Blúiríní Béaloidis Folklore Podcast

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, and has published widely in the fields of material culture and vernacular architecture. His contribution to the discipline of Irish Folklore and Ethnology has been exceptional. Having lived in Ballymenone, Co. Fermanagh, for almost a decade in the 1970s, Professor Glassie published a number of studies inspired by the community there, including All Silver and No Brass (1975), Passing the Time in Ballymenone (1982) and The Stars of Ballymenone (2006). These books are landmark works which have become classic texts for students of Folklore in Ireland and abroad, along with many other items on Professor Glassie's long list of publications. Henry has rendered invaluable service to our understanding of Irish popular tradition and vernacular culture, and he can truly be described as a towering figure in the study of Irish Folklore for more than half a century. Even in his retirement, he remains a staunch and committed friend to Ireland and to the people he worked with while carrying out fieldwork here. Henry has had a long and extremely positive relationship with UCD since the establishment of the Department of Irish Folklore in the university in the early 1970s. With the approach of the fiftieth anniversary of his first major publication on Irish Folklore, All Silver and No Brass, it was deemed especially appropriate for the University to take the opportunity to honour Professor Glassie, and on Wednesday 21 May 2025, Henry was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from UCD, in recognition of his remarkable contribution to the growing area of Irish Studies in general, and to the field of Irish Folklore and Ethnology in particular. It was a great honour and personal privilege for me to sit and 'Pass the Time' with Henry, and over the course of ninety minutes we explored his background, interests, intellectual life, and experiences of field work, as well as delving into the topics of place, creativity, art, meaning, identity, belonging and despair; invoking old friends such as Fred B. Kniffen, E. Estyn Evans, Michael J. Murphy, Seán Ó Súilleabháin, Ellen Cutler, Tommy Love, Michael Boyle, Peter Flanagan, and Hugh Nolan as we trooped our way homewards. My thanks to all my colleagues at the NFC, as well as Susan Lysaght, Sandra Collins, Evelyn Flanagan, Andrew Fogarty, Veronica Aguilar Olmos, Dominic Martella for making this episode possible, and - most especially - to Henry and Pravina for their generosity, openness and kindness.

Regarding food in Irish tradition, Kevin Danaher, writing in 1964, noted that "Sometimes we get the impression that Ireland, in ancient times, was a land of plenty, and again we get quite the opposite impression - that our forebears lived out their lives on the very edge of starvation. In reality both these impressions are wrong." As an expression of culture that permeates every aspect of life, food holds a central place in Irish folk tradition, and for episode 41 of Blúiríní Béaloidis, I am delighted to be joined by Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire, Senior Lecturer in the School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology at Technological University Dublin to discuss food in Irish folk tradition. Máirtín, along with Dorothy Cashman, was co-editor of the recent "Irish Food History: A Companion", published by the Royal Irish Academy in hardcopy in 2024, and available freely online via EUT+ at the following link: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/irishfoodhist/1/ For this episode of the podcast we discuss Máirtín's background, exploring the way in which he came to take such an interest in Ireland's food history, as well as examining the themes of continuity and change in the context of the Irish diet. Join us as we explore Irish food traditions in the context of calendar observances, the life cycle and ritual observances, as well as considering regional foodways, the importance of hospitality and the impact of the Irish language on our understanding of both food and place in Irish tradition. From milk, butter and the Brehon Laws, to spice bags and purple Snack bars, join us as we explore changing attitudes to food in Ireland. This is also the first episode of the podcast which we have been able to record on video, and I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Andrew Fogarty, Veronica Aguilar Olmos and Dominic Martella for their support for the series to date, and for organising the shoot. I hope listeners and viewers will please forgive my excessive humming-and-hawing in this episode - I felt quite nervous in front of the new setup! Video for this episode is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x4PdbSXrSk&ab_channel=UCD-UniversityCollegeDublin

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 concerning the absence of signs of life regarding the series over the last year and a half. The good news is that the podcast still exists, the work of the NFC continues apace, and the bad news, well… there is no bad news really; just the reality of one individuals less-than-perfect attempts at keeping a variety of plates spinning while kicking cans down the road. Forgive me please! Forty episodes ago, we commenced our wanderings through the folklore furrow by asking 'what is folklore?' Now, having traversed some of the way together, we will stop to consider well, what is a folklore archive? Folklore archives, in actively setting out to document the traditional customs, practices and memories of ‘ordinary people', have tended to develop on the margins of the professional archival world. They offer unique cases for archival research, as the systems of classification and description they employ, along with the impulses that motivate them, pose questions regarding the relevance of formal archival ideas (which often developed in response to the needs or large and powerful government bureaucracies). In this episode we will explore the role and nature of archives generally, and will consider the form and nature of the folklore archive specifically. We'll hear from the visionary individuals who established the folklore archive in Ireland, will explore Ireland's troubled relationship with archives, look at the systems of classification and description which are employed in folklore archives, and consider what use this material offers us in these troubled times. I have many people to thank for helping me to create this episode; Cathal Goan, for his kind permission to use excerpts from his wonderful 1985 radio documentary 'Lest They Perish', Cormac O'Malley for permission to use recording of him reading account of the destruction of the Public Records Office of Ireland in his father Ernie O'Malley's memoir 'The Singing Flame', my colleague Kate Manning, Principal Archivist at UCD Archives for her alerting me to a fascinating 1935 government memorandum concerning the establishment of the Irish Folklore Commission, my colleagues at the National Folklore Collection for their assistance, support and good humour, and finally to yourselves, dear listeners, for your continued interest and support in our work. So, sin a bhfuil! We're already working away on a new series of interviews and episodes, and please God, will return with more next year. Beirigí bua agus beannacht! Jonny

Bees have been cultivated in Ireland since early times. Of value for their wax and honey, there were also believed to be blessed creatures, as Dáithí Ó hÓgáin writes: "probably because of the use of their wax to make church candles, and one medieval legend describes a swarm of bees building a little container around a lost communion wafer to protect it. They were also thought to be possessed of special wisdom, and to take an acute interest in the affairs of their owners. If a bee entered the house it was regarded as a good omen, and the bees in their hive would be told in advance of projects that the family intended to undertake in the belief that they might effect a beneficial influence. When a member of the family died, it was customary to place a black piece of cloth on the hiveso that the bees could join in the mourning". For this episode of Blúiríní I was honoured to have been joined by my friend and colleague from the National Museum of Country Life in county Mayo, and alumnus of the taught MA in Irish Folklore at UCD, Tiernan Gaffney. Tiernan is an Assistant Keeper of the Irish Folklife Collection at the National Museum of Ireland, his folklore research often explores the creation and connection of communities within shared spaces. Join us for episode 39 of Blúiriní Béaloidis as we honour those blessed, wise and industrious little ones, and talk about an upcoming National Museum of Ireland exhibition, “Murmur of Bees”which will launch in the summer of 2023. To learn more about the National Museum of Ireland: Country Life, visit: https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/Museums/Country-Life

Lying in fields and ditches, at the edge of old and overgrown graveyards and in lonesome places all over Ireland rest forgotten echoes of our past. Large and unwieldy stones; blocks of granite and sandstone flags which, used in former times as tests of strength, still reverberate with the memory of heroic feats. The tradition of stone lifting, while well-attested in Scotland, Iceland and other parts of Europe, is a topic about which very little is known in Ireland. For the past year, David Keohan, multiple national European and world champion in kettlebell sport, world record holder, avid strength historian and self-described stone-lifting fanatic, has been (literally) unearthing this little-known aspect of traditional Irish physical culture. Guided by material relating to the practice of stone lifting as found in the archives of the National Folklore Collection, David has been travelling the country identifying lifting stones mentioned in manuscript sources gathered by folklore collectors, and has been talking to locals who remember the lifting of these stones in former times. It has been an honour to assist in shining further light on this topic, and I was delighted to be joined by David for this episode of Blúiríní as he discusses his adventures to date. Join us as we attempt to set out the scope of the tradition as it existed in Ireland, drawing on NFC collection to examine the occasions on which these stones were lifted, their connection to funeral games and the dead, the role of lifting stones as rites of passage or method of settling dispute as well as their associations with hags, giants and mythical champions. The richness of our archival collections now serve to assist in the regeneration and reanimation of this once widespread custom, and should serve as a source of inspiration and pride; linking us with the past, with our birthplaces and with those who have gone before us. David's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irish_move_athlete/?hl=en David's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@davidindianakeohans3566 Two highly recommended and very beautiful Rogue Fitness documentaries were mentioned at the outset of the episode. They are available here: Stoneland (Scottish stone lifting tradition): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhQlNwxn5oo&ab_channel=RogueFitness Fullsterkur (Icelandic stone lifting tradition): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79Tcsg2Yac8&ab_channel=RogueFitness Website here dedicated to the memory of Scotsman Peter Martin (mentioned in this episode). Peter held a special affection for the Gaels, and his research into Gaelic strength culture and traditional stone lifting was without equal: https://www.oldmanofthestones.com/

This episode of Blúiríní Béaloidis was recorded in the beautiful surrounds of the Museum of Literature Ireland, in the historic UCD Newman House on St Stephen's Green in the heart of Dublin - and, I might add - for the first time, in front of a live studio audience. This was a great pleasure for me personally, so thanks to Ian, Benedict, Katie and Simon at MoLI for their kindness and hospitality in having us along. This aim of this podcast is to present listeners with the richness, artistry and depth of vision to be found in our folk traditions, and to this end, each episode to date has taken a singular fragment of that tradition as its primary focus; holy wells, sacred trees, rites of passage, calendar observances, the house, and so on. This format, while useful for our purposes, is necessarily somewhat artificial as an approach, for in our own lives, tradition rarely compartmentalises itself so neatly, instead manifesting as a tapestry of many threads, and a chorus of many voices which serve to keep to the past present. For this episode however, instead of focusing on one aspect of tradition, we for the first time dedicate our explorations to one individual; Mairéad ‘Peig' Sayers who, by her artistry and mastery as a storyteller in the oral tradition, skilfully managed to express the ‘wisdom of the many in the wit of the few', and yet whose printed autobiographies, as Irene Lucchitti notes in an article in Folklore and Modern Irish writing: ‘experienced a decline in reputation, suffering critical disdain and schoolyard ridicule in equal measure'. Now, nearly sixty-five years after her death, we hope to provide a platform through which her tales might find a new audience, one which, it is hoped, may find in her a source of inspiration and insight. It is a pleasure then, to announce that quite apart from this podcast, our friends and colleagues at MoLI, having worked in collaboration with ourselves at the NFC, will host a nine month exhibition on Peig Sayers called 'Thar Bealach Isteach' / 'Into the Island', on the Blasket Island storytelling tradition, and the context in which priceless fieldwork collections of oral literature held today in the archives of the National Folklore Collection at UCD, were recorded from that community by the Irish Folklore Commission. With me to explore Peig's stories for this episode, I am hugely honoured to have been joined by Dr. Pádraig Ó Héalaí and Dr. Éilís Ní Dhuibhne. Pádraig is a retired Senior Lecturer in Modern Irish at NUI, Galway. His area of specialisation is Irish folklore and he has published on many aspects of this topic, including religious tradition, Blasket heritage and beliefs and practices associated with the supernatural. He is a former editor of the journal Béaloideas and with Bo Almqvist, he edited with Peig Sayers: Labharfad le Cách / I Will Speak To You All and Níl Deireadh Ráite (both of which were recently republished by New Island). Recently, he edited An Blascaod Trí Fhuinneog na Scoile (2015), a young teacher's account of her experience of life on the Great Blasket when it was still home to a vibrant community. Éilís Ní Dhuibhne was born in Dublin. Author of more than thirty books, her works include The Dancers Dancing, The Shelter of Neighbours, Cailíní Beaga Ghleann na mBláth and Hurlamaboc, among others. Her most recent books are Twelve Thousand Days: A Memoir, Little Red and Other Stories (Blackstaff 2020), and Look! It's a Woman Writer; Irish Literary Feminisms 1970-2020 (ed.) (Arlen House, 2021) As well as being a writer, she is a folklore scholar and has written extensively on aspects of traditional narrative. She has been the recipient of many literary awards, most recently the Pen Award for an Outstanding Contribution to Irish Literature. In Autumn 2020 she held the Burns Scholarship at Boston College. She is a member of Aosdána, and President of the Folklore of Ireland Society.

Irish Travellers, known in their own language as Mincéirs or Pavees and in Irish called ‘An Lucht Siúil or, ‘The Walking People', are a nomadic ethnic minority in Ireland with a distinct history, culture and identity. Historically, Travellers were called Tinkers, a reference to their trade as tinsmiths, and they also made a living through engaging with the settled community; by buying and selling animals, or through seasonal farm labour. They've also long been renowned as singers, musicians and storytellers who brought news, tales, songs and music from townland to townland, parish to parish and county to county as they travelled around Ireland. As a minority group however, Ireland's Travellers they have long-faced discrimination on the basis of their ethnicity, and are often reported as the subject of explicit prejudice in Irish society. For this episode of the podcast, I hope to enter into an exploration of Traveller culture and identity, and I'm honoured to be joined by David Joyce; an advocate for the Traveller community who has worked as both a barrister and a solicitor, and Áine Furey, a singer, musician, tour guide and alumna of the Department of Irish Folklore here at UCD. I hope you'll keep us company for the next hour or so as we come to know and honour the culture, traditions, perspectives and experiences of Ireland's Travelling people, to whom this episode is dedicated. For details concerning audio timecodes, see below: 08:20: Tom 'Bun' Connors in conversation with Seán Ó Súilleabháin, Cherry Orchard, Dublin (1967) listing some Travellers families and which parts of Ireland they're from. 14:20: Andy Cassidy, 'My Rifle, My Pony and Me' recorded by Alen McWeeney in Labre Park, Ballyfermot, Dublin (1967) My thanks to Alen, and to Pavee Point for permission to reproduce this wonderful recording! See more here: http://www.paveepoint.ie/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/WhishtBooklet.pdf 27:35: Bridget Connors in conversation with Seán Ó Súilleabháin, Cherry Orchard, Dublin (1967) recounting the kindness of Kerry people, and the hostility with which she was met in other places in Ireland. 39: 54: 'Bun' Connors recounting the tinsmithing trade as it was practiced in his family, and how it was undone by the arrival of cheap plastic goods. 42:07: John Reilly singing 'The Jolly Tinker'. Recorded by Tom Munnelly while John and his family were camped at Cloongrehan, Cootehall, County Roscommon (October 1971) 47:02: John Reilly singing 'False Lankum'. Recorded by Tom Munnelly while John and his family were camped at Cloongrehan, Cootehall, County Roscommon (October 1971) See here for more: https://digital.ucd.ie/view/ivrla:31077 50: 22: 'Bun' Connors relates his experience of travelling around Ireland, and demonstrating how well he knows the homeplace of Seán Ó Súilleabháin(from Kenmare, county Kerry) in particular. 53:55: Uileann Piper Johnny Doran playing 'Colonel Fraser, My Love Is in America, Rakish Paddy' recorded by the Irish Folklore Commission (1947) 56: 28: 'Bun' Connors relates his long standing friendship with Margaret Barry 1:00:55: 'Bun' and his mother Bridget Connors describe how Travellers used make a living from dealing animals, and gives account of the fairs they used visit. 1:04:10: 'Bun' Connors relates details of winter lodgings and the times of the year that Travellers used travel. 1:08:30: 'Bun' Connors recounts the ways in which the settled people would come and join them by the fire a few days after they had arrived into an area and set up camp. Describes the bonds and neighbourly feelings fostered over time. 1:23:39: Pádraig Mac Gréine recounts how he first met Traveller and storyteller Oney Power in county Longford in the 1930s. 1:29:40: 'Bun' and Bridget Connors give account of the context in which the Traveller language is used, providing examples of phrases and terminology. 1:39:38: Johnny Doran, playing Sliabh na mBan, a slow air, dedicated to the late Seán Garvey.

The Civil War was a schismatic moment in Irish history, and the fault lines it left split families, tore apart communities and turned former comrades in arms against one another in a bitterly divisive period of violence and conflict. According to historian Anne Dolan, ‘The memory of the Irish Civil War has been assumed, distorted, [and] misunderstood. It has been manipulated, underestimated, but most of all, ignored'. Now, 100 years on, in marking the centenary of this period, The Civil War Memory project is currently underway (a collaboration between The National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin and award winning documentary filmmakers Scratch Films) to document and preserve oral testimonies, reminiscences and accounts concerning the Civil War. The collecting project will result in a body of archival material which will be deposited at the NFC for posterity, with two documentaries covering the collecting process being aired on RTÉ this autumn. If you would like to contribute to the project, please reach out to us at bealoideas@ucd.ie To take me through the project, and to discuss this phase of our history in more detail I'm honoured to be joined by my friend and colleague Dr. Críostóir Mac Cárthaigh, Director of the National Folklore Collection. Join us as we discuss silence, memory and the trauma of war. Audio timecodes: 10:58: Commandant Horgan in conversation with Séamas Mac Philib, 20 May 1980. Horgan explains how he and his brother were on opposite sides of the conflict, and how his mother would keep them separate when they would visit the family home. 14:36: Kathleen Farell in conversation with Séamas Mac Philib, 6 March 1980. Kathleen describes how IRA men were hidden in her house. 16:10: Patrick Galvin in conversation with Séamas Mac Philib, 10 January 1980. Patrick describes how he was unable to return to his job after the Civil War, and was fired when it was learnt that he had fought on the anti-Treaty side. 32:22: Patrick Galvin in conversation with Séamas Mac Philib, 10 January 1980. Patrick relates how it was difficult to shoot against former friends and comrades. Describes the 'great boys' he fought alongside in 1916 and in the 'Tan War' (the War of Independence) but states that everyone has a certain principle by which they must stand. 39:03: John O'Brien in conversation with Séamas Mac Philib, 04 November 1979. John relates local information concerning the assassination of Michael Collins. Is reluctant to share what he has heard out of respect for local families, and remarks that it could be dangerous. Thanks to Tiernan Gaffney for editing these pieces from our sound archive!

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

In life, there is much which seems uncertain to us. Concerning death however, there can be no doubt. It was an honour to speak with funeral director, death-care practitioner and proud Sligo native David McGowan on the topic of death for episode 33 of Blúiríní Béaloidis. Sit with us as we explore attitudes and customs regarding death and dying, from the practicalities and preparations of the corpse, to the wake house and beliefs regarding the departure of the soul. The episode features a good deal of archival audio from NFC collections, details of which can be found below. I'd like to thank David for being so generous with his time and knowledge, and send special thanks likewise to Síle Denver and the group Líadan, for permission to include their beautiful rendition of Amhrán Mhuínse to close the episode - baochas ó chroí libh uiléir. "Lord have mercy on the souls of the dead!" Stream 'The Funeral Director' for free here: https://www.rte.ie/player/movie/the-funeral-director/118399528355 Support Líadan here: https://liadan.ie/ Archival audio timecodes: 12:24 - 13:50: Tom Dolan, Kinnegad, county Westmeath describes the 'crippling' that occurs to a body after death. Refers to a joke played at the wake house when hunched corpse was sat upright and had a pipe placed in its mouth. Rec. by Leo Corduff (1970) NFC T0504 13:51 - 14:39: James Grady, Lecarrow, county Roscommon describes how the corpse was laid out on a board to keep it straight, as it stiffens after death. Rec. by Jim Delaney (1961) NFC T0152 18:21 - 19:59: Michael Keenan, Lenamore, county Longford playing 'The Bucks of Oranmore' on the pipes. Rec. by Jim Delaney (1957) NFC T0023 22:42 - 26:33: Mrs. Meath, Ballyhaunis county Mayo describes beliefs regarding wakes, along with neighbourly assistance at the time of a death in the locality. Rec. by Leo Corduff and Ciarán Bairéad (1965) NFC T0298 26:34 - 27:21: Unidentified female singer on Aran islands, county Galway, giving example of keen for the dead (traditional lament). Rec. by Sidney Robertson Cowell(1957) NFC C0714 27:22 - 27:58: Eibhlín ní Mhurchú, Dundrum, county Dublin (formerly Baile Loiscithe, Kilmalkeader, county Kerry) describes keening lament as heard at wakes in her youth. Rec. by Ríonach Uí Ógáin (1995) NFC T2213 27:59 - 28:40: Brídín Iarnáin, Inis Mór, county Galway, giving example of traditional keen for the dead (1949) NFC C0161 37:30 - 39:01: James Grady, Lecarrow, county Roscommon describes how men would be sent for wake provisions. Gives humorous account of the carpenter who, fond of drink, keeps returning to house to measure the body for coffining, receives a fresh drink each time he enters. Rec. by Jim Delaney and Leo Corduff (1961) NFC T0152 39:02 - 39:54: Anne Kiernan, Kinnegad, Cloncrave, county Westmeath, describes the provisions laid on at the wake. Rec. by Leo Corduff (1971)NFC T0545 43:11 - 44:41: Stephen Dunne, Bride Street, the Liberties, Dublin describes the washing of the corpse by a charitable neighbour woman. Rec. by Jim Delaney (1968) NFC T0425 44:42 - 46:46: James Grady, Lecarrow, county Roscommon describes the washing and laying out of the corpse by local women. Rec. by Jim Delaney and Leo Corduff (1961) NFC T0152 58:52 - 1:01:07: Anne Kiernan, Kinnegad, Cloncrave, county Westmeath, describes return of a soul to pay a debt. Rec. by Leo Corduff (1971) NFC T0545 1:01:07 - 1:03:14: Jack Foley, county Down describes the earthly wandering of purgatorial souls (1958) NFC T0063 1:03:15 - 1:04:20: Mary Walsh, Kinnegad, county Westmeath, describes apparitions prior to a death, and visions of the recently deceased. Rec. by Leo Corduff(1970) NFC T0505 1:04:20 - 1:06:02: Michael Dolan, Glangevlin, county Cavan describes how a man used speak with the ghosts of his two sons, killed in the Great War of 1914-18. Rec. by Michael J. Murphy (1972) NFC T0587

With the coming of the cool wet weather of autumn, life begins to turn inward again . The fields lie fallow and bare, flowers wither, leaves decay, and all life seems to return to the earth. It's in this period of fading light, that strange and beautiful forms begin to arise from the undergrowth in the temperate regions all over Europe. In woodlands, fields, gardens and along roadsides, colourful fungi and mushrooms of all shapes and sizes quietly spring forth and flourish as if from nowhere, while all else appears in a state of decline. A short entry in volume 1670 of the Main Manuscript Collection at the NFC contains information collected from around Ireland on the topic of mushrooms in folk tradition. The material contained in this volume, previously unpublished and explored in this podcast episode, explores traditional attitudes to mushrooms in Irish tradition and outlines their uses along with popular beliefs concerning them. Audio from the NFC sound archive also features, along with audio material from the collections of the Irish Traditional Music Archive and the singing group Landless. My thanks to archivist Danielle Castronovo at the Economic Botany Herbarium of Oakes Ames, Harvard University for her help in filling the gaps of some correspondence between R. Gordon Wasson and the Irish Folklore Commission. My thanks to archivist Maeve Gebreurs at the Irish Traditional Music Archive for forwarding Diane Hamilton's 1957 recording of Robert Cinnamond's rendition of the song 'Gathering Mushrooms'. Thanks likewise to Emmett Gill, archivist at Na Píobairí Uileann for pointing me in the direction of the collection of which this song is a part. Thanks too to Dónal Lunny, copyright holder, for permission to include this piece in the podcast. A variety of sources are consulted and discussed throughout, some links below: Prehistoric fungal representations in Tassili Algeria https://www.britannica.com/place/Tassili-n-Ajjer A Prehistoric Mural in Spain Depicting Neurotropic Psilocybe Mushrooms? https://www.jstor.org/stable/41242925 The Fungus Lore of the Greeks and Romans https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0007153614800077 Dioscorides: De Materia Medica https://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/aconite/materiamedica.html Mushroom Artwork of Otto Marseus van Shrieck https://bit.ly/3nEwy3n Plutarch: Essays and Miscellanies https://www.gutenberg.org/files/3052/3052-h/3052-h.htm#link2HCH0065 The Hypothesis on the Presence of Entheogens in the Eleusinian Mysteries https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327838578_The_hypothesis_on_the_presence_of_entheogens_in_the_Eleusinian_Mysteries Mircea Eliade - Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691210667/shamanism Nora Chadwick: Imbas Forosnai http://searchingforimbas.blogspot.com/p/imbas-forosnai-by-nora-k-chadwick.html An Irish Materia Medica: Tadhg Ó Cuinn https://celt.ucc.ie//published/G600005/index.html William Camden: Brittania https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/travellers/Camden/32 Seeking the Magic Mushroom: Life Magazine May 1957 (via MAPS.org) https://bibliography.maps.org/bibliography/default/resource/15048 Tina and R. Gordon Wasson - Russia, Mushrooms and History (vols. 1, & 2) [PDF] https://doorofperception.com/2015/04/r-gordon-wasson-seeking-the-magic-mushroom/ Audio featured from the Irish Traditional Music Archive: https://itma.ie Landless: https://landless.bandcamp.com/ National Folklore Collection online portal: https://dúchas.ie

For this episode of Blúiríní I am joined by sculptor Aidan Harte, whose recent work 'The Púca of Ennistymon' was commissioned by Clare county Council for the town of Ennistymon in the west of Ireland. The piece caused widespread controversy and made headlines nationally and internationally over the summer, being denounced as a pagan idol and sinister statue irreflective of the character and heritage of the town. In the course of our discussion Aidan and I examine the controversy and differing opinions regarding the statue, before taking a closer look at the figure of the Púca himself. The Púca is a solitary spirit in Irish folk tradition. A wanderer of the night, tradition tells us that he is often found in lonely portions of the rural landscape beyond the confines of the town; gambolling and sporting to himself amidst the hayfields in autumn, spoiling the fruit of the roadside with the coming of winter or haunting lonely glens, caves, chasms, cliffs, pools, forts, woods and castles across Ireland that bear his name. His shape is amorphous - many mushrooms are named after him, and he may appear to wayfarers on the road at night as a horse, a goat, a dog, a man or as a streak of light. Those who meet with him in lonely places at night relate how he hoists them up on his back before embarking on a breakneck cross-country ride; leaping over ditches and through hedges, or running along cliff edges frightening and tormenting his unhappy passenger. Other accounts relate the ways in which the Púca protects those whom he meets; safeguarding them against some worse fate at the hands of otherworld beings, or protecting castles and large estates as a sort of tutelary figure or house spirit. Join us as we explore this chaotic and shadowy figure of 'malignancy and mischief'. Some sources drawn on for this episode: The Eldritch World, Nigel Pennick (Arcana Europea 2019) Irish Names of Places, Patrick Weston Joyce (M. H. Gill and Son 1887) Deasún Breathnach, 'The Púca: A Multifunctional Irish Supernatural Entity' in Folklore Volume 104 (1993 i & ii) Erin Sebo, 'Does OE Puca Have an Irish Origin?' in Studia Neophilologica, Volume 89 (2017 Issue 2) Claude Lecouteaux, 'Encyclopedia of Norse and Germanic Folklore, Mythology and Magic' (Inner Traditions, ed. Michael Moynihan, 2016) Claude Lecouteaux, The Tradition of Household Spirits (Inner Traditions, trans. Jon E. Graham, 2013) Katharine Briggs, A Dictionary of Fairies (Penguin, 1976) National Folklore Collection Main Manuscript Collection National Folklore Collection Schools' Manuscript Collection National Folklore Collection Audio Collection For Frank Callery's singing see: https://soundcloud.com/frankcallerysongs For Enda Haran's Music see: https://www.facebook.com/endaharan2017/ https://www.instagram.com/endaharanmusic/ https://endaharan.bandcamp.com/

There are numerous accounts in tradition of wayfarers who suffer fits of confusion and disorientation while traversing the natural landscape. Such bouts were at times attributed to the influence of the fairies (who would set wanders astray for their own amusement) or the power of the stray sod (an enchanted sod of earth which set those who trod upon it astray). While the accounts vary, these occurrences involve situations in which individuals are forced to navigate a landscape characterised by its sudden shift into unfamiliarity and strangeness. Tilled fields that are worked by day become unnavigable and impassable by night. Well-worn and intimately known paths, crossroads and laneways are rendered odd, unknown and eerie all at once. The landscape at times becomes unrecognisable, indefinite and nameless. Landmarks are erased, inverted or otherwise replaced with new and unidentified features. Grand residences and strange houses appear on the side of hitherto barren hills. Impenetrable fogs, mists and coloured hazes descend and disorientate. Rivers, ditches, woods and walls appear to block all progress through the land. Lights rise and float in the distance and familiar reference points fall away, leaving the experiencer to navigate strange and foreign scenery which is at once indeterminate and unknown, with disenchantment coming at the dawn, leaving the exhausted wayfarer to suddenly realise their location, often only short distance from their homes. For episode 30 of Blúiríní Béaloidis Jonny traverses fields, hedges, ditches and heights examining narratives concerning stray sod and 'seachrán sí' (fairy straying) traditions; from the graves of unbaptised children to illusions and phantasms appearing in the natural landscape, and from spirits of the dead refused entry to either heaven or hell, to workings of the fairy host, join us as we explore the liminal personae who inhabit those isolated and unknown portions of the landscape.

The Irish Folklore Commission (established in 1935) tasked itself with the documentation of the unwritten customs, beliefs and narratives of the Irish people; those ‘disiecta membra’ (as James Hamilton Delargy described them) of a rich heritage which it was feared was in danger of dying out and disappearing forever unless swift action was taken to gather up the fragments that remain, lest they perish. Delargy, and those with whom he worked, endeavoured to secure for future generations the sources of inspiration and pride which he saw as having languished in the ‘lumber room’ of history; those tales, traditions and songs of Ireland, cultural expressions he understood as representing ‘the State Papers of a forgotten and neglected people’. The work of the Irish Folklore Commission then, in recording the voices and ideals of the ordinary people of Ireland , aimed to represent those communities whose voice was not heard among the formal archival records of the state. But, there are silences in every archive, and the Irish Folklore Commission was no different, having its own particular biases and tendencies. Among these biases was an initial focus on the customs of rural people over those in towns and urban areas. Another, and one which is the subject of today’s discussion, was the absence of material collected from Ireland’s Protestant community. Thankfully, this has recently been addressed by Dr. Deirdre Nuttall, who, working with the National Folklore Collection between 2013 and 2017 conducted a folk history of Ireland's Protestants consisting of ninety eight interviews and seventy six questionnaire responses, the results of which she has recently published in her book ‘Different and the Same: A Folk History of the Protestants of Independent Ireland’. Join Jonny and Deirdre as they discuss 19th century conceptions of 'the Folk', examine Protestant origin stories and consider counter-narratives to Ireland's major historical events embedded in the communal memories of Ireland's Protestant community. 'Different and the Same' is published by Eastwood Books, and is available from the publisher directly at: https://eastwoodbooks.com/different-and-the-same/ The book is available in all good bookshops in Ireland, and online.

My guest for this edition of Bluiríní Béaloidis is writer and documentary maker Manchán Magan, whose recent book 'Thirty-Two Words For Field' is a meditation on old Irish words and the nuances of a way of life that is vanishing with them. The book considers the 'richness of a language closely tied to the natural landscape' which 'offered our ancestors a more magical way of seeing the world'. It considers the 'sublime beauty and profound oddness of the ancient tongue that has been spoken on this island for over 2,000 years'. In this discussion, we consider how language and tradition binds us to the landscape, expolore the role of tradition in modernity and speculate on the ancient connections between Ireland and India. Manchán's book '32 Words For Field' has been nominated for numerous awards, and (as of December 2020) is already in its fourth printing. Copies can be purchased from directly from the author here: http://manchan.com/32-words-for-field Or at all good independent book shops: https://www.easons.com/thirty-two-words-for-field-manchan-magan-9780717187973 https://www.dubraybooks.ie/thirty-two-words-for-field_9780717187973

The Banshee is a well known supernatural figure in Irish folk tradition. In origin a patron goddess caring for the fortunes of her people, the banshee of folk belief is usually considered to be a harbinger of death, being said to follow certain families from generation to generation. Traditions about her are spread widely throughout the country, and for this episode of the podcast Jonny has the privilege of speaking with Professor Patricia Lysaght, who is the world authority on the topic of the Banshee. Their discussion takes in the rich array of customs and beliefs concerning her, starting with an exploration of the names by which she is popularly known, before moving on to the ways in which she manifests to the people. Her function as a prognosticator of death in the community, the attitudes to life and death that are expressed through her, and the ways in which ancient ideas and motifs concerning her have survived to the modern day are further explored, with archival audio excerpts supplementing the conversation. Patricia's book 'The Banshee: The Irish Supernatural Death Messenger' is the authoritative work on the topic, and is available to purchase online: https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&cm_sp=SearchF-_-home-_-Results&an=lysaght&tn=banshee&kn=&isbn= This episode features some music by Landless from their 2018 Bleaching Bones, which can be purchased here: https://landless.bandcamp.com/album/bleaching-bones-2 Music from 'Opening the Astral Doors' released in 2010 by Further Records is also featured: https://furtherrecords.org/album/opening-the-astral-doors

Seals have been an integral part of coastal life in Ireland for generations, and as such there exists a large body of tradition, belief and narrative regarding them. They were described in tradition as being enchanted people, wise women, fallen angels and drowned (or indeed reincarnated) fishermen, and encounters with them often relate how they would speak to, plead with or warn those fishermen who were about to attack or kill them out at sea or on the shore. Certain families in Ireland (Coneelys, O'Kanes, Dowds, O'Sheas and Gallaghers among them)were considered to have been the result of a union between a mortal and an enchanted seal, and many narrative accounts collected in Ireland describe how such unions came about when a mortal man who came upon a seal-woman in human form on the shore stole her cloak (which allowed her to change form) took her home, married her and had children with her, until one day she discovered her hidden cloak and left her children and husband to return to the sea. For this month's edition of Blúiríní Jonny is joined by Ailbe van der Heide to discuss the topic of seals in folk tradition, join them as they traverse the coasts and islands around Ireland and further afield to consider the interplay between nature, culture, appearance and reality which is brought across by these liminal beings. Some material mentioned in this episode: 'Monolingual Irish Speaker': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP4nXlKJx_4&ab_channel=AnGhaeilge Seán Ó hEinirí (John Henry) in conversation with Professor Séamas Ó Catháin of the Department of Irish Folklore. This video is from a documentary called 'In Search of the Trojan War' from 1985. 'People of the Sea' by David Thomson: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/309401.The_People_of_the_Sea Bairbre Ní Fhloinn: 'Tadhg and Donncha...' in Islanders and Water Dwellers (1996) https://www.fourcourtspress.ie/books/folklore-commission/islanders-and-water-dwellers/ Linda May-Ballard: Seal Stories and Belief on Rathlin Island in Ulster Folklife Martin Puhvel, 'The Seal in the Folklore of Northern Europe' Folklore, volume 74 issue 1: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0015587X.1963.9716898 Bo Almqvist 'Of Mermaids and Marriages. Seamus Heaney's 'Maighdean Mara' and Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill's 'an Mhaighdean Mhara' in the Light of Folk Tradition', Béaloideas, Iml. 58 (1990), pp. 1-74 (Available online through JSTOR) Alexander H. Krappe, 'Scandinavian Seal Lore', Scandinavian Studies , Vol. 18, No. 4 (1944) pp. 156-162

Midsummer has long been observed as a period of jubilant celebration, with communal gatherings at bonfires and prayers, recitations, music, songs, dance and merriment being the order of the night. Join Jonny for episode 25 of Blúiríní Béaloidis as he explores the origins of midsummer festivities in Europe; recounting the raucous antics of the Brotherhood of the Green Wolf in France, considering the eve of the feast of St. John the Baptist as a symbolic counterbalance to Christmas and focusing on the protective and magical properties of the night. The fires burn on every hill and height, join us as we celebrate midsummer! Our thanks for Michael Anderson and Schola Antiqua for permission to include their beautiful rendition of 'Ut queant laxis' in this episode. To learn more, and support them directly visit: https://www.schola-antiqua.org/

It was said in tradition that 'there isn't an ailment or infirmity the cure of which doesn't grow in the fields or along the hedges', and indeed, our forebears employed a wide range of historical practices to drive out infirmity and illness. While a great deal of folk cures were entirely practical in their application, many others turned to the use of magic, sacrifice and the use of charms, rituals or prayer – modes of thought quite at odds with altogether more modern, secular perspectives. Far from being casually forged in the half-light of ignorance, our folk cures reveal those measures which, being deeply concerned with human life and welfare, were called on in times of crisis, in order to provide reassurance and comfort in the face of insecurity, illness and anxiety. For this episode of Blúiríní, we examine definitions of folk medicine before taking a look at the healing deities of Classical European Paganism, and Irish mythology alike. Our explorations will then turn to consider the host of plagues, pestilences and infirmities outlined in our medieval chronicles, before we take a look at folk cures recorded in the archives of the National Folklore Collection University College Dublin. As we presently accustom ourselves to life in varying degrees of 'lockdown', it is worth turning to the past, in order to draw on the endurance, strength and patience with which our forebears held themselves through hardship. As the saying goes, 'Ní neart go chur le chéile!' ('There is no strength without unity!') Selected Readings of Interest: Chapter Title: Talitha Qum! An Exploration of the Image of Jesus as Healer-PhysicianSavior in the Synoptic Gospels in Relation to the Asclepius Cult Chapter Author(s): Frances Flannery Book Title: Coming Back to Life Book Subtitle: The Permeability of Past and Present, Mortality and Immortality, Death and Life in the Ancient Mediterranean Book Author(s): Bradley N. Rice Book Editor(s): Frederick S. Tappenden, Carly Daniel-Hughes Published by: McGill University Library. (2017) Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvmx3k11.22 Some Notes on Homeric Folk-Lore Author(s): W. Crooke Source: Folklore, Vol. 19, No. 1 (Mar. 30, 1908), pp. 52-77 Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of Folklore Enterprises, Ltd. Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/1254711 Accessed: 20-03-2020 12:03 UTC Indo-European Dragon Slayers and Healers and the Irish Account of Dian Céacht and Méiche: https://www.academia.edu/10246879/Indo-European_Dragon-Slayers_and_Healers_and_the_Irish_Account_of_Dian_Céacht_and_

Lying in overgrown fields, by churches and next to roadsides all over Ireland, are hidden holy wells and sacred springs which have for countless generations been visited as sites of pilgrimage and devotion. These wells are generally small bodies of water dedicated to a local patron saint, and were often renowned for the healing properties. For this edition of Blúiríní, we shall trudge across the fields on pilgrimage to these sacred wells, commencing with an exploration of the early Irish literature, which describes the creation of Ireland's rivers when an otherworld woman breaks a taboo in visiting a secret well of knowledge, the rivers of which burst forth and engulf her. Moving on to consider Ireland's placenames in connection with holy wells, we will examine the changing attitudes of Christian tradition to these wells and to the Pattern day - those communal celebrations in honour of the patron saint to whom the well is dedicated, which degenerated into 'discreditable orgies' and scenes of drunken violence, being eventually put down by the Church. The curative (and malevolent) properties of these wells will also be explored, as will be the broader European context for veneration of sacred springs. For this episode I was very lucky to have been joined by Eddie O'Neill and Rosaleen Durkin, who very kindly showed my some of Wicklow's Holy Wells and spoke of their significance. Eddie's family have tended Lady Well in county Wicklow for three generations, and each year on the 15th of August (the Feast of the Assumption) the the entire community would visit the well to offer devotions, and to engage in merriment together, dancing and playing sports. Rosaleen Durkin, a native of Mayo, now living in Wicklow, set up (along with some friends) the group 'Wicklow Wells' which aims to 'preserve and document all the local traditions and folklore and where possible make them more accessible to locals and visitors alike'. For more, see the Wicklow Wells Facebook Page: https://bit.ly/2SRKeZt For Rosaleen's site, see: https://irishsacredwells.com/ This episode features a beautiful piano piece titled 'the Five Daughters' by Richard Moult. For more of Richard's music and art please visit his site: http://starred-desert.com/

Our lives are built on the stories we tell. At both an individual and a communal level, they orient and mould us, shaping our perspectives and outlining our reality. In an age where life can seem increasingly fettered by rules and regulations, where communication is drowned by endless jargon and noise demanding our attention, where the past is heaved overboard in order that we might more quickly race blindly towards the future, where places become zones, where endless change is automatically equated with progress, and where the sacred is replaced by the material, the stories we tell ourselves modernity seem increasingly to offer little by way of consolation, enchantment, wonder or joy. With this in mind, and in search of alternate perspectives for episode 22 of Blúiríní Béaloidis, I'm setting off from the National Folklore Collection, driving across Ireland to the village of Crusheen near Ireland's western coast, where I have arranged to meet a man who has been described as a ‘national treasure’, a ‘master storyteller’ and an ‘inspired performer’. Eddie Lenihan is an author and storyteller who has been collecting traditional stories and customs from an older generation for over 40 years. His 2003 book, Meeting the Other Crowd has been translated into many languages, and is dedicated by Eddie to ‘all those tellers now gone whose voices are not forgotten and to those still with us whose knowledge is more indispensable than ever’. As usual, throughout this episode you’ll hear a mixture of conversation along with original archival field recordings from the National Folklore Collection concerning the topics under discussion. For more information regarding these excerpts, see below. To learn more about Eddie, and to support his valuable work, please visithttp://eddielenihan.weebly.com/

The festival of Samhain has since ancient times been considered as a major turning point in the ritual year. In marking the threshold of darkness and the end of the season of light, the eve of Samhain (observed all over Ireland at sundown on the 31st of October) is characterised by heightened supernatural activity, a return of the ancestral dead, divination magic, mischief, ritual disguise and the suspension of normal modes and rules of behaviour. For this edition of Blúiríní, Jonny is joined by a special guest, Dr. Billy Mag Fhloinn. Billy is a folklorist, archaeologist, author and lecturer, whose book ‘Blood Rite: The Feast of St. Martin in Ireland’ was published in 2016, and who has contributed to international television productions by the BBC, PBS and the National Geographic Channel. For more information about Billy and his work, and to contact him directly please visit his site https://tradition.ie/ This edition of Blúiríní also features contributions from Aghast and Halo Manash Aghast were an all-female group from Norway, whose haunting and atmospheric album 'Hexerei Im Zwielicht Der Finsternis' was released in 1995. For more information, see http://www.metaladies.com/bands/aghast/ Halo Manash hail from Finland, and aim to 'seek, explore, experience, study and decipher reflections of the ever-shifting shapes and spaces of different worlds', in order to 'revitalise one of the oldest subconscious forms of communication, to open the gates and widen the horizon of perception concerning states of otherness lying in-between the cardinal directions.' Our special thanks for their generosity in permitting us to include their music in this edition of the podcast. For more information, and to support them directly, please visit http://www.helixes.org/halomanash/about/

This twentieth edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis comes as something of a bittersweet occasion, with Claire raising a parting glass to 'gently rise and softly call - goodnight and joy be with you all', leaving the National Folklore Collection to embark on a new adventure! In their final episode together, Claire and Jonny highlight some of their favourite archival excerpts from previous editions of Blúiríní, reminiscing on the treasures of the Collection as they go. From song and story, to text and context, they give thought to those who have gone before us - to their nobility and artistry - noting the inspiration that absent friends and family can still provide us today. Jonny will return in the coming months with a new series of Blúiríní featuring interviews and field recordings, but in the mean time we fill up our glasses and bid fond farewell to our dear Claire 'For The Sake of Completeness' Doohan, wishing her a world of joy and every success in the new chapter opening up before her!

While rooted in the earth, trees ascend towards the firmament of the Heavens. They likewise renew themselves through the eternal rhythms that govern all living things (those cycles of growth, maturation, decay and rebirth) as they blossom, flower, give fruit and eventually shed their leaves before being reborn anew each spring. Certain of these proud intermediaries between heaven and earth were treated with great veneration by our forebears, and echoes of the worship of sacred trees survives in folk tradition to this day. For this 19th edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis, hosts Jonny Dillon and Claire Doohan consider their culture born of nature. From sacred trees under which kings of Ireland were inaugurated in times long ago, to the holy woods inhabited by both madmen and saints, and from votive offerings left hanging on the branches of trees growing beside holy wells, to those trees treated with fear and trepidation, understood as they were, as dwellings of the otherworld spirits which live alongside us in the natural landscape. Stay with us for an hour then, as we shelter beneath the branches of tradition, which gift to us the fruits of memory and meaning. Jonny and Claire would like to send their thanks to Landless for permission to include the song 'The Trees Grow Tall' from their 2018 LP Bleaching Bones (played at 38 minutes, 12 seconds into the podcast). For more information about the group, and to support their work go to: https://landless.bandcamp.com https://www.facebook.com/landlessmusic/ https://www.instagram.com/landless_music_dublin/ We likewise send thanks to Richard Moult, for allowing us permission to include a beautiful piece of his piano music titled 'Star Filled Tree, Blacksburg' to close the podcast (the piece is played at 58 minutes, 48 seconds). If you would like to learn more about Richard's art, and to support his work, please go to: https://starred-desert.com

St. Brigid’s Day falls on the first of February, and is traditionally understood as marking the beginning of spring in Irish custom. Dedicated to the saint nicknamed Muire na nGael or the ‘Mary of the Irish’ (a designation given to her on account of the adoration and high regard in which she has long been held by the people of this island), St. Brigid's Day is a period full with emblems of regeneration, renewal and propagation. For the first in the 2019 series of Blúiríní Béaloidis, hosts Claire Doohan and Jonny Dillon explore the feast of St. Brigid by examining her pre-Christian roots; tracing her spread across Europe and exploring links with early Vedic literature and the Indo-European tradition before considering the role and function of Ireland's patroness, along with contemporary attitudes held towards her in folk custom. So, sit a while with us as we welcome in the dawn of a new season. Brigid, spring, you are welcome. Come in!

From Jul 28, 1914 until Nov 11, 1918 the iron dice of war rolled across the fields of Europe with a ferocity and magnitude the likes of which the world had never seen. In the smoke filled trenches of Guillement, and on the shell-illuminated wastes of Ypres a hellish vision of mechanised death manifested itself. In this, the 17th episode of Blúiríní Béaloidis, Claire Doohan and Jonny Dillon commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the Armistice of November 11, 1918, the date which marks the cessation of hostilities between the Allies and Germany. In a break from their usual format, Claire and Jonny explore the war by focusing on the memoirs of those who lived through the experience first hand - either on the front, or back at home. Drawing on material from Coningsby Dawson's 'Glory of the Trenches', Mrs. Victor Rickard's 'The Stand of the Munsters at Etreux', Vera Brittain's 'Testament of Youth' and Ernst Jünger's 'Storm of Steel', along with selections of poetry and archival recordings from the National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin, this edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis honours the heroism and bravery of all of those men and women who were lost to this war. Suaimhneas síoraí orthab! Claire and Jonny send a special note of thanks to Luke Murphy for his diligent and careful work in editing the NFC archival recordings used in the episode.

Native European and Irish Tradition posits the existence of an Otherworld realm lying beyond the furthest reaches of the horizon; an island of plenty and abundance, where happiness lasts forever, and where one hundred years pass as one day. The Greek Elysium, King Arthur's Avalon, the Odainsakr of the Norse and the Irish Land of the Living all point to a long-held corpus of beliefs regarding a paradise across the ocean. For the 16th instalment of Blúiríní Béaloidis, hosts Jonny Dillon and Claire Doohan set forth upon the waves to Teach Duinn (The House of Donn), to which the souls of Ireland's heathen dead were said to travel with the setting of the sun. Continuing their voyage, Claire and Jonny venture onwards over the seas 'flowery plains' visiting 'thrice fifty islands' with the great Connle, Mael Dúin, Bran and St. Brendan as their companions. Our ships are coursing over the sea; strange panoramas and otherworld islands await: 'There is a distant isle, Around which sea-horses glisten: A fair course against the white-swelling surge, -Four feet uphold it. A beauty of a wondrous land, Whose aspects are lovely, Whose view is a fair country, Incomparable is its haze. Wealth, treasures of every hue, Are in Ciuin, a beauty of freshness, Listening to sweet music, Drinking the best of wine.’

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.

The birth of a child is among the most important moments in the life of the individual, and of the community of which they are a broader part. Small wonder then, that there should exist so large a body of folk belief and custom regarding the protection of infants and the unborn. A darker body of tradition concerns those children who fail to thrive, who are sickly, and who appear wizened or otherwise deformed. In such instances, it was often believed by our forebears that the fairies - the supernatural race who exist unseen alongside us - had taken the healthy child and replaced it with a wizened and decrepit creature which was in fact one of their own. This creature was known as the changeling, and many drastic (and often violent) steps were taken in order to cast out and banish such creatures. Join hosts Claire Doohan and Jonny Dillon for this month's edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis as they explore a body of lore and custom borne out of deformations and disorders, in which the supernatural permeates and punctures the ordered safety and shelter of the family unit, and in which drastic steps are taken to restore order in the home.

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.

The 17th of March sees countries the world over celebrate Saint Patrick's Day - a day which is commonly marked with large parades and revelry held in honour of the Ireland's patron saint. But what do we know of the historical figure of Patrick, and how is he viewed in folk tradition? What relation does he bear to the Pagan order that preceded him, and how is he represented in the early literature? Join hosts Claire Doohan and Jonny Dillon for this month's edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis as they consider the figure of St. Patrick, the pilgrimages still made in his honour and the impact he had, not only in Ireland, but further afield all over Europe. From Skerries in the east to Croagh Patrick in the west, from Duhallow in the south to Lough Derg in the north, join us in breaking our Lenten Fast as we give honour Ireland's patron saint. We dedicate this edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis to the memory of our late friend and colleague Finbar Boyle - suaimhneas síoraí air!

Betrothal and marriage are among the most central and important rites of passage in any community, and in Irish tradition one was not seen as an adult (regardless of one's age) until they were married. In this month's edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis, hosts Claire Doohan and Jonny Dillon turn their attention to ideas around love, magic and marriage as represented in Irish tradition: from Shrovetide harassment of singletons to Lenten prohibitions on matrimony, and from divinatory pancake tossing to hard-bargained dowries, join us as we consider those matters of the heart that are never far from the mind.

Cattle have been central to Irish farming since the Neolithic period, and in early Ireland were even used as a unit of currency. In this month's edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis, hosts Jonny Dillon and Claire Doohan explore material relating to the cow in tradition; from native breeds which were hailed by Sir William Wilde as resembling 'in the most remarkable manner, the ox-heads carved upon the friezes of Grecian temples', to the mythical cattle of the Glas Gaibhneach, and the goddess Bóinn - figures representative of fertility, abundance and plenty, who place the Irish material regarding cattle in the context of the broader European (and Indo-European) tradition. From the Hindu Govinda to the Norse Auðumbla, and from Inis Bó Finne (Island of the Bright Cow) to Dublin's Cluain Tarbh (Meadow of the Bull), cattle have left their imprint on a landscape both physical and metaphysical that stretches from Ireland to India. Join us then as we give praise to that great 'rejuvenator of the world', the humble cow!

Séamus Ó Duilearga (James Hamilton Delargy), founder of the Irish Folklore Commission, speaking of his 'burning urge to save' the traditions and customs of the Irish people in the face of a rapidly shifting cultural landscape. It was this urge that led him to found the Irish Folklore Commission, and to surround himself with the brilliant men and women whom he tasked with gathering the rich trove of folkloric material to be found across the island of Ireland; those songs, stories, customs and beliefs passed on from generation to generation by our forebears, and which come down to us to this day.

For this month's edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis, hosts Claire Doohan and Jonny Dillon set out to take a critical look at traditional practices relating to that most beloved of calendar custom celebrations; the midwinter festival of Christmas. Combining practices from the Nordic festival of Yule, the Roman Saturnalia and Christian tradition, Christmas is a time of feasting, goodwill and excess; a period marked by the suspension of normal social codes, and where all is mirth and merriment. Now, as the winter solstice approaches, and with the sun coursing low across the December sky, we fill the house with symbols of regeneration and light to celebrate the return of 'Sol Invictus'; the Unconquerable Sun. Our candles are lighting in the window to guide the weary traveller on their way, our house is decorated with evergreens of holly, ivy and mistletoe, and so we bid our listeners Io Saturnalia, God Jul, Merry Christmas and Nollaig Shona!

Owing to their impact on human affairs, weather occurrences of all sorts were a source of preoccupation for our forebears, who would look to the natural world around in the hope of interpreting and predicting these climactic manifestations. Explanations given to account for sudden gusts of wind and storms in many instances made reference to supernatural forces; to the powers of the fairies, of witches, wizards, the clergy and even freemasons. In this edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis, hosts Jonny Dillon and Claire Doohan explore traditional beliefs regarding wind and storms in folk tradition; from the varying methods utilised by sailors in order to raise and control the wind to aid them on their journeys, to those curses and magical practices used by witches to bring revenge to against those who had wronged them, and the historic accounts in which such attacks were attributed to particular individuals. From storm-inducting stone effigies to magical basins of water, join Claire and Jonny as they invoke the powers of the air! Resources of Interest: An example of a 'Furl Blast' or 'Fairy Wind' of the sort which would come rushing through harvest fields, sending newly harvested crops high into the air: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FSsSN2JJAw Sailors purchasing knotted ropes with which they might raise wind. Woodcut from Olaus Magnus' 'Description of the Northern Peoples' (1555): https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Olaus_Magnus_-_On_Wizards_and_Magicians_among_the_Finns.jpg 'The Ship Sinking Witch', woodcut from Olaus Magnus' 'Description of the Northern Peoples' (1555): https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Olaus_Magnus_-_On_Women_Skilled_in_Magic.jpg Ranulf Higden's Polychronicon (1387): http://chester.shoutwiki.com/wiki/Polychronicon The Night of the Big Wind, 1839: https://www.met.ie/climate-ireland/weather-events/Jan1839_Storm.PDF Oíche Nollaig Na mBan (The Night of Women's Christmas) - Seán Ó Riordáin Bhí fuinneamh sa stoirm a éalaigh aréir. Aréir oíche Nollaig na mBan, As gealt-teach iargúlta 'tá laistiar den ré Is do scréach tríd an spéir chughainn 'na gealt Gur ghíosc geataí comharsan mar ghogallach gé, Gur bhúir abhainn slaghdánach mar tharbh, Gur mhúchadh mo choinneal mar bhuille ar mo bhéal A las 'na splanc obann an fhearg Ba mhaith liom go dtiocfadh an stoirm sin féin An oíche go mbeadsa go lag Ag filleadh abhaile ó rince an tsaoil Is solas an pheaca ag dul as, Go líonfaí gach neomat le liúirigh ón spéir, Go ndéanfaí den domhan scuaine scread, Is ná cloisfinn an ciúnas ag gluaiseacht fám dhéin, Ná inneall an ghluaisteáin ag stad. (English Translation) There was power in the storm that escaped last night, last night on Women’s Christmas, from the desolate madhouse behind the moon and screamed through the sky at us, lunatic, making neighbours’ gates screech like geese and the hoarse river roar like a bull, quenching my candle like a blow to the mouth that sparks a quick flash of rage. I’d like if that storm would come again, a night I’d be feeling weak coming home from the dance of life and the light of sin dwindling, that every moment be full of the screaming sky, that the world be a storm of screams, and I wouldn’t hear the silence coming over me, the car’s engine come to a stop.

The Ulster Cycle consists of a corpus of tales forming one of the main branches of early Irish Literature, which have come down to us across countless generations; existing first as part of an oral tradition in Ireland until it was later chronicled by early Christian monks in the manuscripts that survive to this day. The most well known series of narratives within the Ulster Cycle - Táin Bó Cuailgne or 'The Cattle Raid of Cooley' - relates the adventures and exploits of the mythic champion and heroic demigod Cú Chulainn, as he single-handedly defends his people against the advancing armies of Queen Meadhbh and King Aillil. From the unlikely origins of its principle characters, to similarities with ancient Greek and Indo-European tradition; and from warp-spasms and beheadings to more tender moments, join your hosts Claire Doohan and Jonny Dillon as they take up arms to explore this bloody epic, themselves engaging in bitter dispute on the nature of heroic spirit along the way! Further reading: (Online) Táin Bó Cuailgne Recension 1: https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T301012/index.html Táin Bó Cuailgne; Adaptation from Dunn & Windisch: http://adminstaff.vassar.edu/sttaylor/Cooley/ (Print) Kinsella, Thomas (1969)The Táin: Translated from the Irish epic Táin Bó Cuailnge, London, Oxford University Press. Carey, John (1999). 'Cú Chulainn as Ailing Hero' in Ronald Black, William Gillies; Roibeard Ó Maolalaigh. Celtic Connections: Proceedings of the Tenth International Congress of Celtic Studies, Vol. 1. East Linton: Tuckwell. pp. 190–8. Nagy, Joseph Falaky (1984) 'Heroic Destinies in the Macgnímrada of Finn and Cú Chulainn'. Zeitschrift für Celtische Philologie. 40: 23–39. Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí (2006). The lore of Ireland : an Encyclopaedia of Myth, Legend and Romance. Doughcloyne, Ireland : Rochester, N.Y. ; Boydell & Brewer,Collins Press.

In fields, valleys and quiet places the country over can be found countless earthwork mounds, cairns, tumuli and other signs of early human habitation in Ireland. These sites often garnered supernatural associations in folk tradition, being commonly understood as the abodes of 'Na Daoine Maithe' (The Good People) or fairies. Quite unlike the genteel 'Tinker Bell' of contemporary culture, the fairies in folk tradition were understood as an archaic otherworld community living alongside us in the natural landscape, and were held in a mixture of trepidation and respect by our forebears, on account of the power of their influence over human affairs (for good or bad). Join your hosts Claire Doohan and Jonny Dillon in this month's edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis, as they aim to dispel some of the common misconceptions about the fairies in popular culture while also examining their origins, abodes, and customs attached to them. From fallen angels to pre-Christian deities, and from nature spirits to the mortals who learnt songs and music from them; sit with us for an hour as we set out into the natural landscape in the hope of coming to a deeper understanding of our unruly otherworld neighbours and the wisdom and knowledge they offer us today!

The arrival of the harvest was for our forebears a time of great celebration, for it marked the point at which the lean months of June and 'Hungry July' (when the year's stores were traditionally at their lowest), gave way to a period of profusion and plenty. In this month's edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis / Folklore Fragments, your hosts Jonny Dillon and Claire Doohan take to the fields to consider the harvest in tradition, discussing hilltop celebrations, naked horse-swimming races and the spirit of the crops itself, which appears all over Europe, in the form of a female nature spirit known broadly as the 'Corn Mother', as well as being symbolically represented by several animals. Join us then, as we ring in the harvest season, that we might enjoy and partake of its fruits and give thanks to the earth from which they have sprung; the earth to which we return harvest after harvest, generation after generation, unceasingly, and without end. * * * * * Visit duchas.ie (the project to digitise the holdings of the National Folklore Collection) to explore material relating to the harvest in traditon. Harvest: http://www.duchas.ie/en/src?q=harvest&t=CbesStory Sheaf Customs: http://www.duchas.ie/en/src?q=sheaf&t=CbesStory An introductory address by Jonny Dillon of the Folklore of Ireland Society, to open 'Coinleach Glas an Fhómhair'; a night of music, song, storytelling and dance pertaining to the harvest in Irish tradition, which was held in Dublin's Christ Church Cathedral, on the night of Friday the 29th of September 2016: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JlOHTiVoww The closing set to 'Coinleach Glas an Fhómhair' - a night of traditional music, song, dance and storytelling from Irish tradition, all of which pertained to the theme of the harvest, and which was held in Dublin's Christ Church Cathedral on the night of Friday the 29th of September 2016: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99pRom_8IcU Harvest Knot Images: https://www.google.ie/search?q=Harvest+Knot&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwit16LVn6zVAhUEBsAKHU9FBz8Q_AUICigB&biw=1504&bih=899 Last Sheaf Images: https://www.google.ie/search?client=safari&rls=en&biw=1504&bih=899&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=Last+Sheaf&oq=Last+Sheaf&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0i24k1.24868.26426.0.26555.10.10.0.0.0.0.149.657.9j1.10.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.10.656...0j0i10k1j0i10i24k1.IDmKFxUZSmI The image used for this podcast shows the process of reaping and binding (as carried out by two particularly diligent young ladies!) in Co. Louth, 1946.

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 their own specific needs, to the symbolic and spiritual concerns at play as they choose sites upon which to build. In this month's podcast Claire and Jonny explore some of the customs and rituals attached to the luck of the house, those practices employed to bring about plenty, prosperity and safety from all harm. Step over the threshold then, and sit awhile with us then while we take you about this old house - there are a great many things to behold herein! * * * * * 'An té níos treise ná Dia a chuirfeadh faid siar as a teach' / 'Only he who is stronger than God will extend his house westward') This proverb references a traditional taboo regarding the extension of a dwelling in a westerly direction (a direction commonly associated with death in folk-tradition). The following photograph shows an instance in Co. Mayo where church renovations were ceased after locals insisted that the building could not be extended westward, leaving only an unfinished architrave on the wall - a curious example showing how closely intertwined are the material and spiritual! http://www.paradisepossible.ie/DesktopModules/Inventise.DM/DMHandlers/PictureHandler.ashx?DestinationPicture=400

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, for interpretable signs and symbols by which they could increase well being and banish misfortune. The Moon has long been our old companion, and has gazed down silently upon all that has passed here on earth since time immemorial. Similarly, in our looking beyond ourselves to the heavens, we have long looked to the Moon for guidance and blessing. It will come as no surprise then, that there should exist so great a body of folk belief and custom in Irish (and broader European) tradition regarding this luminary, some of which is explored in this episode of Blúiríní Béaloidis / Folklore Fragments by Claire Doohan and Jonny Dillon. From the idea that the moon is a place of habitation for banished spirits, to its influence on human affairs, in this edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis we look to the heavens and bid 'greeting to you new moon, kindly jewel of guidance!' For further information on this topic, visit duchas.ie, the project to digitise the National Folklore Collection. The Moon (English) - http://www.duchas.ie/en/src?q=MOON An Ghealach (Gaeilge) - http://www.duchas.ie/en/src?q=ghealach&t=CbesStory

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 higher summer pastures to graze, in which the community re-asserts its boundaries, and the family unit aims to garner for itself prosperity and good luck for the coming summer. In this edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis / Folklore Fragments, hosts Claire Doohan and Jonny Dillon discuss some of the traditions and customs popularly observed at this time; from hiring fairs and Booleying, to shapeshifting witches and May altars. For now, rough winter has gone, and flowers cover the world - therefore we bid you welcome, noble summer! This episode can be downloaded by clicking the '...' icon above.

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 dispel some common misconceptions surrounding this area of interest, as well as tracing the cultural and political context of the interest in folk-tradition, which saw it arise as an expression of romantic nationalist thought across Ireland and Europe of the 19th century. The podcast can be downloaded by clicking on the '...' icon shown above.