You are listening to The Fields of Athenry !!

Travelling and music.

People have always had the need to tell each other what's going on in their lives, the need to communicate by speech or music and which was first is not important. In the early days of man the word "travelling" meant hunting and war and maybe by that they experienced that the art of communication was sometimes to their advantage. They told each other what was going on inside of them and found that this was a way to get results sooner and sometimes less painful. When communication was established they also experienced what the other individuals felt.
Whatever language is used, is not important it all serves the same purpose. The only means of communication that actually doesn't need words is music.
When people started to travel they took their belongings and sometimes it wasn't even more than their knowledge. So did the European imigrants, who went all over the world. The Irish did just that when they went to America.
It was in the year 1845 that a disaster struck the people of Ireland. Potato blight reached the counties Wexford and Waterford from England, causing a famine that lasted until 1849, which was called "The Great Famine". No part of the island was uneffected. By the year 1851 the population had fallen by some 2 million, half of whom died while the other half emigrated.
A hundred years before the Famine Emigration started an American called Benjamin Franklin, who promoted the American cause of independency spoke the following words:

"The only encouragement we hold out to strangers are a good climate, fertile soil, wholesome air and water, plenty of provisions, good pay for labor, good laws, a free government and a hearty welcome." (from the Famine ships)

When the Great Famine dominated Ireland, the Irish emigrated to America at a rate of 300 people every day for six years. A lot of them earned their money by working on farmyards and saving their money to buy some land to start their own business. At this very moment there are more Irish living in the US than there will ever be in Ireland. Most of them born in America, but feeling Irish.
The SHAMROCK, the plant which is said was brought to Ireland by St Patrick, is still very dear to them.

The Perseverance. Her passengers embarked on St Patrick's Day 1846 in Dublin. Here she sets sail for New York.

(from the Famine ships)
Custom House in the back.

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