Blúiríní Béaloidis 15 - The Salmon In Folk Tradition

Blúiríní Béaloidis 15 - The Salmon In Folk Tradition

Author: Blúiríní Béaloidis / Folklore Fragments August 6, 2018 Duration: 52:36
Irish communities have been sustained for centuries by the fruits of our seas, rivers and lakes, from which both physical and economic subsistence was drawn. In this regard, this month’s Blúiríní Béaloidis episode sees Jonny and Claire focus their attention on the noble salmon. From the practical and economic to the abstract and symbolic, the 'silvery fellow', 'the king', the 'plum of the sea' has attracted a rich body of lore, tradition, custom and belief. Known to live between two worlds, freshwater rivers and saltwater seas, the salmon sits apart from its aquatic counterparts. Join Jonny and Clare as they take in nefarious poachers and poisonous plants, superstitious fishermen and naming taboos. They'll uncover curious 15th century riddles, still echoing in the 20th century oral tradition. They'll discuss the Salmon of Life, Bradán na Beatha, as well as taking a fresh look at the well-known Salmon of Knowledge, reflecting 10th century Irish-Norse relations, and broader Indo-European narrative traditions.

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…