20 new manuscripts from the Main Manuscript Collection are now digitized, indexed and available on dúchas.ie. The material relates to the late 1930s and early 1940s.

There are 2 collector’s diaries in this batch: one by Aodh Ó Domhnaill and another by Liam Mac Coisdealbha. Full time collectors had the duty of keeping a diary to provide contextual information about recording sessions, the informants and the work in general. These diaries are part of the Main Collection and they provide a valuable insight into life at the time. Storytellers and others mentioned in the diaries have been tagged.

Amongst the manuscripts, there is new material from the following counties: Antrim, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Down, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford and Westmeath.

These manuscripts contain a wide variety of material, including stories, lore, proverbs, prayers, songs, superstitions, riddles and many other topics.

All of this material can be found at www.duchas.ie/en/cbe.

Below is a list of the manuscripts, collectors and places.

0669 Pádhraic Bairéad, an Chill Mhór, Co. Mayo, Colm Ó Finneadha, Maigh Cuilinn, Co. Galway, Máirtín Mainnín, Cong, Co. Galway, Brighid Ní Mhaithnín, Cill Chuimín and Maíros, Co. Galway, Eibhlín Ní Stondúin, Cill Chuimín, Co. Galway

0675 Questionnaires about St. Martin's Day, Co. Clare and Co. Limerick

0685 Seosamh Ó Dálaigh, Aghavallen, Finuge, Kilconly, Kilnaughtin and Listowel, Co. Kerry

0686 Seán Ó Cróinín, Abbeystrowry, Kilfaughnabeg and Kilmacdonogh, Co. Cork

0731 Aodh Ó Domhnaill, Teampall Cróine and Tulacha Beigile, Co. Donegal

0732 Liam Mac Coisdealbha, Abbeyknockmoy and Maíros, Co. Galway, Kilronan, Co. Roscommon, Shancough, Co. Sligo, Kilcommon, Co. Mayo

0758 Questionnaires about the Last Sheaf, Co. Louth, Co. Meath, Co. Westmeath, Co. Longford, Co. Cavan, Co. Dublin

0760 Questionnaires about the Last Sheaf, Co. Clare, Co. Limerick, Co. Tipperary, Co. Waterford

0761 Questionnaires about the Last Sheaf, Co. Kerry and Co. Cork

0762 Questionnaires about the Last Sheaf, Co. Galway and Co. Leitrim

0764 Questionnaires about the Last Sheaf, Co. Monaghan and Co. Donegal

0766 Questionnaires about St. Martin's Day, Co. Antrim, Co. Kerry, Co. Cork, Co. Derry, Co. Down, Co. Donegal, Co. Laoise, Co. Longford, Co. Louth, Co. Limerick, Co. Mayo, Co. Monaghan, Co. Tipperary, Co. Tyrone

0780 Brian Ó Murchadha, Killannin and Omey, Co. Galway

0781 Pádhraic Bairéad, an Chill Mhór, Co. Mayo, Brian Ó Murchadha, Ballynakill, Co. Galway and Liam Ó Coincheanainn, Annaghdown, Co. Galway

0782 PJ O’Sullivan, Baillinvoher, Ballynacourty, Listowel, an Mhin Aird and Kilgarrylander, Co. Kerry

0784 Proinnsias de Búrca, Ross, Co. Galway and Co. Mayo

0787 Seán Ó hEochaidh, Tulacha Beigile, Co. Donegal

0788 Tomás a Burca, Kilcommon, Co. Mayo

0794 Liam Mac Coisdealbha, Maíros and Oranmore, Co. Galway, Monica Ní Mhaodhbh, Cill Bhreacáin, Co. Galway and Micheál Ó hEibhrín, an Chill Mhór, Co. Mayo

0795 Liam Ó Coincheanainn, Annaghdown, Co. Galway, Domhnall Ó Máille, Templetogher, Co. Galway

Editor’s note: The Main Manuscript Collection is being digitized by the dúchas.ie team, and material from it is published quarterly. This collection consists of 2,400 manuscripts linked to material that was collected from 1932 onwards. This material was mostly collected by fulltime and part-time collectors under the umbrella of the Irish Folklore Commission (1935-1971). About two thirds of this material that encompasses every aspect of the oral tradition of Ireland is in Irish.

Dúchas.ie is the result of a partnership established in 2012 between the National Folklore Collection in UCD, the UCD Digital Library, and Gaois, Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge, DCU. The aim of this project is to digitize and make available online to the public all collections of the National Folklore Collection. The project is co-funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media with support from the National Lottery, and by University College Dublin with financial assistance from the Irish Folklore Foundation.

Contact: eolas@duchas.ie

Issued by Gaois, Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge