Following a very successful fund-raising-- twenty-four hour continuous auction achieving the Guinness Book of World Records record for most items auctioned in 24 hours-- and the kind donation made by Mary Golden—a past pupil of Brackloon National School, Midfield Development Association has published a folklore book called A Story Told to Us Last Night.The book uses a selection of local stories from the 1937/38 National Folklore Collection, schools, and stories written by the children of 2010 from Midfield National School. All stories are in the children’s original handwriting as were the original stories of 1937/38.
The editors have been granted permission from University College Dublin, owner of the copyright, to publish the stories, making A Story Told to Us Last Night the first time that UCD have given permission to publish the stories in the children’s original handwriting other than the one off illustration in a book-- which refers to the folklore collection. The book includes both photographs from the past and present also.
In 1937 the Irish Folklore Commission, in collaboration with the Department of Education and the Irish National Teachers' Organization, initiated a revolutionary scheme in which schoolchildren were encouraged to collect and document folklore and local history.
Over a period of 18 months, some 100,000 children in 5,000 primary schools expanding over the 26 counties of the Irish Free State were encouraged to collect folklore material in their home districts. The topics about which the children were instructed to research and write included local history and monuments, folktales and legends, riddles and proverbs, songs, customs and beliefs, games and pastimes, traditional work practices and crafts, etc. The children collected the material mainly from their family members as well as other older members of the local community or school district.
The local schools involved in the 1937/38 stories include: Swinford National School, Brackloon National School, Cashel National School and Kinaffe National School.
These stories, stories that were traditionally told around the fireplace, help keep the Irish tradition alive for generations to come, and the book is a universal book which can be enjoyed by everyone both at home and by the wider Irish Communities abroad.
There have been 1,000 first edition hardback books published and the remaining in soft back. - Hardback is on sale for €29.99 ($35.00) and softcover for €19.99 ($24.00).
The book may be purchased directly from the Midfield Development Association website, making this book accessible to everyone both at home and abroad. All proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the school development fund. The Midfield Development Association plan is for the children of the past / present to help the children of the future.
www.midfield-development.ie
