Oral history group launches new website

A new website has been launched to help promote the folklore and oral history of Clare. www.clarememories.ie is the website of Cuimhneamh an Chláir, the Clare Oral History and Folklore Group, who have been documenting the memories of Clare’s oldest citizens over the last two years.

 

The entirely voluntary group has already amassed a considerable collection of material amounting to over 330 interviews with people aged between 65 and 106. The group was established in 2009 and comprises volunteers from all across County Clare.

Outgoing Mayor of Clare, Councillor Pat Hayes, who is also a founding member and cathaoirleach of Cuimhneamh an Chláir, performed the launch as one of his final duties as mayor of the county.

Speaking at the launch, Mayor Hayes remarked, “Just three years ago, Cuimhneamh an Chláir was an idea. Now we have built one of the largest and most successful folklore collection groups in the country.   We have developed all aspects of the project including collection techniques, which included the training of over 30 volunteers, or cuairteoirí, across Clare and the development of a systematic, countywide approach to the documentation of our folklore.

“In addition, we have developed a very strong education and outreach programme.  The new website will allow us to further reach members of the public, to provide information to the people of Clare and beyond and to stimulate increased support and involvement in the group.”

Mayor Hayes, who is a native of Caher in East Clare, remarked on the intensive levels of recording that have taken place as well as the amount of outreach work done by the group since its formation.

“Visitors to the website will be struck when they read through the progress and activity of the group in such a short period of time.  The projects section on the site alone is full of examples of how the group has taken the material back out to the public.  We hope that the new website will be another aid in promoting the oral history and folklore of our county for years to come,” he concluded.

The website, which was supported by the Clare Local Development Company, provides information on Cuimhneamh an Chláir’s collection programme as well as their outreach and education initiatives.

Viewers can also play samples of the groups recordings as well as learn about aspects of Clare’s folklore, like old Irish words used by older people in Clare as well as Biddy Early, Bríd Uí Choisteala and other folklore figures in the county.  An interactive map shows an example of where the group has conducted interviews across Clare and a sample of the summaries conducted for each interview can be read.

Of the almost 300 people interviewed by Cuimhneamh an Chláir, over 40 have passed away, including 10 people who were over 100 years old when they were initially interviewed.

According to Frances Madigan of the Cuimhneamh an Chláir executive committee, the group aims to continue with their intensive collection programme in the coming years but will also maintain its ambition of taking the material back out to the public at every opportunity.

“It’s vital we make the material as available as we can to the people of Clare in the short term through our listening room concept, ‘Come here till I tell ya’ and through radio programmes, as well as public workshops. However, in the long term, we aim to make all the material available to the people of Clare and are working towards that on a continuous basis.

“Features will be added to the website over the coming months based on collected material all across Clare, exploring themes such as farming in the old days, electrification, beliefs and calendar customs.  In addition, we will be adding a ‘memory of the week’ selected from our archive, for people to listen to and enjoy,” she concluded.

The website launch took place at the Clare Education Centre, where Cuimhneamh an Chláir have an office space.

The website can be seen at www.clarememories.ie and the group can also be found on Facebook.