Abstract

Two years after its establishment in 1935 with the remit to ‘collect, preserve and publish’ the folklore of Ireland, the Irish Folklore Commission (Coimisiun Bealoideasa Eireann) (1935–70) organized a major collecting scheme involving the senior pupils and their teachers in the national (primary) schools in Ireland. The project, conducted during the years 1937–38, was very ambitious in both scope and objectives, and was also immensely productive. This article examines its genesis, operation, and results, set against political and cultural exigencies of the time. The article also assesses subsequent collecting initiatives focused on schools, such as that organized by the Committee on Ulster Folklife and Traditions for schools throughout Northern Ireland in 1955–57, and, later, sponsored folklore competitions for schools, some held on an all-Ireland basis, to commemorate the fortieth and fiftieth anniversaries, respectively, of the ground-breaking 1937–38 scheme.

摘要

爱尔兰民俗委员会（Coimisiun Bealoideasa Eireann）（1935–70）于1935年成立，两年后以“收集，保存和出版”爱尔兰的民间文学艺术为使命，组织了一次大型的藏书计划，涉及高年级学生和他们的老师。爱尔兰的国立（小学）学校。该项目于1937-38年间进行，在范围和目标上都非常雄心勃勃，并且成果丰硕。本文考察了其产生，运作和结果，并与当时的政治和文化迫切需求相对立。本文还评估了随后针对学校的收集计划，例如由阿尔斯特民俗与传统委员会在1955-57年间为整个北爱尔兰的学校组织的收集计划，以及后来为学校赞助的民间文学艺术比赛，