2007 Press Releases
UCC Lecture to honour Folklorist
Dr Claudia Kinmonth, author of "Irish Country Furniture 1700-1951 and
Irish Rural Interiors in Art" will deliver The Kevin Danaher Lecture at
UCC on Wednesday, 31 January. Titled "Painting The Hearth and
Stool and All: The Traditional Irish Farmhouse Through
Interdisciplinary Methodology 1750-1950" the lecture takes place at 7pm
in the River Room, Glucksman Gallery, UCC.
Hosted by Roinn an Bhéaloidis, the Department of Folklore and
Ethnology, UCC, this annual lecture commemorates and celebrates the
work of the enterprising folklorist and ethnologist Dr Caoimhín Ó
Danachair.
Born in Athea, County Limerick in 1913, Dr Ó Danachair (1913-2002) was
a pioneering Irish folklorist and ethnologist. According to Stiofan Ó
Cadlha, of UCC's Department of Folklore and Ethnology, Dr Ó Danachair
was a prolific and popular writer and also an excellent teacher and
researcher. "From 1934 until his retirement in 1983 he was interested
in almost every aspect of folklore from the tongs on the hob to the
jigwall, from the festival to the stories. He always broadcasted,
lectured, wrote and researched on his favourite subject with
enthusiasm. He was instrumental in establishing béaloideas, folklore
and ethnology in University College Cork. That department is now
recognizing his contribution by inaugurating an annual public lecture
in his honour. He worked in both the Irish and English languages and
the lectures will recognize this" said Stiofan Ó Cadlha.
The lecture will be delivered close to St Brighid's Day in an effort to
emulate Dr Ó Danachair's efforts to popularize and publicize the
discipline of béaloideas, folklore and ethnology amongst students and
the public alike. In the foreword to In Ireland Long Ago (Cork: Mercier
Press, 1962) he describes the road that ran across the front of his
home as bearing 'the whole stream of a community's life', something he
himself also did. There is an account of his remarkable work in the
festschrift edited by Alan Gailey and Daithí Ó hÓgáin, Gold Under the
Furze (Dublin: Glendale Press, 1982).
"Ceannródaí sa bhéaloideas agus san eitneolaíocht ab ea Caoimhín Ó Danachair", dar leis an Dochtúir Stiofán Ó Cadhla ó Roinn an Bhéaloidis I gColáiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh. Rugadh é in Áth Té, Contae Luimní sa bhliain 1913. "Údar eolgaiseach taineamhach, múinteoir agus scoláire den scoth a bhí ann" dúirt sé. "Ó thosnaigh Caoimhín Ó Danachair sa bhliain 1934 gur éirigh sé as sa bhliain 1983 is beag gné den bhéaloideas nár chuir sé suim inti ón dtlú ar an iarta go dtí an portfhalla, ón bhféile go dtí an seanchas. Ní túisce é ag ag léachtóireacht ná ag labhairt ar an raidió nó ar an dtelefís nó ag scríobh leabhair agus aistí ar an ábhar ab annsa leis. Bhí láimh aige leis i mbunú an bhéaloidis i gColáiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh. Is maith an oidhe air an roinn seo a chur crann ar an léacht bliantúil poiblí seo ar a ghreis". Shaothraigh Ó Danachair sa Bhéarla agus sa Ghaeilge agus tabharfaidh an léacht aitheantas do seo. Beidh an léacht ar bun timpeall na Féile Bríde gach bliain chun an dúthracht a chaith sé le fógairt léann an bhéaloidis agus na heitneolaíocht i measc mic léinn agus an phobail araon a aithint agus a chur ar aghaidh. Sa réamhrá a chuir sé le In Ireland Long Ago (Corcaigh: Mercier Press, 1962) thrácht sé ar an mbóthar a bhí ar aghaidh an tí aige sa mbaile 'it bore the whole stream of a community's life', rud a dhein sé féin. Tá cuntas ar an saothar éachtach a dhein sé sa bhféilscríbhinn in Alan Gailey agus Daithí Ó hÓgáin (eag) The Gold Under the Furze (Baile Átha Cliath: Glendale Press, 1982).
The lecture takes place on Wednesday, 31 January at 7pm in the River Room, Glucksman Gallery, UCC. Everyone is welcome and admission is free - Fáilte roimh cách.
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