Monday 26 November 2018

Explore Your Archive 2018

Explore Your Archive is an annual campaign sponsored by the Archives and Records Associations (ARA). The goal is to promote the archival collections held by organisations like ITMA and help users to find out about some of the incredible resources that exist on their doorsteps (both virtual and real). For seven days in November, we posted highlights from ITMA’s digital collections on social media. This blog brings all of our posts together in one spot to help you “explore your archive.”

Explore Your Archive
Logo for the ARA Explore Your Archive campaign.

17 November: Music Archives

The Irish Traditional Music Archive (itma.ie) is a national public archive and resource centre for everyone with an interest in the traditional art forms of song, instrumental music, and dance.

ITMA's Georgian Reading Room (photo: Sarah Flynn).
ITMA's Georgian Reading Room (photo: Sarah Flynn). Visit us at 73 Merrion Square S, Dublin 2, or browse our digital collections online at itma.ie.

18 November: Religious Archives

Céline and Michael Tubridy modelled the lighter side of religious life when they danced “The priest in his boots.”

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“The priest in his boots” danced by Céline & Michael Tubridy.

19 November: Archive Anniversaries

27 years ago on the 19 November 1991 the then President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, officially opened the Irish Traditional Music Archive in the Guinness Hop Store, Dublin. Also in attendance were Tom Munnelly, ITMA Chairman, Adrian Munnelly, Director of the Arts Council, Paddy Glackin, Dermot McLaughlin, Máire O'Keeffe and Peter Walsh, Director of the Guinness Hop Store.

Mary Robinson, Tom Munnelly, Paddy Glackin, Dermot McLaughlin and others / Mac Innes Photography
Mary Robinson, Tom Munnelly, Paddy Glackin, Dermot McLaughlin and others / Mac Innes Photography
Mary Robinson, Tom Munnelly, Paddy Glackin, Dermot McLaughlin and others / Mac Innes Photography

Mary Robinson, Tom Munnelly, Paddy Glackin, Dermot McLaughlin and others / Mac Innes Photography

© Irish Traditional Music Archive

20 November: Hairy Archives

The 1960s were hairy times for Irish ballad groups like the Dubliners. 

The Dubliners, group, 1967 / unidentified photographer
The Dubliners, group, 1967 / unidentified photographer
The Dubliners, group, 1967 / unidentified photographer

The Dubliners, group, 1967 / unidentified photographer

© 

21 November: Maritime Archives

The rivers of southeast Ireland were starting points on a journey that took Irish emigrants all the way to Newfoundland during the 18th century. Explore ITMA's latest digital exhibition: A Grand Time: The Songs, Music & Dance of Newfoundland's Cape Shore.

Map of Newfoundland and Ireland by Finnian Ó Cionnaith.
Newfoundland and Ireland (map: Finnian Ó Cionnaith). Click on the map to visit A Grand Time, ITMA's digital exhibition of about the Irish of Newfoundland.

22 November: Diversity Archives

Suspicion, exclusion, and conflict that sometimes mark relations between Travelling & Settled people in Ireland. The history of the ballad trade was shaped by contributions from all sides.

Mikeen McCarthy (left); Mikeen with his daughter, Jean "Sauce" Driscoll (right; photos: Pat MacKenzie).
Click the photos to learn about Mikeen McCarthy and the ballad trade in Ireland (photos: Pat MacKenzie)

23 November: Archive Animals

Join the rabbits, field mice, and squirrels of Inishowen (and singer Paddy Tunney) as they “rush to rouse the royal rats of Carn.” 

The royal rats of Carn, song
Pudding, the rabbit

“The royal rats of Carn” sung by Paddy Tunney.

24 November: Sporting Archives

Listen to a playlist of songs from the Góilín Song Project that tell tales, tall and true, about great moments in sport. 

Góilín Song Project logo
Listen to Songs of Sport

25 November: International Archives

This December ITMA is shining a light on some of the great Irish music that is being made throughout the world. Starting December 1, visit http://itma.ie for your daily installment of our 2018 Advent Calendar. Here’s a little taster of what’s to come. Soomee Han, a tin whistle player from Ansan, South Korea, playing a jig, Return to Burton Road.

This clip comes from a series of interviews titled Monthly Gan Ainm which hightlights musicians in South Korea who play Irish Traditional Music.

Used by ITMA with the permission of the copyright holders: Soomee Han and Jongwook Choi.

ITMA videos are hosted on YouTube, a platform which requires the acceptance of marketing cookies before the video can be launched. Please update your cookie preferences to watch this video. You can change your cookie preferences at any time from the link at the top of the page.

Soonmee Han playing the jig the Return to Burton Road.

WRITTEN & RESEARCHED

ITMA Staff
26 November 2018