Mic & Paddy (Building the U.P. Railroad

Michael Martin Murphey (Wildfire Fame)joins up with the Black Irish Band to record an original ballad about the Irish workman that built the Union Pacific Railroad in the 1860s.

Band member Patrick Michael Karnahan wrote the song in honor of the hundreds of Irishman that worked out of Omaha Nebraska all the way to Promontory Summit Utah. The song explores the hard work and long hours it took to make the dream real. Many workman died along the way while many other had little to show for their countless hours when done with the project. Most of the wealth went to the suits, like always!!!

The railroad was important to the Irish in the fact that it gave them work after the Civil War and their numbers would effect the history of the American West, many in fact would become Cowboys.

The new 19th Black Irish Band CD album titled, "California Story" will feature 2 other songs sung my music legend Michael Martin Murphey. For more information go to WWW.blackirish.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Michael
• Martin
• Murphey
• MichaelMartinMurphey
• BlackirishBand
• BlackIrish
• Railroadmusic
• Irishworkers
• Trainsongs

[trainfire28]

Dear MrMickroach:--Funny how you got your history wrong! The UP Railroad at the core used Irish and x Civil War vets. The Chinese worked more on the Central Pacific. Check your facts. There were also a hand full of very strong irish working on the Central Pacific the day they laid 10 miles of track! It's all in the records for you to look up!

[PoetryETrain]

Lovely, this has been added to our playlists here and there...facebook, and more

[MrMickroach]

History shows that the majority of immigrant labour used to build this rail link were chinese. Funny how the irish americans re write history.

[TraceyLouise2260]

it's bad that Irish went to America for a better life but were treated like slaves. why? and I wonder why English americans captured the Africans and treated them like slaves too.

I'm Irish and my great grandas father was black so I can kinda say I'm lucky to live the life I am

[TamarZucker]

Loved it

[oldpsyd]

Love it when MMM gets his Irish on. His Bard of Armagh/Streets of Laredo is masterful.