“The Irish Immigrant Experience”
The effect on viewers was immediate…“Stop, I need to take a closer look!” The photo accompanying this article greeted visitors at a recent Irish festival. The 1939 study of Roxbury’s Emerald Isle Orchestra elicited many comments:
Older folks remembered the Irish dance halls in Dudley Square; some recognized band members in the photo; younger viewers picked out other details – the two girls who must have been sisters; and one twenty-something musician commented on the group’s slogan “For Music That Satisfies – Call Prospect 1046-J.”
Not everyone has an Irish band member in the family, but a large number of Massachusetts residents have Irish ancestors. On Nov. 16, everyone with a connection to Irish immigration is invited to share stories at “The Mass. Memories Road Show – The Irish Immigrant Experience.” The event will be held at the Irish Cultural Centre of New England in Canton on Sat., Nov. 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Mass. Memories Road Show (MMRS) is the creation of the University Archives & Special Collections Department at the Joseph P. Healey Library, UMass Boston. To date, this project has digitized more than 4,000 photos and stories from across the state.
The Irish Ancestral Research Association (TIARA), The Eire Society of Boston, and the Consulate General of Ireland Boston are joining the host, the ICCNE, in sponsoring the show. These Irish groups are inviting participants to reflect on how immigrant experiences have influenced lives of Massachusetts residents. Attendees may choose from one to three photographs to be scanned and included in the archives at UMass Boston and online at massmemories.net. Contributors can also share “the story behind the photos” on video, have their own “keepsake photo” taken, and receive advice from professional archivists and historians on dating and caring for their family photos.
Bring 1-3 Photos in original format, CD or flashdrive. More Information: massmemories.net; Questions: massmemories@tiara.ie; TIARA office 617-244-3050.