The Land We Live In, The Land We Left - Virginia's People
A Special Exibit at the Library of Virginia

Raising his glass at a July 4th celebration in 1852, a young Irish-American resident of Richmond toasted "the land we live in; not forgetting the land we left." The sentiment reflects the history of more than four centuries of Virginia immigrants, who nurtured the traditions of their homelands even as they participated in the mainstream Virginia economy and culture. Their stories come alive in this exhibition, which explores the lives of immigrants from a wide variety of homelands who settled in every part of the state.

As part of this Exhibit, the Library of Virginia is offering a special program:

Ireland Meets Appalachia: A Conversation in Music
Friday, May 21, 2010
Time: 6:00 -7:30 PM
Place: Lecture Hall at the Library of Virginia, 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA (Free parking in the deck underneath the Library):The program is co-sponsored by the Irish American Society of Greater Richmond.  Light refreshments will be served.

Three musicians—Mary Dailey and Jimmy Costa from Appalachia and Patrick O'Flaherty, a native Gaelic speaker from the west coast of Ireland—discuss and demonstrate through songs and tunes the common threads that run through the vocal and instrumental music of Ireland and Appalachia. The speakers will explore how the traditions evolved, and the similarities and differences they found when they began performing together. O'Flaherty will also discuss his immigration experience and involvement with Appalachian musical culture. The panel discussion will be moderated by Gregg Kimball, director of Education and Outreach at the Library of Virginia.