Identity Statement
Title | Bairead Collection |
Archive Reference | IE 2116/G003 |
Web Link to this Entry | https://iar.ie/archive/bairead-collection |
Creation Dates | 1867-1975 |
Extent Medium | 5 boxes, paper |
Context
Creator(s): Stiophan Bairead, Ciaran Bairead and Sighle Bairead
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Administrative History ↴
The material in this collection relates to the work of three members of the Bairead family, Stiophan Bairead (1867-1921), his daughter Sighle Bairead (1903-1985), and his son Ciaran Bairead (1905-1976). Stiophan Bairead was born to Stephen Barrett and Sheilia O'Beirne in Kilmore, County Roscommon on the 22nd August 1867. His father was a strong farmer, and had held the position of barony constable for a time. Stiophan was one of nine children who all received a good education, the boys in the Grammar School in Athlone, and the girls in convents in Athlone and Sligo. When Stiophan was eleven he was in a bad accident from which it took him three years to recover, and when he finally left hospital in 1882, he had a permanent limp. He was educated at home and developed a good head for figures. He also read voraciously at this time, and at nineteen became interested in the Irish language movement. He corresponded regularly with a number of people, including R.J. O'Mulrenin of the Gaelic Union. He was also a member of the Society for the Preservation of the Irish Language and the Irish National League. He moved to Dublin, learned Irish, and began to give classes to the Celtic Literary Society. He was active in Connradh na Gaedhilge from its foundation as Treasurer, and by the turn of the twentieth century he was working full-time for Connradh as well as organising the Oireachtas. He got to know many people through his work, including Padraig Pearse, working on the financial side of "An Cliadheamh So/ius" as well as the foundation of Scoil Eanna. In spite of the trouble which occurred at the Dundalk Ard Fheis in 1915 when An Craoibhin resigned as President, Stiophan continued on, looking after financial matters and doing the work of officers such as Sean T O Ceallaigh when they were in prison. He was arrested after a raid on Connradh offices uncovered a small quantity of ammunition in November 1920, but he was subsequently cleared of the charges brought against him. He died suddenly while attending mass with his daughter Sighle on 26th March 1921. Stiophan had married Siubhan Ni Mhurchadha from Claregalway and they had five children, bringing them up through Irish. Their daughter Sighle was born in 1903, her god-parents were Maire Ni Thoghdha and Padraig Mac Piarais. She did not start learning English until she was seven, and went to school in Eccles St. She worked as a teacher and secretary in various places in Dublin, and spent much of her later life in Whitehall. During the 1960s she did a lot of research work into her parents and wrote a number of articles about them. Another son, Ciaran, was born in 1905. He was educated at the Saint Tomas Academy Eccles St. and O'Connell Schools, later at University College Dublin. He did a lot of research work. Projects included a Connradh na Gaedhilge exhibition in the National Museum in 1943, research work for Fr. Swaine's biography of the late Cardinal Cullen, and work for the Irish Manuscript Commission. He moved to Turloughmore in County Galway around 1950 and began work as a folklore collector. He collected over 23,000 pages of material for the Irish Folklore Commission, as well as gathering large numbers of artefacts for the National Museum. He also helped several researchers in the folklore of County Galway with his local knowledge. He died in 1976. -
Archival History ↴
The material was accessioned into the James Hardiman Library between 1978 and 1985 by Sighle Bairead, honouring the wishes of her brother Ciaran that their father's papers and books should be donated to UCG library. -
Immediate Source Acquisition ↴
Donation
Content & Structure
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Scope & Content: Stiophan Bairead, Ciaran Bairead and Sighle Bairead ↴
Because the material had arrived at different times, much of the collection was broken up into sections. Some of the series of letters were in their original order, but most of the material had been re-arranged. In terms of arrangement the material was arranged into three main groups, reflecting the work of Stiophan, Sighle and Ciaran. Where there were runs of correspondence with individuals these were put into date order, with general correspondence for each of the projects undertaken. All the Gaelic League publications were placed with the material of Stiophan Bairead to allow ease of access for researchers.
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Appraisal Destruction ↴
Permanent Retention -
Arrangement ↴
Because the material had arrived at different times, much of the collection was broken up into sections. Some of the series of letters were in their original order, but most of the material had been re-arranged. In terms of arrangement the material was arranged into three main groups, reflecting the work of Stiophan, Sighle and Ciaran. Where there were runs of correspondence with individuals these were put into date order, with general correspondence for each of the projects undertaken. All the Gaelic League publications were placed with the material of Stiophan Bairead to allow ease of access for researchers.
Conditions of Access & Use
Access Conditions | The collection is accessible to all bone fide researchers, and subject to the conditions of access governing the consultation of archival material at the James Hardiman Library. |
Conditions Governing Reproduction | No material may be reproduced from this collection without the written permission of the archivist, and reproductions are subject to the conditions of access. |
Creation Dates | 1867-1975 |
Extent Medium | 5 boxes, paper |
Material Language Script | Mainly Irish, some English |
Finding Aids | Descriptive list Archive Web Link → |
Allied Materials
There are no Allied Materials
Descriptive Control Area
Archivist Note | Kieran Hoare; Fergus Fahey |
Rules/Conventions | ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description. 2nd ed. Ottawa: International Council on Archives, 2000. |
Date of Descriptions | 2001, Revised 2007 |