Immigration has always played a large part in the cultural landscape and lives of the Irish people. Like all minorities, the Irish brought their music, stories, history, religion and hopes for a better future to their new home. The Irish immigrant song repertoire is one in which life, lore and legend find their respective places. These songs are an essential part of a living culture of the Irish immigrant and are a fundamental pulse of the Irish heartbeat. 　　 　　The music on “Songs of the Irish Immigrants” portrays aspects of the Irish experience in America, from the coffin–ship journeys and famine of the past to joys and disappointments in the New World. Like all minorities, the Irish brought their music, stories, history, religion and hopes for a better future to their new home. Vaudeville provided them a venue where they mixed and shared their music and culture with other ethnic groups, particularly the Jewish and Polish communities in New York, Boston and Chicago, where many immigrants were brought together by the possibility of work in these large industrialized cities. 　　 　　Backing their unaffected vocals with typical Irish instruments, including; the Celtic harp, penny-whistle, violin, mandolin, accordion and guitar, Golden Bough’s renditions of these songs preserve the feelings and emotions that these immigrants and second-generation Irish-Americans must have felt. To enhance their sound Margie, Paul & Kathy were joined on this CD by David Brewer, the talented muician from Molly's revenge, who plays the Irish or uilleann (elbow) pipes on several of the tracks. 　　 　　The Irish immigrant song repertoire is one in which life, lore and legend find their respective places. These songs are an essential part of a living culture of the Irish immigrant and are a fundamental pulse of the Irish heartbeat.