Nationwide Field Collecting Project - Volunteers Needed Now - Nov 2009
Mary Reilly talks about the Black and Tans in 1922
In September 2008 the Irish Oral History Archive began a field collecting project titled ‘Irish Emigrants in Britain’. The Archive’s aim was to document a representative sample of the life stories of Irish emigrants who had come to Britain in the huge wave of migration from Ireland prior to 1960. To date this project has proved to be hugely successful with hundreds of people contributing stories, recollections, songs, music, speeches, photographs and written autobiographies. The work so far has been carried out primarily in London.
The Archive now needs your help to extend its collecting work to include the rest of Britain. During the coming twelve months the Archive hopes to recruit and train up to thirty volunteer field collectors. We are looking for people with an interest in Irish culture and with an affinity for the older members of our community. You do not need any prior experience in this type of work. The Archive will provide all the necessary training. The most valuable thing you can bring to the project is your time, local knowledge of the Irish community and enthusiasm.
We will provide professional interview training, technical training on all the necessary interview equipment as well as providing you with the recording and photographic equipment you will need to carry out the interviews.
John Harkin recalls his father's memories of life in the British Navy in the 19th CenturySo if you know of an elderly Irish neighbour, friend or associate; if it’s your mother or father, or grandparents that emigrated here before the 1960s, then this project is for you. This is you chance to make a significant contribution to the story of the Irish in Britain, something that will go down in history as one of the most important projects in the history of Irish people worldwide.
To get involved please contact the Irish Oral History Archive at our email address here..., or write to 3 Icon Building, 15 Cluny Place, London, SE1 4QS T: 020 7357 7517