Deirdre Ní Chonghaile
2011
| Twitter link | @AranSongs |
| Facebook link | |
| Bio | Deirdre Ní Chonghaile is a writer, musician, broadcaster, and curator from the Aran Islands. Working bilingually across multiple disciplines, she is drawn to voices, contemporary and historical, especially those that have been marginalized, and to what they have to say or sing. She read Music at St. Hilda’s College, Oxford, and has worked at the University of Notre Dame, the Library of Congress, and NUI Galway. Her 2021 book Collecting Music in the Aran Islands: A Century of History and Practice, published by the University of Wisconsin Press, has been described as “one of the most important and fascinating books about Irish traditional music in recent memory.” It won the Michael J. Durkan Prize 2021 for Books on Language and Culture from the American Conference for Irish Studies. Deirdre is preparing an anthology of over fifty traditional songs composed in the Aran Islands from the nineteenth century to the present day.
|
| Areas of expertise | Digital humanities: resource development, strategy, funding; archival assets management; community partnership & engagement; broadcasting. C19-20th cultural & social history of: West of Ireland, Aran Islands, Irish traditional music, dance, folklore, performance, Irish language, An Ghaeltacht, manuscript/sound/photographic/film archival collections.
|
| Keywords | {sean-nós}; {sean nós}; {song}; {traditional song}; {traditional music}; {music}; {ethnomusicology}; {folklore}; {Irish language}; {Gaeilge}; {Irish}; {islands}; {small islands}; {Gaeltacht}; {diaspora}; {Irish diaspora}; {maritime history}; {digital humanities}; {social history}; {America}; {United States}; {cultural history}; {cultural practice}; {cultural practices}; {West of Ireland}; {Synge}; {John Millington Synge}; |
| Nickname | Deirdre Ní Chonghaile |
| Membership Type |
| Education | Education
MA Oxon: University of Oxford 2004
BA Oxon: University of Oxford (Music), 2000
|
| Employment | Freelance curator |
| Awards | Awards
2021 Michael J. Durkan Prize for Books on Language and Culture, American Conference for Irish Studies
2019 TV Programme of the Year, Gradaim an Oireachtais 2019, for Lomax in Éirinn (Aisling Productions, 2018)
2019 Spirit of the Festival Award, Celtic Media Festival, for Lomax in Éirinn (Aisling Productions, 2018)
2019 Nominated for Celtic Media Festival Arts Feature Award for Lomax in Éirinn (Aisling Productions, 2018)
2018 Bronze Medal, Music Category, International New York Festivals Radio Award for ‘The Banshee and The Tiger’(Rockfinch Productions, 2018)
2017 Nominated for Celtic Media Festival Arts Feature Award for Oíche Chaillte an tSeanchaí(C-Board Films, 2016)
2017 Nominated for Celtic Media Festival Factual Series Award for Tríd an Lionsa(Sibéal Teo, 2015)
2014 NUI Galway Research Showcase Award (Rev. Murphy Archive)
2014 EXPLORE NUI Galway Award for Innovative Collaboration 2014
2013 Book featuring a chapter of mine – Ancestral Imprints: Histories of Irish Traditional Music and Danceedited by Thérèse Smith (Cork: Cork University Press, 2012) – was awarded a Certificate of Merit in the Association for Recorded Sound Collections Awards for Excellence for Historical Recorded Sound Research in Folk, Ethnic, or World music, 2013
2013 Best Blog in the Irish Language, Blog Awards Ireland, 2013 (bilingual blog – http://aransongs.blogspot.ie/)
|
| Books | Books
|
| Book Chapters | Book Chapters
“‘Sagart gan iomrádh’: An tAthair Domhnall Ó Morchadha (1858-1935) agus amhráin Philadelphia” in Litríocht na Gaeilge ar fud an Domhain, eds Máirín Nic Eoin, Ríona Nic Congáil, Pádraig Ó Liatháin, Meidhbhín Ní Úrdail, & Regina Uí Chollatáin, 191-214. Baile Átha Cliath: LeabhairComhar, 2015.
“An tráth seo thiar níor chualas’: ciúnas, coimhthíos, agus imeallú cheol Árann.” In Mo Ghnósa Leas an Dáin: In Omós do Mháirtín Ó Direáin, eds. Meidhbhín Ní Úrdail & Caoimhín Mac Giolla Léith, 151-172. An Daingean: An Sagart, 2014.
“Broadcasting Bailiúchán Bhairbre: Recordings and Radio, Ethnomusicology and Impact.” In Ancestral Imprints: Histories of Irish Traditional Music and Dance, ed. Thérèse Smith, 118-127. Cork: Cork University Press, 2012.
“Séamus Ennis, W.R. Rodgers and Sidney Robertson Cowell on the traditional music of the Aran Islands.” In Anáil an Bhéil Bheo: Orality and Modern Irish Culture, eds. Nessa Cronin, Seán Crosson & John Eastlake, 67-86. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2009.
|
| Peer Reviewed Journals | Peer Reviewed Journals
“Urraim agus uafás ionchollaithe: Ómós do John Millington Synge le Máirtín Ó Direáin.” ComharTaighde 5 (Internet), https://comhartaighde.ie/eagrain/5/nichonghaile/ (November 2019).
“‘listening to this rude and beautiful poetry’: John Millington Synge mar Bhailitheoir Amhrán in Árainn.” Béaloideas 84 (2016): 84-103.
“‘listening to this rude and beautiful poetry’: John Millington Synge as Song Collector in the Aran Islands.” Irish University Review 46.2 (2016): 243–259.
“Róisín Dubh: mar a chruthaigh Seán Ó Riada aintiún an Éirí Amach.” ComharTaighde 1 (Internet), https://comhartaighde.ie/eagrain/1/nichonghaile/ [November 2015].
“‘listening for landfall’: how silence and fear marginalized the music of the Aran Islands.” Études Irlandaises 39, no.1 (2014): 41-55.
“In Search of America: Sidney Robertson Cowell in Ireland in 1955-56.” Journal of American Folklore, 126, no.500 (Spring 2013): 174–200.
“Broadcasting Bailiúchán Bhairbre: Recordings and Radio, Ethnomusicology and Impact.” Ethnomusicology Forum 20, no.2 (2011): 263-269.
“Ní neart go cur le chéile: lámhscríbhínní ceoil a chruthaigh Petrie agus Ó Comhraí in Árainn in 1857.” In Léachtaí Cholm Cille XL: Foinn agus Focail, ed. Ruairí Ó hUiginn, 86-108. Maigh Nuad: An Sagart, 2010.
“An Teach Ósta: Tinteán an Cheoil Thraidisiúnta?” In Bliainiris 7, eds. Ruairí Ó hUiginn and Liam Mac Cóil, 72-84. Ráth Chairn: Carbad, 2007.
|
| Other Journals | Other Journals
“Greim an fhir bháite.” Archipelago 12 (Summer 2019): 25-34. Oxford: Clutag Press.
“Aran Island Pipers.” Journal of Music in Ireland 8, no.1 (Jan/Feb 2008): 18.
“A passion for music: Dublin City Strings School.” Journal of Music in Ireland 3, no.6 (2003).
|
| Electronic Publications | Data set & metadata
Catalogue of the Sidney Robertson Cowell Ireland Recordings 1955-6. Digital catalogue in .csv and SKOS formats, Irish Traditional Music Archive, 2021, https://www.itma.ie/blog/sidney-robertson-cowell.
Blogs
Sidney Robertson Cowell records in the Aran Islands and Conamara, 1955-56, Irish Traditional Music Archive, 2021, https://www.itma.ie/blog/sidney-robertson-cowell.
|
| Reviews | Reviews
Léirmheas: “Between Two Shores / Idir Dhá Chladach: Writing the Aran Islands, 1890-1980” le Mairéad Conneely (Reimagining Ireland Eag.32, Oxford: Peter Lang, 2011). Comhar (Márta 2012): 26-9.
Review of “Between Two Shores / Idir Dhá Chladach: Writing the Aran Islands, 1890-1980” by Mairéad Conneely. Canadian Journal of Irish Studies 37, nos. 1&2 (2011): 259-261.
Review of “Tomás Ó Canainn Seán Ó Riada – His Life and Work.” Béascna 3 (2006): 126-129.
Review: “Clasaiceach agus Gaelach: Caoineadh Airt Uí Laoghaire le Peadar Ó Riada.” Journal of Music in Ireland 5, no.4 (July/August 2005): 23-24.
|
| Other | Conference Proceedings
“Ceoltóireacht Oileánda: Scéal Thrí Oileán Árann.” In Ceiliúradh an Bhlascaoid 11 Cuisle Ceoil na nOileán, eds. Dáithí & Mícheál de Mórdha, 69-81. Dublin: Coiscéim, 2008.
Published Lectures
From dámhscoil to digital: new frontiers for collections of Irish traditional music. Ó Riada Memorial Lecture No.32. Cork: Irish Traditional Music Archive and Irish Traditional Music Society, University College Cork, 2025a.
|
Copyright © IAPH. All rights reserved.
Historical images on the website from the National Library of Ireland on The Commons | Flickr