Article

Policing Irish Music: Capt. Francis O’Neill and Traditional Music in Chicago

Michael O’Malley and Scott B. Spencer

Published in: Ethnomusicology Ireland 9 (2024)

Pages: 77-90 | Published Online: June 2024

https://doi.org/10.64208/MXUH7719

Abstract

This article situates Francis O’Neill in the context of Chicago’s police department and in the context of other collectors of his era. O’Neill administered a large urban police force in a booming dynamic city. The article finds parallels between policing and collecting, and it further points to colonialist practices that O’Neill’s genuine and heartfelt enthusiasm for Irish music obscure. Like other collectors, O’Neill focused on identifying and extracting unique, rare, and distinct tunes from community rather than on documenting his community’s habitual practices and ordinary tunes.

Keywords: Ireland, traditional music, Chicago, policing, oral tradition

Author: Michael O’Malley

Author: Scott B. Spencer | ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6590-7792