The Clare Oral History Podcast
This podcast delves into the thousands of Irish life stories in the archive of the Irish Oral History and Folklore Group known as Cuimhneamh an Chláir or Clare Memories. We’re based in Co. Clare in the West of Ireland. The oral histories we’ve gathered reveal ordinary lives and extraordinary stories. The podcast will introduce you to the people and experiences that make the West of Ireland what it is.
The Clare Oral History Podcast
Traditional Farming, Nature & Environment – National Biodiversity Week 2025
For National Biodiversity Week we bring you stories of traditional farming and rural life and how they relate to biodiversity. There are very few direct references to biodiversity in the Cuimhneamh an Chláir archive since that concept has only become part of common language in more recent times. However there are stories of plant life and nature, cures, dyes, farming practices etc that tell us in subtle ways about biodiversity and environmental sustainability.
Featured are Brendan Dunford from Tubber (Burren Beo Trust), John Vaughan from Kilfenora, Pat & Oliver Nagle from Corofin, Sean O’ Halloran from Kilfenora, Paddy Joe McMahon from Cappabane, Scariff, Teresa Flynn from Mountshannon, Thomas Barry from Inagh, Michael McGrath from Lisdoonvarna / Scariff, Bridie Mahony from Moughna, Catherine Talty from Coore. The collectors / cuairteóirí are Paula Carroll, Tomás MacConmara, Frances Madigan.
For more of Catherine Talty’s self-recordings check the Cuimhneamh an Chláir collections at Digital Repository of Ireland, supported by The Heritage Council.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Swallow hole: Many rivers in the Burren area of Co. Clare flow underground as well as overground, due to the many fissures in the limestone pavement. Swallow holes are the point at which the surface water disappears underground.
In Seán O’ Halloran’s account:
Scailp (Irish): The cleft between rocks, very common in the Burren in Co. Clare
Rúitín (Irish): Ankle
Fáisceán (Irish): – a home-made tourniquet used to keep an animal’s broken leg bound and immobilised
Series 2 of The Clare Oral History Podcast is supported by The Ireland Funds
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