Paddy Goes to Sea: Irishmen in the Civil War Navies

06Mar2012

March 17, 2012 – 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

In addition to March being the month of St. Patrick’s Day it is also Women’s History Month, and we will explore both of these themes for our Living History program. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day we will focus on the Irish Diaspora and the part played by Irish Immigrants and Irish Americans in the Navies of the American Civil War, including Pilot R. B. K. Murphy of the Georgia coast.

Our Women’s History Month connection will be museum theatre presentations featuring the Irish American Women’s stories of Katie O’Connor and her family in Savannah GA, who taught the Enslaved Susie King Taylor to read.

Also as part of the festivities we’ll have performances of traditional Irish Songs by Persnickety Players and bit of audience interactive sean-nos Irish Dance!

1:30 pm: Museum Theatre – First Person Interpretive Performances

-Katie O’Connor – Irish American resident of Savannah who taught her Enslaved friend to read.

-Susie King Taylor – Former slave who uses the literacy skills taught to her by Katie O’Connor to become a teacher and nurse.

-R. B. K. Murphy – Irish American boat Pilot on the Georgia coast, wounded fighting for the US Navy onboard the Water Witch.

2:30 pm – Interpretive Program – “Paddy Goes to Sea”
Presentation on the Irish Diaspora and the part played by Irish Immigrants and Irish Americans in the Navies of the American Civil War.

3:30 pm – Museum Theatre – Irish Songs & Dance

-Audience interactive sean-nos Irish Dance.

-The Persnickety Players performing traditional Irish folk songs of the 17th, 18th & 19th centuries.