The Shores of Amerikay
Encyclopedia
"The Shores of Amerikay", also known as "The Shores of America", is a traditional
Irish
song. The song's narrator is emigrating from Ireland
to America
, and the song is both a meditation on this and a statement of purpose.
Some versions have Australia
and not America as the emigrant's destination.
The song is played in the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum's exhibit on Kennedy
's Trip to Ireland.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
song. The song's narrator is emigrating from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the song is both a meditation on this and a statement of purpose.
Some versions have Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and not America as the emigrant's destination.
The song is played in the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum's exhibit on Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
's Trip to Ireland.
Recordings
"The Shores of Amerikay" has been recorded by a variety of artists, including:- The Broadsiders
- James GalwayJames Galway- External links : IMGArtists.com 15 September 2008. AllAboutJazz.com 5 August 2008.*...
- Johnny McEvoyJohnny McEvoyJohnny McEvoy is an Irish singer of Country and Irish genre born in Banagher, County Offaly, Ireland.He was part of a duo called "Ramblers 2", and has been in the entertainment circuit since the 1960s.-Hits:...
- Patrick CliffordPatrick CliffordPatrick Clifford is a musician, songwriter, and producer of Irish and folk music, best known as a key member of Four to the Bar--a mainstay of the 1990s New York Irish music scene....
on the album American WakeAmerican Wake (album)American Wake is the first full-length solo album by Patrick Clifford, released in 2010.The title refers to a gathering in an Irish home the night before a family member emigrated to America, in which friends and family would say goodbye to the emigrant for what was probably the last time.The...