Irish Traditional Music Archive
Taisce Cheol Dúchais Éireann
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History
The Archive arose directly from a proposal made by Harry Bradshaw and Nicholas Carolan to the Arts Council/ An Chomhairle Ealaíon in Dublin in 1987 to preserve historic sound recordings of Irish traditional music which they had uncovered while researching and producing an RTÉ radio series 'The Irish Phonograph' (1983–86).
The Council, which had earlier made a decision in principle to establish an archive of Irish traditional music, on the recommendation of a committee chaired by Breandán Breathnach, accepted the proposal. It appointed a Board to oversee its operations, and funded it first as a pilot project and then on an ongoing basis. Important additional revenue funding was later received from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
The remit of the Archive has expanded over the years in line with its founding aims, and staff numbers have grown considerably. While its chief documents are still sound recordings, it has become a multi-media archive with substantial holdings of printed materials, still and moving images, artefacts, etc. Staff have archival, library, audiovisual-recording, music-setting, administrative, digitisation, IT and other skills, and are themselves singers, musicians and dancers.
The Archive was first situated in Eustace St, Dublin, and moved to larger premises in no 63 Merrion Square, Dublin, in 1991. On 15 November 2006 it opened in a permanent home at no 73 Merrion Square. It holds there the largest collection of Irish traditional music in existence, and the largest collection of information on the music. It is now a premier centre for enjoying and studying this music.
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| Breandán Breathnach lecturing in Co Clare July 1977 |
Harry Bradshaw recording Fermanagh singer Eddie Hoy June 1982 | Nicholas Carolan examining cylinders in Eustace Street November 1988 | |||
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