A salute to the chief for Irish music

You might know that I greatly enjoy Irish folk music—both as a listener and a performer. What you may not know is that much of the traditional Irish music I get to perform was nearly lost, saved and preserved by a Chicago police chief.

Francis O’Neill was born near Bantry in County Cork, Ireland. At the age of 16 he became a cabin boy on an English merchant vessel. However, love intervened and he and his new wife soon settled in Illinois. As a police officer Francis’ bravery and quick wit earned him recognition. He quickly rose through the ranks of the Chicago police force, culminated in four years as chief. However, O’Neill’s great legacy involved his passion for music from home.

At a time when the British were suppressing Irish culture, performing traditional music was an act of defiance and subterfuge. Printed music was either destroyed or admissible evidence of criminal activity. In any case, Irish music was generally learned by ear and preserved through rote memorization.

The young O’Neill was an avid musician, playing flute, pipes, and fiddle. His memory of music from his childhood led him to transcribe and publish several thousand melodies, including the famous “The Dance Music of Ireland,” which contained 1,001 tunes. He was helped in this by many of his fellow officers, many of whom were Irish immigrants seeking to recall a bit of home.

O’Neill’s work kept thousands of tunes from disappearing and became a reference for Irish musicians and enthusiasts, both in Ireland and around the world. Even here in Omaha, I’ll crack open O’Neill’s books and play a few tunes with Anne Nagosky and her Wild Primrose Fiddle Band. I can do that, thanks to a Chicago police chief with an outsized passion for traditional music.