ETSU, Consulate General of Ireland celebrate Irish role in the founding of America, culture of Appalachia

Dr. Hannah Gibson, who works as an ethnomusicologist in Northern Ireland, talks about Irish country music during a May 15 event at ETSU to celebrate the role of the Irish on American culture. (Click the photo to see a gallery from both days of panel discussions and music.)

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

“The Department of Appalachian Studies is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history and cultural heritage of our remarkable region,” Ron Roach, chair of ETSU’s Department of Appalachian Studies, said. “As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our founding, we are proud to partner with the Consulate General of Ireland to recognize the significant role that men and women from the Emerald Isle, both Irish and Scots-Irish, played in our history.” 

Friday’s gathering at the Reece Museum on the ETSU campus included a panel discussion titled “The Irish Influence on American Music.” Panelists were 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. 

Will MacMorran, Chad Beauchaine, and Jason Herrara perform during the May 15 event at ETSU's Reece Museum.

The panel discussion that day introduced performances by two groups featuring Irish and old-time music. Will MacMorran, Chad Beauchaine, and Jason Herrara opened the concert, followed by the Empty Bottle String Band. 

On Saturday, a second panel discussion, titled “The Role of the Irish in the Founding of America,” took place at at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park Auditorium on West Elk Avenue in Elizabethton. Panelists there were 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.  

The Irish scholars participating in the panel discussions brought a combination of educational experience and specialized research to the conversation. 

Gibson has served as a museum educator at Ulster American Folk Park in Ireland. Her ethnomusicology research has focused on the cultural intimacies of Irish country music.  

Ward serves as director of public engagement at National Museums Northern Ireland, where he has led strategic initiatives focused on how people encounter history through place, storytelling and shared cultural experiences. 

The events were sponsored by ETSU’s Department of Appalachian Studies in partnership with the Consulate General of Ireland, Atlanta.