Blúiríní Bealoidis 44 - Legends & Literature (with Ailbe van der Heide)

About this episode

Ailbe van der Heide discusses the differences between folklore and literary representations of supernatural figures in Irish tradition.

Ailbe van der Heide is Collections Curator at the National Folklore Collection, having joined the staff in 2020, shortly after graduating from the MA in Irish Folklore in 2020. For several years now, Ailbe has managed the National Folklore Collection’s reading room service, along with fielding an array of queries from members of the public keen to explore our collections. Throughout her work, and in response to enquiries made regarding our collections, Ailbe noticed an at times stark difference between the material found as part of our fieldwork collections, and that which can be found online regarding supernatural figures in Irish tradition. Researchers looking for information on supernatural lore would often cite specific terminology which was indicative of literary forms, rather than expressions of folk culture. On the interplay between literature and folk tradition, Anne O’Connor has noted that: “Folklore and writing exist in specific social and historical circumstances: it is not mere chance that certain stories arise and gain currency at certain times, and the tracing of such complex and interwoven interactions has long been the challenges of professional folklorists, in…

People in this episode

Guest: Ailbe van der Heide

Topics covered

• legends
• literature
• Irish folklore
• supernatural figures
• fieldwork collections

Keywords

• Irish folklore
• supernatural lore
• fieldwork collections
• literary forms
• oral narratives

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: National Folklore Collection

Books & works: MA in Irish Folklore

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