Boston Hosts its first Irish festival, Feis Ceoil Agus Seanachas, in May 1900

Boston's Irish-American community, inspired by Ireland's literary revival and the renaissance of the Irish language at the turn of the 20th century, organized its first Feis Ceoil Agus Seannachus, or Festival of Music and Story, on Sunday, May 6, 1900 at the Hollis Theatre, located between Washington and Tremont Streets in downtown Boston.

The festival was organized by a number of local Irish societies, including the Gaelic Society and the Philo-Celtic Society of Boston. Language enthusiast Professor Fred Norris Robinson of Harvard's Gaelic department also participated.

A musical highlight of the festival was the performance by Ireland's famous baritone William Ludwig,who specialized in interpreting ancient Irish airs. Reverend Eugene O'Growney sang the "Star Spangled Banner" in Gaelic, and Patrick Harney played a selection of tunes on the uilleann pipes, according to The Boston Globe. Other musicians included Irish harpist Nona Conveney and a 100 singers from various Catholic church choirs in Boston.

The Feis Ceoil Agus Seanachas was a prelude to the Ancient Order of Hibernians' national convention in Boston, which attracted 200,000 delegates from around the nation and from Ireland and was billed as the largest convention to ever take place in the city.

For more about Boston's Irish history, visit IrishHeritageTrail.com.

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