireland; Dr. Ted Olson, music historian and professor of Appalachian Studies at ETSU; and Dr. Lee Bidgood, ethnomusicologist and professor of Appalachian Studies at ETSU. Dr. Katie Hoffman, a scholar and performer of traditional Appalachian ballads, will join the panel to discuss Irish-Appalachian ballad connections.

The panel discussion on Friday will introduce performances at 7 p.m. by two groups featuring Irish and old-time music. Will MacMorran, Chad Beauchaine, and Jason Herrara will open the set of music, followed by the Empty Bottle String Band.

On Saturday a second panel discussion, titled “The Role of the Irish in the Founding of America,” takes place at 2 p.m. at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park Auditorium on West Elk Avenue in Elizabethton. Panelists will include Dr. Aaron Ward of the National Museums of Northern Ireland; Dr. Ron Roach, chair of ETSU’s Department of Appalachian Studies; and Dr. Daryl Carter, professor of history at ETSU. Music before and after Friday’s panel discussion will be provided by the Bog Blossoms with Marcianne O’Day, park manager at Sycamore Shoals, and Amanda Morgan, planning and events specialist at Roan Mountain State Park.

The events are co-sponsored by ETSU’s Department of Appalachian Studies and the Consulate General of Ireland, Atlanta.