Far From the Shamrock Shore: The Story of Irish-American Immigration Through Song
St. Patrick's Day is fast approaching, and millions of Americans  will be gathering to celebrate their Irish heritage. Most of  them would have difficulty naming any Irish song beyond "Danny  Boy" which is ironic considering that the songwriter was an  Oxford-educated English barrister who never set foot outside his  native country. In a rambling but entertaining narrative, actor  McCourt (Singing My Him Song) explores not only the 1913  marriage of Frederick Weatherly's lyrics to the Derry Air but  also the origins of the music, the continuing attraction of the  song, and even the mystery of the narrator. Who is bidding  farewell to Danny? Is it his father? His mother? Perhaps his  homosexual lover? All are weighed and evaluated with the kind of  attention devoted to sacred texts. The work concludes with a  select discography, including performances by Papa John Creech,  Bing Crosby, and Elvis Presley, among others.  One person who could name any number of Irish songs is  ethnomusicologist and acclaimed Irish singer Moloney (Ph.D.,  Univ. of Pennsylvania). Drawing on Irish and Irish American  songs to illustrate the tale, Moloney surveys the experiences of  Irish immigrants to 1900. His brief book includes song lyrics  and specific song histories and is accompanied by an 18-song CD.  Using music as a framework, Moloney explores why Irish Catholics  and Protestants left the old country and their respective lives  once they landed here. Concentrating primarily on Irish  Catholics, Moloney's text focuses on Irish encounters with  prejudice ("no Irish need apply") and the post-Civil War  transition into the middle class. It is an oft-told tale but one  that Moloney hopes will inform contemporary Irish Americans  confronting a new generation of immigrants. McCourt's book is  recommended for popular song collections in public libraries,  while Moloney's should find a place in history and popular  culture collections. Christopher Brennan, SUNY at Brockport Lib.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.