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Appalachian & Bluegrass Music Festival |
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The finest exponents of Bluegrass & Traditional American Folk music from all over Nth America & Europe converge on the museum to take part in the largest festival of its kind on the island of Ireland. The event attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world
Established in 1976, as Northern Irelands contribution to the American bicentenary, the Folk Park has been constructed around the original homestead of Thomas Mellon, who as a 5 year old boy had emigrated with his parents to Western Pennsylvania. The Mellon family, and in particular Dr T Matthew Mellon, initiated the restoration of the Mellon homestead which was completed in 1968. Further development took place in the 1970's, when Dr Matthew T Mellon and Mr Eric Montgomery OBE were instrumental in the establishment of the Ulster American Folk Park, which portrayed the emigrant trail to America.
Since its opening in July 1976 the Park has grown rapidly and with the addition of a number of original exhibit buildings, the museum now represents the broad spectrum of 18th and 19th century emigration from Ulster to America.
On 1st October 1998 the Ulster American Folk Park joined with Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, Armagh Museum & Ulster Museum to form the National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland (MAGNI) and plans are currently being prepared to develop a National Museum of Emigration.
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01/09/2006 -
03/09/2006 |
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