Sheet Music Collections

The sheet music collections at the Ward Irish Music Archives consist of three major collections: the Ed & Cathy Ward Collection, the Milwaukee Irish Fest Collection, and the Alfred Concanen Collection. Combined, these three collections contain over 5,000 pieces of Irish related sheet music. The collection holdings range from early sheets from 1816 to the modern music of U2. Special collections within these holdings are of Harrigan & Hart, George M. Cohan, Chauncey Olcott, Bing Crosby, Morton Downey and art covers by the famous Illustrator Alfred Concanen. While the range and scope of this collection is wide, the core of the collection, 35%, is from the era of Tin Pan Alley, 1900-1920. The collection also contains some Scottish sheet music.