Irish Folklore: An Overview
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- SpeakerThe speaker introduces his topic of folklore by explaining that the term “folklore” was invented in 1846 by an English man when the custom of visiting small villages and talking to people first began. In 1812, the German Brothers Grimm published “The German Folktales” signalling an interest all over the world in common stories that people tell.
- SpeakerThe speaker talks about the work of Thomas Croften Croken from Ireland who in 1825 was the first person in either Ireland or Britain to publish a book of folktales. The speaker talks about the works of William Carleton, Patrick Kennedy and Douglas Hyde who were also collectors of Gaelic folktales. Hyde was also founder of the Gaelic League in 1893.
- SpeakerThe speaker explains that with the founding of the Gaelic League there was a renewed interest in the Irish language and thus Irish folklore. In the 1920’s James Delargy made written records of Gaelic storytellers including Sean O’Conaill of southwest Kerry published as “Sean O’Conaill’s Book ''. The speaker notes Delargy’s involvement with the Folklore of Ireland Society, the Institute of Irish Folklore and the Irish Folklore Commission.
- SpeakerThe speaker points out that James DeLary was the first in Ireland to use the Ediphone,the portable recording device invented by Thomas Edison in 1929. Previously, stories were collected by long hand dictation. Delargy collected folktales from Counties Clare and Galway which included the greatest storyteller Delargy came across, Michael(last name not discernable).
- SpeakerThe speaker explains that the Irish Folklore Commission in the 1930’s had full-time collectors who were sent out to the Gaelic-speaking areas to record folktales. Some original recordings were not preserved because the wax recording cylinders were reused. Those stories were published in the journal, Bealoideas. The speaker talks about the Irish word for “storyteller”.
- SpeakerThe Irish storytellers were amateurs who could tell stories that were hours long and even stories that continued for multiple nights. Unlike in times past, today there are women who are considered excellent storytellers. The speaker mentions Peig Sayers. The speaker noted that men and women had slightly different folklore repertoires.
- SpeakerThe speaker explains folktales can be divided into international tales and local tales. The speaker reviews the numbering system for folktales devised by (Antti)Aarne and (Stith) Thompson. He gives an example of an endless tale, which is a very simple tale without an ending. The speaker tells an animal tale involving seagulls.
- SpeakerThe speaker then plays a recording of Pat McCarthy telling the seagull folktale.
- SpeakerThe speaker continues with the international folktale “Gifts of the Little People”. He teaches a few Gaelic words to the audience in advance of listening to Mrs. Mary O’Keefe from County Kerry telling a folk tale.
- SpeakerThe speaker plays a recording of Mary O’Keefe telling a story and singing a song involving “little people”.
- SpeakerThe speaker then talks about jokes including those about silly people. The speaker tells a “silly people" story of two brothers and explains how it is also a “ladder” tale. Focusing on hero tales, the speaker says they drew the greatest interest among Irish people and was at the height of Irish storytelling tradition. The speaker explains how hero tales had special openings, endings and contained several runs all of which served a particular purpose to the story.
- SpeakerThe speaker points out that there are several types of Irish figures in folklore. He introduces the figure “hag of beara” or “cailleach” and her role in Irish stories. The speaker notes an Irish story involving the hag of beara is similar to a Western PEI Tom Dunn story collected by John Cousins. The story involves a mowing contest with the devil.
- SpeakerThe speaker talks about Pat Malone’s story similar to the Tom Dunn story involving the hag of beara and a mowing contest as well as the speaker’s experience of collecting stories from Malone.
- SpeakerThe speaker plays a recording of Pat Malone telling a hag of beara tale in Gaelic.
- SpeakerThe speaker points out that there are historical figures in Irish Folklore like the Vikings, Saints of Ireland, Bryan Boru, Cromwell, and Daniel O’Connell. The latter was beloved by the Irish people and brought Catholic emancipation in 1829. The speaker tells two stories about Daniel O’Connell.
- SpeakerThe speaker notes that much Irish folklore includes elements of the “other” world including fairies, banshees and mythological figures. In 1972-1973, the speaker spent a year in Ireland studying Irish. He found that the Gaelic speakers of Nova Scotia have some of the same stories he found in Ireland. The speaker wonders if PEI would also have these same stories. The speaker talks about customs around various calendar festivals such as Easter as well as weddings and Irish wakes.
- SpeakerThe speaker finishes by talking about folk sayings including rhymes, proverbs, sayings and possibly prayers and curses. The speaker ends by saying that there’s plenty of material on Irish folklore.
- SpeakerApplause
- SpeakerQuestions, comments, remarks follow