Blúiríní Béaloidis 34 - The War Of Independence (with Ailbe Van Der Heide)

Blúiríní Béaloidis 34 - The War Of Independence (with Ailbe Van Der Heide)

Author: Blúiríní Béaloidis / Folklore Fragments December 4, 2021 Duration: 1:06:45
The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed on the 6th of December 1921, bringing an end to the 1919-1921 Irish War of Independence. To mark 100 years since the signing of the treaty, I joined my colleague at the National Folklore Collection, Ailbe van der Heide, to discuss her work in researching, editing and transcribing Urban Folklore Project recordings dealing with this tumultuous period of Irish history. The 1979-1980 Urban Folklore Project originated as a Government employment scheme to provide work for university graduates at a time of severe economic recession in 1979-1980. The project was undertaken by the Department of Irish Folklore, University College Dublin, directed by Dr Séamas Ó Catháin, and consists of over 700 tape recorded interviews which today form part of the Natinoal Folklore Collection, University College Dublin. Among the recordings are featured vivid contemporary accounts of the War of Independence as well as material concerning the Easter Rising of 1916 and the Irish Civil War. Join us as we listen to the combatants and bystanders who bore witness to the burnings, raids and guerrilla warfare of the War of Independence, and who worked as part of a hidden network operating under the watchful eye of the crown forces and intelligence services. On 6 December 2021, Ailbe van der Heide and Dr. Críostóir Mac Cárthaigh will be delivering a free online lecture titled 'War of Independence Memories' for the Folklore of Ireland Society. To register, please visit: https://ucd-ie.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pHhotkMrSvuOK_JC4Eq5LQ

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 04 - The Luck Of The House [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:16
In the traditional dwelling is found a well of spiritual, cultural and material information. Through it many things are revealed, from the ways in which our forebears used materials from the natural environment to meet t…
Blúiríní Béaloidis 03 - The Moon In Folk Tradition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:51
Since the earliest times, Man has sought to come to terms with the unknown powers and forces that act upon life and wellbeing. It is natural therefore, that our forebears looked to the natural world, and to the heavens,…
Blúiríní Béaloidis 02 - May Day Folklore [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:23
The first of May is marked in Ireland (and across Europe more broadly), as a day on which the summer is welcomed in; where garlands of flowers decorate the houses, in which young women of the locality bring cattle up to…
Blúiríní Béaloidis 01 - What is Folklore? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:52
Welcome to Blúiríní Béaloidis, the new podcast from the National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin. In this introductory episode, hosts Jonny Dillon and Claire Doohan delve into definitions of folklore to di…