Posted 04 February 2015
New foundation aims to protect and preserve Irish folklore heritage
The National Folklore Foundation (Fondúireacht Bhéaloideas Éireann), a new UCD spin-out company with charitable status, has been set up to preserve, protect and promote Ireland’s National Folklore Collection at University College Dublin.
The Collection is one of the largest folklore collections in the world. It comprises about 3 million manuscript pages, 500,000 index cards, 12,000 hours of sound recordings, 80,000 photographs and 1,000 hours of video material. It was inherited from the Irish Folklore Commission in 1970 whose mission it continues through the expansion of the collection. The Commission was established in 1935 by Éamon de Valera. The patron of the National Folklore Collection at UCD is the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins.
Pictured (l-r): Cathal Goan, former Director General, RTÉ and Chairman of the National Folklore Foundation; Dr Kelly Fitzgerald, Lecturer in Irish Folklore and Celtic Civilisation at UCD; and Professor Ríonach uí Ógáin, Director, National Folklore Collection, UCD
Pictured far right: Dredging oysters in Clarinbridge Bay, Co. Galway, [Leo Corduff, December 1964
“A primary objective in establishing the National Folklore Foundation is to increase public awareness of and interest in Irish Folklore,” said Professor Ríonach uí Ógáin, Director, National Folklore Collection at UCD and a board member of the National Folklore Foundation.
“Fund raising through the Foundation will now enable us to enhance the Collection as a national resource. We can now source, research, collect, compile and preserve new Irish folklore material. It will now be possible to publish and disseminate new and current material, nationally and internationally, through the National Folklore Foundation,” she added.
Cathal Goan, Chairman of the National Folklore Foundation said, “The establishment of the National Folklore Foundation will foster the development of relationships with other existing foundations and trusts, along with the development of corporate and private donation schemes to maximise income for the Foundation. This will enable the dissemiation of Ireland’s rich folklore heritage to a wide national and global audience.”
Brendan Cremen, Director of Enterprise and Commercialisation, UCD, said, “We are delighted to apply our proven NovaUCD start-up capability to the cultural and arts arena. The establishment of this new UCD spin-out company will enable the promotion of a deeper understanding of Irish cultural heritage, locally and globally. This will help to position UCD as one of the largest custodians of folklore around the world and help enhance UCD’s international position and reputation in the arts.”
The National Folklore Foundation is a spin-out company with charitable status from the UCD School of Irish, Celtic Studies, Irish Folklore and Linguistics, University College Dublin.
(Produced by UCD University Relations)
