Preserving Irish Traditional Music in Chicago: Francis O'Neill

From 1865-1869 Francis O’Neill traveled the world by sea. Aged only sixteen in March 1865 as he set sail from Sunderland, England as a cabin boy, he entered a world that was so far removed from the rural life of southwest Ireland. A resilient and adventurous young man, he became accustomed to sea life and embraced both the wonders and challenges of traveling to exotic places, meeting people from diverse cultures, experiencing the flora and fauna that so ignited his passion for nature, and providing him with the people and work skills that were to be central to his many accomplishments throughout his later life in Chicago.