Manuscript Collections

This collection comprises more than 2,400 bound volumes of transcribed interviews, in both Irish and English, conducted by the Irish Folklore Commission and its successors, from across the 32 counties of Ireland, amounting to 675,000 pages of material. The Main Manuscript Collection also includes older manuscript material acquired by the Commission, the earliest of which dates from the 1700s, as well as approximately 3,000 pages of original sheet music.

Miscellaneous manuscript material and a range of other documents chiefly relating to the operation of the Irish Folklore Commission (1935-1970) and associated organisations also form part of the Collection, alongside a number of important deposited collections of scholarly papers. Researchers can consult the Manuscript Collection without prior appointment. For details of our opening hours and to arrange your visit, contact us here.

A range of finding aids will assist researchers in locating information about a particular district, subject, or material contributed by any of the many thousands of informants, collectors and correspondents over the years.

We ask that visitors contact us to make an appointment to view our collections.