The Schools’ Collection
Approximately 740,000 pages (288,000 pages in the pupils’ original exercise books; 451,000 pages in bound volumes) of folklore and local tradition were compiled by pupils from 5,000 primary schools in the Irish Free State between 1937 and 1939.
This collecting scheme was initiated by the Irish Folklore Commission, under the direction of Séamus Ó Duilearga and Séan Ó Súilleabháin, Honorary Director and Registrar of the Commission respectively, and was heavily dependent on the cooperation of the Department of Education and the Irish National Teachers’ Organization. It was originally to run from 1937 to 1938 but was extended to 1939 in specific cases. For the duration of the project, more than 50,000 schoolchildren from 5,000 schools in the 26 counties of the Irish Free State were enlisted to collect folklore in their home districts. This included oral history, topographical information, folktales and legends, riddles and proverbs, games and pastimes, trades and crafts. The children recorded this material from their parents, grandparents and neighbours.
The scheme resulted in the creation of over half a million manuscript pages and is generally referred to as ‘Bailiúchán na Scol’ or ‘The Schools’ Collection’.
There are 1,128 volumes, numbered and bound, in the Collection. A title page prefaces material from each school, giving the name of the school, the parish, the barony, the county and the teacher. A further collection of approximately 40,000 of the children’s original copybooks are stored at the NFC.
Bailiúchán na Scol
Thiomsaigh daltaí as 5,000 bunscoil i Saorstát Éireann tuairim is 740,000 leathanach (288,000 leathanach i mbunchóipleabhair na ndaltaí; 451,000 leathanach in imleabhair cheangailte), idir 1937 agus 1939.
Ba é Coimisiún Béaloideasa Éireann, faoi stiúir Shéamuis Uí Dhuilearga agus Sheáin Uí Shúilleabháin, Stiúrthóir Oinigh agus Cláraitheoir an Choimisiúin faoi seach, a chuir an scéim bailithe seo ar bun. Bhí an togra ag brath go mór ar chomhoibriú na Roinne Oideachais agus Chumann Múinteoirí Éireann. Bhí sé i gceist go rithfeadh sé ó 1937 go 1938 ach tugadh síneadh ama go dtí 1939 i gcásanna áirithe. Le linn an tionscadail, earcaíodh breis agus 50,000 páiste scoile as 5,000 scoil i 26 contae Saorstát Éireann le béaloideas a bhailiú ina gceantair féin. I measc an ábhair a bhailigh siad tá stairsheanchas, dinnseanchas, scéalta bealoidis agus finscéalta, tomhais agus seanfhocail, cluichí agus caithimh aimsire, modhanna oibre agus ceirdeanna. Óna dtuismitheoirí, a dtuismitheoirí siúd agus óna gcomharsana a bhailigh na páistí an t-ábhar.
Os cionn leathmhilliún leathanach lámhscríbhinne a bhí mar thoradh ar an scéim, ar a dtugtar ‘Bailiúchán na Scol’ go hiondúil.
Tá 1,128 imleabhar, iad uimhrithe agus ceangailte, i mBailiúchán na Scol. Bíonn leathanach teidil roimh ábhar gach scoile, ar a dtugtar ainm na scoile, ainm an pharóiste, ainm na barúntachta, ainm an chontae agus ainm an mhúinteora. Tá bailiúchán breise, tuairim is 40,000 de bhunchóipleabhair na ndaltaí, i dtaisce ag CBÉ.