The Musical Story of Ireland’s Fight and Defense of American Liberty and American Support for Ireland’s Freedom and Independence
“The Dream and aspiration of the American revolutionaries was fulfilled and the principal architect of its success were ‘The Patriots of Ireland’ champions of Liberty in all lands”, George Washington, Mount Vernon, Virginia
The largest single group to arrive in the 13 American English colonies in the seventy five years leading up to the Revolution were Irish. Research has uncovered that up to 35% were Irish born and up to 66% of the colonial forces during the American War of Independence were of Irish background.
Legendary Irish musician Derek Warfield decided to record this album after researching the history, story, music and literary contributions of the Irish emigrants to England's American colonies. ‘The Dawn’s Early Light’ highlights in song and poem the love, commitment, dedication and courage of Irish exiles of all faiths, as Washington repeated many times through the eight years of war you can be any religion or none and vote for who you want to govern. These rights were not available in any other European country. 
The Irish were the only Europeans who knew the reality of England Colonial rule as Benjamin Franklin observed when he visited Dublin in Sept 1771 six months after the Boston Massacre. He talked to the Irish Patriot politicians and he saw a commonality of grievances. Franklin, also seeing the destitution of the peasantry, commented, “Is there any wonder,” he wrote, “that many Irish would want a better way of life and seek to get to the New World.”
“I’ve decided to release this album on Evacuation Day, November 25th, when the last remaining British troops departed Manhattan, ending a seven-year military occupation that began in 1776. General George Washington led a triumphal parade into the city, and American forces replaced a greased British flag with the Stars and Stripes at Fort George. For one hundred and twenty years Americans celebrated the day with parades, fireworks and public banquets. However, the holiday's popularity faded in the late 20th century as Thanksgiving grew and England after 130 years made peace with America and accepted that the Colonies were now a free country with the settlement of the Border with British America now Canada,” Derek Warfield.
This album in CD form contains a multipage bibliography of 20 songs, their origins, stories of the Revoluionary War. For information on Derek Warfield go to : https://www.theyoungwolfetones.com/
