Echoes of the Lake Shore - a work  to be commissioned by Sligo Baroque Orchestra. A musical work will be written, that honours the experiences of Sligo emigrants during the 1950s. The work will be accompanied by actual voice recordings of Irish emigrants.The 1950s marked one of the most significant emigration waves in Irish history apart from the Great Famine years, and  the 1950s departures shaped the social fabric of Irish towns and rural communities, leaving lasting imprints on families and traditions, as well as local, regional and national identity.
This musical and verbal composition will give shape to the quiet footsteps of those who left Sligo without fanfare, slipping away to build new lives far away from home.
By reflecting their stories through music and the voices of emigrants, the composition will invite today’s listeners to step into their world. In a time when migration touches nearly every community, reflecting on these earlier journeys will help us in Ireland to reflect on the shared humanity of all who move between places, and nurture understanding between cultures and generations.
The project will involve Sligo resident Emma Purcell (composer), Sligo Irish affected by the 1950s emigration who will be interviewed, Sligo resident documentary film-maker Erik Nuding who will create an artistic documentary film, the Sligo Baroque Orchestra which will perform the composition, The Model as provider of the venue in which 'Echoes of the Lake Shore' will be performed, S

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