Just in time for the Battle of Fredericksburg anniversary, the Irish Culture Society of Virginia presents “Fighting Irish: Songs and Stories of the Irish Americans during the U.S. Civil War”, a lecture by Dr. Christopher Shannon. The presentation is scheduled for Monday, December 11th, at 6:30pm in the Central Rappahannock Regional Library auditorium located at 1201 Caroline Street in Fredericksburg. Admission is free and donations will be accepted.
The Irish who fought in the American Civil War (1861-1865) often did so in distinctly Irish military units, such as the New York “Fighting 69th” Regiment and the Irish Brigade. Fighting for the cause of preserving the Union, Irish American soldiers also fought to express pride in their ethnic heritage. These dual loyalties found expression in a substantial body of songs celebrating the achievements and camaraderie of Irish American soldiers. This lecture tells the story of these Irish American soldiers through the songs they sang, songs that affirmed their dual identity as fully Irish and fully American.
Dr. Shannon earned his PhD in American Studies from Yale University. Later he served as a visiting lecturer at Yale, the University of Rochester, and the University of Notre Dame. Currently, Dr. Shannon is a professor of history at Christendom College, Front Royal, Virginia.
