Blúiríní Béaloidis 13 - The Soul In Folk Tradition

Blúiríní Béaloidis 13 - The Soul In Folk Tradition

Author: Blúiríní Béaloidis / Folklore Fragments April 16, 2018 Duration: 1:16:25
The idea of the existence of a soul or life-force which exists independently of the body is of considerable antiquity. In folk tradition, the soul was understood to depart the body, not just at the moment of death (where it was said to leave through the crown of the head), but during sleep (where it departed the body via the mouth in the appearance of a small creature or insect). For this 13th edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis (marking one year on the air!) hosts Jonny Dillon and Claire Doohan explore popular conceptions of the soul in folk tradition; from offerings left by our forebears to the souls of their departed ancestors, to those souls who return from the otherworld in need of help (or to exact revenge). From the lovers whose bonds transcend death, to tobacco spirits in need of prayer, join Claire and Jonny as they turn their thoughts to those who have gone before, and to those lost souls who wander among us still, between nightfall and cock-crow. And a special word of thanks this month to our colleagues Mícheál and Réiltín at Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, Doirí Beaga, who kindly allowed us to use an audio sample from the bealoideasbeo.ie project, for which we are extremely grateful.

Delve into the living tapestry of stories, customs, and beliefs carried through generations with Blúiríní Béaloidis Folklore Podcast. Emerging from the archives of The National Folklore Collection at University College Dublin, each episode is a carefully crafted fragment, a blúirín, of cultural memory. Host Jonny Dillon guides listeners along a fascinating furrow, unearthing everything from local Irish legends and seasonal rituals to broader European traditions that echo through time. This isn't merely a history lesson; it's an engagement with the voices, practices, and worldviews that shaped communities. You'll hear specific tales collected from the countryside, examine the logic behind old superstitions, and discover how everyday life was interwoven with the supernatural and the symbolic. The podcast serves as a bridge, connecting a deep, often overlooked past with contemporary curiosity, suggesting that these fragments of folklore hold a mirror to our shared human experience. Listening feels like having a thoughtful conversation with a knowledgeable guide, one who understands that these traditions are not static relics but vibrant threads in a larger cultural fabric. For anyone drawn to the roots of identity, storytelling, and the subtle wisdom embedded in custom, this series offers a rich and rewarding exploration, proving that the old ways still have much to say.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 45

Blúiríní Béaloidis Folklore Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Blúiríní Béaloidis 43 - Indexing Folklore (with Steve Roud) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:23
Steve Roud is a Librarian, folklore scholar and creator of the Roud Folk Song Index, which contains upwards of 750,000 entries to around 45,000 English language folk songs, as found in books, recordings, manuscripts and…
Blúiríní Béaloidis 42 - Passing the Time (with Henry Glassie) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:32:11
Video recording of this episode is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OcxwmDuUeU&ab_channel=UCD-UniversityCollegeDublin Henry Glassie is College Professor Emeritus at Indiana University, Bloomington, USA, a…
Bluiríní Béaloidis 40 - What Is A Folklore Archive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:23
Hello a chairde, and welcome to episode 40 of Blúiríní Béaloidis, the podcast from the National Folklore Collection. It would be remiss of me not to commence this episode of the podcast with long, grovelling apologies co…