Monday 30 April 2018
#Archive30
In March 2018, the Archives and Records Association of Scotland challenged archives from around the world to get to know each other a bit better. They suggested taking to Twitter and posting on a different theme everyday, all ending with #Archive30. Starting on April 1, ITMA took up this challenge with a series of tweets. We were so delighted with the range of images and sounds that resulted, we decided to compile the tweets here.
April 3: Weather
A feeling in the blood (recorded 1953) features Neillidh Boyle on the sources of his music and the state of Irish music. CD2 features Neillidh's own tune, 'The Moving Clouds Reel.' A must listen for fans of Irish traditional music. #Archive30
![A feeling in the blood [sound recording] / Néillidh Boyle A feeling in the blood [sound recording] / Néillidh Boyle](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/itma.ie.uploads.images/20180403_AFeelingInTheBloodCover.jpg?mtime=20180425151908)
April 5: Something small
Intended as an affordable alternative to DATs, minidiscs gained popularity at the turn of the 21st century. But like wax cylinders, reel-to-reel tape, and cassettes, they've been replaced with new technologies. Just one of the ways sound is stored at ITMA. #Archive30
April 6: Diary/letter
Facsimile of a thank you letter from Thomas Moore to the London Illustrated News, reproduced in that newspaper on the 6th March 1852. #Archive30
![Facsimile of a letter to the ‘Illustrated London News’,1852 / [unidentified artist]](https://images.itma.ie/imager/s3-eu-west-1_amazonaws_com/itma.dl.images/newspaper_extracts/239182_f13ca572324db8abc821fe13f3697fa2.jpg)
Facsimile of a letter to the ‘Illustrated London News’,1852 / [unidentified artist]
© Public domain
April 9: Animal
Coming to a céilí near you: the Bear Céilí Band. #Archive30

Five ceramic bears playing traditional instruments / ITMA photographer
© ITMA
April 11: Favourite colour
Wax cylinders are extremely delicate technologies for storing sounds that were recorded more than a century ago. They also come in vivid colours. #Archive30
Red wax cylinder : de Hindeberg XIII
© Irish Traditional Music Archive
April 13: Journey to work
ITMA is centrally located in Merrion Square, Dublin. One of the best ways to get around this beautiful city is by bike: the majority of ITMA staff cycle to work every day. #Archive30
April 16: Something big
ITMA's Inishowen Song Project goes big: tall tales and big turnips in Inishowen. Jim Doherty singing in Cis Farren's bar in Inishowen in 1986. #Archive30
John Boiler, song / Jim Doherty (Smug), singing in English
April 18: Friendship
ITMA's Góilín Project features a bit of sound advice on friendship. Dominic Kelly from Dungiven singing in Tom Mayes pub in Dublin, 2005. #Archive30
Never despise an old friend / Dominic Kelly
April 22: Where you started
A young Nicholas Carolan, director emeritus, surveying the early ITMA collection in our original Quaker Library premises on Eustace Street. #Archive30
April 25: Happy
Listening to the music of Ed Reavy is sure to put a smile on your face. This collection of his compositions includes the well known reel 'Never was Piping so Gay.' #Archive30
![The collected compositions of Ed Reavy [sound recording] / Ed Reavy The collected compositions of Ed Reavy [sound recording] / Ed Reavy](https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/itma.ie.uploads.images/20180425_EdReavyCover.jpg?mtime=20180425155735)
April 26: Recommended read
Interested in knowing more about how history shapes our traditions? Check out The Irish Dancing by Barbara O'Connor for an interesting take on how the invention of Irish step dancing mirrored the invention of a new Irish state. #Archive30

April 28: Unusual item
ITMA's founding collection came from Breandán Breathnach. It includes a unique thematic index of dance tunes. #Archive30
April 30: Why Archives?
Collected from oral tradition during the 1860s and performed during the 2010s, ITMA worked with the Goodman family and TCD to bring Canon Goodman's Tunes of the Munster Pipers from page to stage. Check out the results! #Archive30
Polka 548 from Tunes of the Munster Pipers / Aoife Ní Bhriain ; Coaimhín Ó Fearghail
WRITTEN & RESEARCHED
ITMA Staff
30 April 2018