For centuries Irish people expressed their deepest feeling through song. Emigrants carried songs to America and wrote new songs to express the frustrations and sorrows of life in a new country. These became part of life, performed on every occasion from family gatherings to community events and the vaudeville stage. Brendan Kennelly described such songs as 'living ghosts that long for a living voice'. For the first time these songs and the stories they tell are captured in a passionately written illustrated history of the Irish in America with a free companion CD. Written by the leading authority on traditional Irish music in America each spread chronicles a specific theme in the lives of the Irish in America from the 1700s to the early 20th century with a corresponding song on the CD. The spreads and songs describe the backbreaking task of survival in the New World; battles waged for fair treatment and fair pay for work on railroads, on canals, in mines, in construction and factories; the success ultimately attained in politics, business and society; the cramped ghettoes of city life and anti-Irish sentiment. The accompanying free 18-track CD, in a CD sleeve and bound into the back of the book, goes beyond the standard compilation. Most of the songs have not been recorded for more than 50 years and make rare and fascinating listening. These new recordings, sung by the author, are historically accurate and emotionally compelling.
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Under EU consumer law, you have the right to withdraw from your purchase within 14 days of receiving your order, without giving a reason. To formally exercise this right, use the button below. This is a distinct function separate from our general returns process.
Notice of Withdrawal
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Your right to cancel
If you order online, you have the right to cancel your order within 14 days of receiving your goods, without giving a reason. This cooling-off period runs from the day you (or someone you nominate) receives the last item in your order. To cancel, contact us at shop@chaptersbookstore.com stating your order number and your wish to withdraw from the purchase. Once we've confirmed your cancellation, you have 14 days to send the goods back to us.
Condition of returned items
To be eligible for a refund, your item must be returned unworn, unused and unread, in its original packaging, and in the same condition you received it. You'll also need your receipt or proof of purchase. If your return is based on the item's condition on arrival, please include a photo so we can advise the best resolution.
Faulty or damaged items
Please inspect your order on arrival and contact us immediately if an item is defective, damaged, or not what you ordered. Separately from the 14-day cancellation right above, you're entitled to a repair, replacement or refund on faulty goods for up to two years from purchase, under standard consumer guarantee rights.
This guarantee covers manufacturing faults only, such as printing errors, missing pages, or binding defects present at the time of purchase. It does not cover damage arising from normal use or wear, including creased spines, worn covers, marked pages or general signs of reading. If you're unsure whether an issue qualifies, send us a photo and we'll be happy to advise.
How to return
To start a return, contact us at shop@chaptersbookstore.com. If your return is accepted, we'll send you a return shipping label and instructions on how and where to send your package. Items sent back to us without first requesting a return will not be accepted. If a return is due to an error on our part, we'll cover the postage cost.
Exceptions and non-returnable items
Certain items cannot be returned, including custom products, special orders, sale items and gift cards.
Trade-In Programme
If you're trading in previously owned books rather than returning a purchase, please see our separate Trade-In Programme terms, which operate independently of this policy.
Refunds
Once we've received and inspected your return, we'll let you know if the refund has been approved. If approved, you'll be refunded automatically to your original payment method. Please allow some time for your bank or card provider to process and post the refund.
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