Explore Your Archive 2022
Explore Your Archive 2022 focus week will run from Monday 28th November to Tuesday 6th December.
Explore Your Archive is an annual campaign that showcases the best of archives and archive services in Ireland and the UK. Please read on for more about EYA, for updates on our EYA ambassador for 2022/3, ARA Ireland’s launch of the focus week on the 24th November, daily themes for social media, and all the events as they come in.
ARA Ireland’s Explore Your Archive Ambassador 2022/3
We are thrilled to announce that ARA Ireland’s Explore Your Archive ambassador for 2022/2023 is historian, author and Liberties native Liz Gillis. She is the author of six books about the Irish Revolution including, ‘The Fall of Dublin’, ‘Women of the Irish Revolution’, ‘The Hales Brothers and the Irish Revolution’ and ‘May 25: The Burning of the Custom House 1921’. Liz is the Historian in Residence for South Dublin County Council for the Decade of Centenaries, she works as a Researcher for the History Show on RTE Radio and lectures at Champlain College Dublin. We are delighted that she will be joining us for our official EYA launch on Thursday 24th November.
ARA Ireland EYA Launch
We are also delighted to announce that our launch will take place at Conradh na Gaeilge headquarters, on 6 Harcourt Street. One of the lesser-known buildings in Dublin, it is nonetheless a hugely significant building historically. For those of you interested in finding out more, this fantastic documentary on the history of 6 Harcourt Street is well worth a view. Subtitles are available. The launch is free to attend but places are limited so please register here.
EYA 2022/3 Daily Themes
Saturday 26th November
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)
1) Event: Behind the Scenes Tours of PRONI
As part of Explore Your Archives Week, PRONI will open its doors on Saturday 26 November for exclusive guided behind-the-scenes tours. This is a rare chance to learn not only how you can access records at PRONI, but also how they are stored, cared for and digitised. Two tours are on offer and archival staff will be on hand to answer your questions.Admission is FREE; however, booking is essential. Register here. 2) Event: CollabArchive: Showcase Event, 1-5pm 
Join us on Saturday 26 November, from 1-5pm, to begin our Explore Your Archives week programme and celebrate the CollabArchive project. CollabArchive opened PRONI’s archives to over 60 participants who took part in five creative engagement programmes throughout 2022. During the project, the participants brought forward collections in creative ways, gained digital skills, and created new records for future generations. Some participants went on to volunteer with PRONI and helped enhance public access to a number of collections. During the event you will:• See selected original records that were used and made more accessible by the project, including Roberta Hewitt’s diaries and papers, asylum records, emigration letters, and LGBTQ+ official and private papers.• Watch short videos created by the participants including Ruby, an animated film about Roberta Hewitt, and Music Tales, a series of short interviews about music in people’s lives.• Listen to podcasts created by the participants about emigrant letters and asylum patients.• See a collection of zines about issues that are important to the participants and read handwritten letters about current migration experiences.CollabArchive is a year-long digital volunteering project led by the Nerve Centre and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s ‘Digital Skills for Heritage’ initiative. Lunch will be served; the event is free to attend but booking is required. Register here.
Monday 28th November
Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA)
Online event: Saothar – new compositions from fiddle player Erin McGeown
Now in its second year Saothar is building a collection of contemporary compositions in partnership with composers. Each composition is available as a complete & free learning package: Interactive score, providing playback, ABC notation and more, Audio or video recording, played by the compose and PDF download of the notes, transcribed by the composer. More information here.
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)
Event: International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Exhibition Launch, 12pm 
The Department for Communities is delivering an exhibition event in the PRONI Building, Belfast in celebration of the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The exhibition will be launched at the PRONI building, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, on Monday 28 November 2022 at 12pm. Michaela Hollywood, the respected disability rights advocate, will deliver a keynote speech sharing her experiences of living with a disability.
Following this will be an opportunity to view the exhibition and engage with fellow attendees – refreshments will be provided.
The PRONI building is fully accessible and a portable Changing Places facility will be available at the location all day Monday 28 November. A quiet room is also available onsite. For those who wish to view the launch taking place on 28 November but are unable to attend, a live feed will be available from 12 pm to 1 pm via the PRONI Facebook page.
Register here.
Tuesday 29th November
University of Galway Library Archives
Launch of the archive and online digital exhibition of Pan Pan Theatre Company
Event: Symposium (2pm-5pm) and launch (5pm-6pm), The Bridge Room, Hardiman Building
Founded in 1993 by Co-Artistic Directors, Gavin Quinn and Aedín Cosgrove, Pan Pan Theatre Company have been at the forefront of theatre and culture in Ireland and internationally for the last thirty years. The Pan Pan Archive, now fully catalogued and available at University of Galway Library Archives, is a leading resource for the study and engagement of the rich history one of Ireland’s most innovative theatre companies. The Pan Pan Archive and Digital Exhibition will be launched by Willie White, Director, Dublin Theatre Festival. The digital exhibition, Pan Pan Theatre Company: An Archival Journey, is accessible online here. Schedule and Details: https://tinyurl.com/3jhsav47
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)
Online Workshop: Getting Started at PRONI, 12:30pm – 1:30pm 
Have you been thinking about visiting PRONI to do some research but aren’t sure how it all works or what there is to do?This online workshop is designed to show you how to search and order records at PRONI to prepare for your first visit, or your next visit! It’s also your chance to ask your questions directly to PRONI staff. This workshop will take place on zoom, the link will be sent one hour beforehand.Register here.
Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA)
Online event: Edward Bunting Digital Harp Collection – Claire O’Donnell
In 2016 Music Network gathered ten of Ireland’s leading harpers in the studio of the Irish Traditional Music Archive to record tunes collected by Edward Bunting (1773–1843) and published in his 1797 “A General Collection of the Ancient Music of Ireland [Volume 1]”. These recordings, and the printed volume were to become the source of inspiration for a commission awarded to internationally acclaimed artist Aideen Barry by ITMA and Music Network in 2020. Oblivion / Seachmalltacht / ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᐅᔪᓐᓃᖅᑐᑦ, a multimedia installation opened on Friday 16 September 2022 at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris, having premiered at Limerick City Gallery of Art in December 2021.
ITMA and Music Network are now delighted to share the original 2016 sounds recordings made by Laoise Kelly, Eilís Lavelle, Máire Ní Chathasaigh, Anne-Marie O’Farrell, Mary Louise O’Donnell, Teresa O’Donnell, Úna Ní Fhlannagáin, Dianne Marshall, Tríona Marshall, and Claire O’Donnell. They were originally recorded in the ITMA Studio in 2016 by sound engineer Donncha Moynihan (The Rise Studio).
The tunes will be shared in batches following the printed order in the 1797 publication. Each recording below is accompanied by a link to an interactive score and staff notation so you can also learn the tune. December’s addition will be from Claire O’Donnell. For more information see here.
Wednesday 30th November
Meath County Library
Event: Giving Power to the People – The Rural District Councils of County Meath, 1898 – 1925. 7:30pm
The Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898 changed the administration of local democracy and governance across the island of Ireland. Under the act each county would have a county council, and rural and urban district councils would also be established. The rural district councils that were established under the act operated only briefly, just into the early years of the Free State, before being abolished in 1925. In this talk, Dr. Arlene Crampsie will discuss the workings of the Rural District Councils in Meath and their effect on the Meath landscape and the lives of the local population.Booking information here.
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)
Event: The Troubles I’ve Seen – Screening, 7pm – 8:30pm
Join PRONI and the LGBT NI Heritage Project this Explore Your Archives Week for a screening of a new short documentary, The Troubles I’ve Seen, which captures the shared experiences and stories of the local LGBT Community.
Directed by Conan McIvor, this emotive and often funny doc hears from those who experienced and were involved in the beginning of the LGBT movement in Northern Ireland, discussing how their pride and fearlessness helped them overcome the shame and harassment levelled at them by elements of society. With contributions from activists such as Jeffrey Dudgeon, Doug Sobey, Paula Keenan and more, The Troubles I’ve Seen explores the start of the Gay Liberation movement, the establishment of Cara-Friend and the deep sense of community and support that was forged by campaigning in the face of AIDS, legal restrictions, and Northern Ireland’s anarchial political situation.
This screening will be accompanied by a document display that reflects on a number of the films themes and will be followed by a panel discussion about the film and the issues it raises.
Register here.
Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA)
Online event: Saoithe – in-depth conversation with Matt Molloy
A new online series from ITMA featuring in-depth conversations with traditional artists Christy Moore, Catherine McEvoy, Frankie Gavin, Sarah Ghriallais, Matt Molloy, Dolly McMahon, and Paddy Moloney (1938-2021) will feature Matt Molloy on 30th November. Ranging from earliest musical experiences, to sage advice to young people, to hopes for the future of the tradition, this series offers in-depth conversations with seven of Ireland’s most influential and outstanding tradition bearers. The long-format Q&A style interviews, with performance and illustrative archival recordings, expand our understanding of these artists by exploring their influences and by seeking out their personal philosophies as traditional artists.More information here.
Thursday 1st December
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)
Online Event (1): Lesser Spotted Archive – The Story of UTV, PRONI and Northern Ireland Screen, 2pm – 3pm 
The UTV archive is a unique audio-visual record of our heritage, our people and our places. PRONI, on behalf of the Department for Communities (DfC), has been working in partnership with Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive since 2018 to preserve, digitise and make available the UTV archive.At this event you will hear from staff members in both PRONI and Northern Ireland Screen as they reflect on what it has been like to work on this project and share some of their favourite and most powerful clips. This event is happening online only via zoom – links will be issued via e-mail one hour before the event starts. Register here.
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)
Online event (2): The Cult of St Edmund in Ireland by Dr Francis Young, 7pm – 8pm 
The Cult of St Edmund in Ireland by Dr Francis Young
The Ulster Society of Irish Historical Studies and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland would be delighted to invite you to a presentation by Dr Francis Young.
In contrast to the popularity of Irish saints in England and beyond, few English saints achieved cults of any significance in medieval Ireland. Among the exceptions were St Thomas Becket, St Wulfstan of Worcester and St Edmund, King and Martyr. The cult of St Edmund had particular significance for Dublin and for the De Burgh dynasty, which patronised an important monastery dedicated to St Edmund at Athassel in Co. Tipperary. This talk explores the evidence for the cult of St Edmund in Ireland and the way in which it became a focus of ‘English’ identity among the ‘Old English’ gaelicised families of late medieval Ireland.
Francis Young is a UK-based historian specialising in the history of religion and belief. He is the author, editor or co-author of 18 books. He is interested in how history illuminates the nature of belief and in the intersections between religion, folklore, magic and other forms of supernatural belief. His books have dealt with early modern Catholicism, the history of exorcism, medieval monasticism, folklore, the cult of saints, the history of magic and witchcraft, and Baltic paganism. He is also a professional indexer and a translator specialising in medieval and early modern Latin.
This is an online event hosted via Zoom. The link will be made available 1 hour before the event starts. Register here.
Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA)
Online event: Cullinane Archive Collection – video from Stephanie SK Marbach
Stephanie SK Marbach will give an online presentation on the progress to date processing this unique collection. The Cullinane Archive Collection (CAC)CAC is an extensive multimedia collection of material relating to the history of Irish dance compiled by Dr John Cullinane over his lifetime. The collection includes: published books and periodicals, academic theses, non-commercial sound recordings, video recordings, photographs, historical documents, newspaper clippings, ephemera (event programmes, posters, flyers etc.) and artefacts (including costume items, medals, etc.). Dr John CullinaneA champion dancer, John has devoted his life to collecting and documenting Irish dancing initially in Ireland but subsequently throughout the world. On his own initiative and with boundless energy, he interviewed dance teachers and pupils all over the globe in the days before the mass popularity of Irish dancing due to Riverdance. John shared his knowledge and meticulous research on Irish dancing published through many scholarly articles and books. He is rightly regarded as a leading authority in this area and the dancing community is privileged to have his encyclopaedic knowledge of diverse facets of Irish dancing.More information here.
Friday 2nd December
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)
Online Workshop: Getting Started at PRONI, 12:30pm – 1:30pm
Have you been thinking about visiting PRONI to do some research but aren’t sure how it all works or what there is to do?This online workshop is designed to show you how to search and order records at PRONI to prepare for your first visit, or your next visit! It’s also your chance to ask your questions directly to PRONI staff. This workshop will take place on zoom, the link will be sent one hour beforehand. Register here.
Tuesday 6th December
Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA)
Online event: Ceol Journal – digital publishing of out-of-print journal
ITMA has been enabled, courtesy of the Breathnach family, to republish Breandán Breathnach’s 1963–86 periodical Ceol: A Journal of Irish Music on its website for public access. Its eight volumes will appear over four months, two per month, with the second installment coming out on the 6th of December. The copyright of Ceol remains with the Breathnach family, and the Irish Traditional Music Archive is greatly obliged to Dr Síghle Bhreathnach-Lynch, Niamh Bhreathnach, Fionnuala Bhreathnach, and Éadaoin Bhreathnach for granting it permission to republish the run of Ceol on its website for free public access. It remembers the late Eibhlín Bhreathnach and Mrs Lena Bhreathnach who with them facilitated the donation of Breandán’s personal collection in 1987 as the foundation collection of ITMA, and it is certain that Breandán, always keen to use the latest technology, would approve of this spreading of the gospel.
In keeping with the periodical nature of Ceol, the eight volumes of the journal will be reproduced here in facsimile at intervals in four monthly tranches, each of two volumes. Text is also machine-readable. Readers are invited to enter the compelling world of Irish traditional music as seen by Ceol, its editor and its many contributors in the formative period, beginning sixty years ago, during which much of the now familiar landscape of Irish traditional music took shape. More information here.
For all of ITMA’s Explore Your Archive events check out their EYA 2022 landing page here.
Online Seminar – The Decade of Commemoration: Sources & Legacies, 6pm – 7:30pm 
As the Decade of Centenaries (1913-1923) in Ireland draws to a close, The Irish Society for Archives will host a free online retrospective seminar on Tuesday 6 December from 6-7:30pm via Zoom.
The Decade of Commemoration: Sources & Legacies draws together a number of Archivists and Librarians who have been actively engaged in new and recent projects working with records, collections, and archives from the years comprising the Decade of Commemorations in Ireland. As we reach the latter stages of the Decade, it is timely to reflect on how archival projects, new records access, digitisation, exhibitions, community engagement and cultural events have opened up a new archival window into a time of revolution, tragedy, partition, and the establishment of the new Irish Free State.
Featuring lightning talks from Niamh Brennan (Donegal County Archives), Marian Thérèse Keyes (dlr Libraries, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown), Kate Manning (UCD Archives) and Emma Horgan (UCC Library), this webinar will reflect on recent archival projects as well as the legacies and sources of the Decade of Commemoration.
Further details and registration at this link
