Afro-Irish Links: A Shared Cultural History

This project examines the shared cultural heritage of African and Irish people commencing with the era of slavery and indentured servitude, when these two cultures worked alongside each other in the plantations. The triumph of the human spirit ensured that music forms emerged from these harsh experiences; traditions were retained and modified to produce music that spoke of pain, exile and reconstitution – a universal language that moves people of all cultures. This book examines a number of studies on these topics and features interviews with notable academics. Topics covered include how the Irish came to be in the Caribbean and why Montserrat is known as the “Other Emerald Isle”; how the Jamaican Maroons retained African traditions; and how the banjo became an integral part of folk music in the Caribbean, Ireland and the remote Appalachian Mountains. Supported by Heritage Lottery Fund.