A Search for Memories and Tales of Sen Mac Mathna and Life in the 1930s and 1940s.
Sen Mac Mathna (1876 - 1949), of Luogh, Doolin, Co. Clare, collected folklore during the 1930s and 1940s.
Sen was also known as Johnny (Mhirtn) McMahon to his neighbours and friends. He was a meticulous collector who assembled one of the finest regional archives held in the National Folklore Collection.
I hope to publish a selection of the folklore Sen collected from and about women in north-west Clare.
I am editing this for publication online atwww.duchas.ie. I am a PhD student in the School of Irish, Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge (FSG) at Dublin City University (DCU).
Dr. na Bhreathnach (FSG, DCU) and Dr. Crostir Mac Crthaigh (National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin) are supervising the research.
I am writing to you to introduce my research project to your readers in the hope that they may be able to assist me.
I am conducting interviews with people who knew Sen or who grew up in the 1930s and the 1940s in north-west Co. Clare. I had the opportunity to meet with some local people recently and it was wonderful to hear the stories and memories of the period they shared with me.
I would like to speak to more women, however, who can tell me what life was like for them and/or their mothers or grandmothers during those decades.
Anyone who is willing to be interviewed or who might recommend other people interested in participating can contact me here or atmichelle.dunne@dcu.ieor at the postal address below.
Please don't hesitate to get in touch with any queries regarding the interview process.
Go raibh mle maith agaibh!
Le gach dea-ghu,
Michelle Dunne M.A.
Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge,
DCU All Hallows Campus,
Drumcondra,
Dublin 9,
D09 N920.