James O’Neill
A talented musician, from Northern Ireland originally, James O’Neill (no relation) was a friend of Francis’s who became his most valuable accomplice in music collecting. In his book Irish Traditional Read More …
Tag: Chicago
Upcoming Chief O’Neill Festival
Francis O’Neill Irish Arts Week August 6-10, 2018 8th Annual Irish Culture Summer Program Irish American Heritage Center 4626 N. Knox Ave. – Chicago The Francis O’Neill Irish Arts Week is Read More …
Dunn Family Collection (Take 2)
A second take on the Dunn Family Collection of Wax Cylinder recordings mentioned previously. Shannon Heaton’s excellent Irish Music Stories Podcast episode 18 features an interview with the curators of the Read More …
Chief O’Neill Documentary
It is amazing what can pop out when you search the internet. I came across the following fine documentary from Chicago’s PBS station Channel 11 while googling for other Francis Read More …
When Irish Rebels Murdered in Chicago
Doctor Gillian O’Brien is the author of Blood Runs Green, an excellent history of the murder of an Irish American doctor by Clan Na Gael rebels in Chicago in 1889. An Read More …
The Musical Priest
Francis O’Neill befriended Reverend Richard Henebry as part of his efforts to publicize his collection of Irish music. Henebry was in many ways similar to O’Neill, but had a more Read More …
The Francis O’Neill Mausoleum
The O’Neill family mausoleum is one of the most prominent tombs in one Chicago’s largest and most venerable graveyards: Mount Olivet Cemetary. Chief O’Neill and his wife are buried here Read More …
The Wheels of the World
In 1893, the world came to Chicago in the form of the Columbia Exposition or World’s Fair. This event put Chicago on the world stage like never before. Francis O’Neill Read More …
Chicago After the Great Fire
The above map gives some idea of how rapidly the city developed after the devastating fire of 1871. Note the prominence given to McCormick’s Reaper works and the smoke stacks Read More …
Dunn Family Collection
Beginning in 1902, O’Neill recorded a number of prominent traditional Irish musicians on Edison wax cylinders. The story of how they came to be part of the Dunn family collection Read More …