Item (The smallest intellectually indivisible archival unit, e.g., a letter, memorandum, report, photograph, sound recording).
Extent Medium
810 items
Context
Creator(s): Mícheál Ua Ciarmhaic (Michael Kirby)
Administrative History ↴
Mícheál Ua Ciarmhaic (Michael Kirby) (1906-2005) was a writer, painter, farmer, and fisherman. The youngest of seven children, he was born in Ballinskelligs, County Kerry on 31 May 1906 to John Kirby and his wife Mary (née Cremin). Apart from three years in the United States, he lived most of his life fishing and farming in the Iveragh peninsula near the World Heritage site of Skellig Michael.
His first book Cliathán na Sceilge was published in 1984 when he was seventy-eight. He continued to write for the next twenty years and in all he had eleven books of poetry and prose published. His writing is noted for its simple, elegant style together with his intimate knowledge of local folklore, customs, history, and ecology.
Irish language works include Cliathán na Sceilge (1984), Íochtar Trá (1985), An Gabhar sa Teampall (1986), Barra Taoide (1988), Ríocht na dTonn (1989), and Ceol Maidí Rámha (1990), Chuireas Mo Líonta (1993), Iníon Keevack (1996), and Guth ón Sceilg (2000). English language works include his trilogy of memoir consisting of Skelligside (1990), Skelligs Calling (2003), and the posthumous volume Skelligs Sunset (2006). Skelligs Haul, a compilation of his prose and poetry, was published in 2019.
He died in April 2005 at the age of ninety-nine.
Archival History ↴
IE BL/L/MK is the Mícheál Ua Ciarmhaic (Michael Kirby) Collection held in UCC Library. The collection was presented to University College Cork by Michael's daughter Anne Coffey and his son-in-law Pat Coffey in 2017, with additional material presented by the Coffeys in 2024.
Immediate Source Acquisition ↴
Donation
Content & Structure
Scope & Content: Mícheál Ua Ciarmhaic (Michael Kirby) ↴
The collection consists primarily of notebooks containing handwritten drafts of the published works of Mícheál Ua Ciarmhaic (Michael Kirby). These are accompanied by small selections of poetry; articles and reviews; book covers and illustrations; catalogues, programmes, and pamphlets; correspondence relating to his books, publishing, events, and his death; personal items; and photographs. There is also a selection of audio-visual material, including audio cassette tapes containing recordings of readings and interviews, and DVDs containing video recordings of interviews and events.
Accruals ↴
Further Additions Anticipated
Arrangement ↴
1. Book Drafts
1.1. Irish Language
1.1.1. Cliathán na Sceilge (1984)
1.1.2. Íochtar Trá (1985)
1.1.3. An Gabhar sa Teampall (1986)
1.1.4. Barra Taoide (1988)
1.1.5. Ríocht na dTonn (1989)
1.1.6. Ceol Maidí Rámha (1990)
1.1.7. Iníon Keevack (1996)
1.1.8. Guth ón Sceilg (2000)
1.2. English Language
1.2.1. Skelligside (1990)
1.2.2. Skelligs Calling (2003)
1.2.3. Skelligs Sunset (2006)
1.2.4. German Translations
1.3. Various Drafts
2. Poetry
3. Articles & Reviews
4. Book Covers, Illustrations & Artwork
4.1. Book Covers
4.2. Illustrations & Artwork
5. Catalogues, Programmes & Pamphlets
5.1. Publisher Catalogues
5.2. Programmes & Pamphlets
6. Correspondence
6.1. Books & Documentary
6.1.1. Cliathán na Sceilge (1984)
6.1.2. Íochtar Trá (1985)
6.1.3. An Gabhar sa Teampall (1986)
6.1.4. Ríocht na dTonn (1989)
6.1.5. Skelligside (1990)
6.1.6. An Gabhar sa Teampall Documentary
6.1.7. Chuireas Mo Líonta (1993)
6.1.8. Iníon Keevack (1996)
6.1.9. Guth ón Sceilg (2000)
6.1.10. Skelligs Calling (2003)
6.1.11. Skelligs Sunset (2006)
6.2. General Correspondence
6.3. Publishing
6.4. Invitations & Events
6.5. Awards
6.6. Death of Michael Kirby
7. Personal Items
8. Photographs
9. Audio-Visual
9.1. Audio Cassette Tapes
9.2. DVDs
10. Additional Content
Conditions of Access & Use
Access Conditions
Available by request with the Special Collections & Archives, UCC Library. Request should be made at least one week (5 working days) in advance so that the material can be prepared. Next-day requests will not be possible. You can request material via the online request form at: https://libguides.ucc.ie/specialcollections/requestitems
Conditions Governing Reproduction
Rights for reproduction and use rest with the original copyright holders. Please check with Archivist.
Creation Dates
[1930]-2024
Level of Description
Item (The smallest intellectually indivisible archival unit, e.g., a letter, memorandum, report, photograph, sound recording).
Extent Medium
810 items
Material Language Script
Irish, English, German
Finding Aids
Listing available via online catalogue Foinse at UCC Library.
Archive Web Link →
Allied Materials
Related Material
The deposits also included a selection of printed material which have been transferred to Special Collections and digital material which will be listed separately.
