Paper short abstract:

The Irish Folklore Commission was formed twelve years after the end of the Irish Civil War. Members involved in the creation of the IFC fell on both sides of the 1921-22 Treaty Debate. Did the uncertainties of a civil war influence Irish ethnographic collections? If not, how was that possible?

Paper long abstract:

The Irish Folklore Commission, now housed in the National Folklore Collection, UCD, was formed in 1935. The foundation of this Commission occurred twelve years after the end of the Irish Civil War. Members involved in the creation of the IFC fell on both sides of the 1921-22 Treaty Debate. The IFC had folkloric, ethnographic fieldwork carried out by full-time and part-time collectors. The collectors worked in areas where they were most likely were reared and raised. They worked at a local and regional level in the name of the national.

The Bureau of Military History Collection, 1913-1921 is a collection of witness statements, photographs and voice recordings that were collected by the State between 1947 and 1957, in order to gather primary source material for the revolutionary period in Ireland from 1913 to 1921. The Bureau's voice recordings were produced with the co-operation of the IFC during the period 1950 to 1951.

In this age of digitisation, previous archival collections can be brought together in ways not previously imagined. Critical engagement with this process reveals the nuances of history. In particular, evidence emerges demonstrating the continued impact of the Irish cultural revolution and revival along with religious identity. This, in turn, allows political ideologies to be surpassed. Assessments of this nature facilitate a thorough examination of the workings and processes behind such organisations. The result allows us to ascertain more clearly how the uncertainties of a civil war may have influenced Irish ethnographic collections.