Kevin Danaher
Encyclopedia
Kevin Danaher (30 January 1913 – 14 March 2002) was a prominent Irish
folklorist with a special interest in ethnography
and military history
.
Danaher is the author of 10 books about Irish traditional customs and beliefs, the best known of which are The Year in Ireland, In Ireland Long Ago, and Folktales from the Irish Countryside.
A respected scholar, Danaher published more than 200 articles in academic journals.
, Ireland, on 30 January 1913. Danaher's father, William, was the local schoolmaster. His early education was at Athea National School and Mungret College, County Limerick. In 1934, Danaher became a part-time collector for the Irish Folklore Commission
.
Danaher attended University College Dublin
, graduating with a BA in 1937. He was awarded a fellowship by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to carry out postgraduate studies in Germany, and studied comparative folklore and ethnology for two years at the Universities of Berlin and Leipzig.
When World War II broke out, Danaher returned to Ireland and joined the Irish Army
. He rose to the rank of Captain, and served as an instructor for the Artillery Corps, training soldiers in Kildare
, Ireland.
After his discharge from the army, Danaher resumed his studies, being awarded his MA from the National University of Ireland
in 1946.
In early 1940 he once again worked for the Irish Folklore Commission, first as a field worker and then as the Commission's official ethnographer, collecting, cataloging and illustrating large amounts of traditional tales and folklore, primarily from his home county of Limerick
. Some of his sources were family members, such as his father, Liam. His groundbreaking work in the area of seasonal customs and folk practices would later appear in his many articles and books.
.
After further education abroad, in 1971 Danaher was appointed a statutory lecturer in Irish Folklore at University College Dublin. In 1974 he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Literature by the National University of Ireland in recognition of his original contribution to scholarship.
From 1973 through his retirement in 1983 Danaher was lecturer for the Department of Irish Folklore, University College Dublin
. As an expert in military history, he was a member of the Irish Military History Society, serving on their council in a variety of capacities. He was the group's president from 1971 through 1980, and editor of their journal, The Irish Sword
, from 1960 through 1970. He was also a member of The Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland and contributed to the Society's journal. From 1988 through 2002 he served as co-Patron of the Folklore of Ireland Society, and continued to publish article in their journal, Bealoideas as he had done regularly since 1935.
When Danaher retired from his position at University College Dublin, his students organised a celebratory volume in his honour: Sinsear: The Folklore Journal 4 (1982-3). Many of his students, colleagues and prominent scholars made up the international roster of writers paying tribute to Danaher, his work, and his influence. At the same time, his academic colleagues organised the publication of a festschtift, Gold Under the Furze
In 1986 Danaher suffered a stroke, the effects of which put an end to his professional career. He died on 14 March, 2002, after a long illness.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
folklorist with a special interest in ethnography
Ethnography
Ethnography is a qualitative method aimed to learn and understand cultural phenomena which reflect the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group...
and military history
Military history
Military history is a humanities discipline within the scope of general historical recording of armed conflict in the history of humanity, and its impact on the societies, their cultures, economies and changing intra and international relationships....
.
Danaher is the author of 10 books about Irish traditional customs and beliefs, the best known of which are The Year in Ireland, In Ireland Long Ago, and Folktales from the Irish Countryside.
A respected scholar, Danaher published more than 200 articles in academic journals.
Early life
Kevin Danaher was born in Athea (Ath an tSleibhe), County LimerickCounty Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
, Ireland, on 30 January 1913. Danaher's father, William, was the local schoolmaster. His early education was at Athea National School and Mungret College, County Limerick. In 1934, Danaher became a part-time collector for the Irish Folklore Commission
Irish Folklore Commission
The Irish Folklore Commission was set up in 1935 by the Irish Government to study and collect information on the folklore and traditions of Ireland....
.
Danaher attended University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
, graduating with a BA in 1937. He was awarded a fellowship by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to carry out postgraduate studies in Germany, and studied comparative folklore and ethnology for two years at the Universities of Berlin and Leipzig.
When World War II broke out, Danaher returned to Ireland and joined the Irish Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
. He rose to the rank of Captain, and served as an instructor for the Artillery Corps, training soldiers in Kildare
Kildare
-External links:*******...
, Ireland.
After his discharge from the army, Danaher resumed his studies, being awarded his MA from the National University of Ireland
National University of Ireland
The National University of Ireland , , is a federal university system of constituent universities, previously called constituent colleges, and recognised colleges set up under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, and significantly amended by the Universities Act, 1997.The constituent universities are...
in 1946.
In early 1940 he once again worked for the Irish Folklore Commission, first as a field worker and then as the Commission's official ethnographer, collecting, cataloging and illustrating large amounts of traditional tales and folklore, primarily from his home county of Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
. Some of his sources were family members, such as his father, Liam. His groundbreaking work in the area of seasonal customs and folk practices would later appear in his many articles and books.
Academic career
In 1952-53 Danaher was visiting lecturer at the University of Uppsala, SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
After further education abroad, in 1971 Danaher was appointed a statutory lecturer in Irish Folklore at University College Dublin. In 1974 he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Literature by the National University of Ireland in recognition of his original contribution to scholarship.
From 1973 through his retirement in 1983 Danaher was lecturer for the Department of Irish Folklore, University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
. As an expert in military history, he was a member of the Irish Military History Society, serving on their council in a variety of capacities. He was the group's president from 1971 through 1980, and editor of their journal, The Irish Sword
The Irish Sword
The Irish Sword is the official journal of the Military History Society of Ireland containing articles on the military history of Ireland, book reviews, notes, notices, queries, illustrations and proceedings....
, from 1960 through 1970. He was also a member of The Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland and contributed to the Society's journal. From 1988 through 2002 he served as co-Patron of the Folklore of Ireland Society, and continued to publish article in their journal, Bealoideas as he had done regularly since 1935.
When Danaher retired from his position at University College Dublin, his students organised a celebratory volume in his honour: Sinsear: The Folklore Journal 4 (1982-3). Many of his students, colleagues and prominent scholars made up the international roster of writers paying tribute to Danaher, his work, and his influence. At the same time, his academic colleagues organised the publication of a festschtift, Gold Under the Furze
In 1986 Danaher suffered a stroke, the effects of which put an end to his professional career. He died on 14 March, 2002, after a long illness.
Books by Kevin Danaher
- Note on nomenclature: Danaher published his "popular" writings, on folklore and military history, as "Kevin Danaher". His "academic" works were signed with his IrishIrish languageIrish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
name, Caoimhín Ó Danachair.
- The Danish Force in Ireland 1690-91 (With Dr. J.G.Simms) (1962) Dublin, Stationery Office for the Irish Manuscripts Commission. - A scholarly edition of original documents and letters relating to the Danish mercenaries in the Williamite war.
- In Ireland Long Ago (1962) Dublin, Mercier Press. ISBN 0-85342-781-X. - Danaher's 1st collection of popular articles
- Irish Customs and Beliefs (Originally published as Gentle Places and Simple Things) (1964) Cork, Mercier Press. ISBN 1-85635-442-4 Danaher's 2nd collection of popular articles
- Irish Country People (1966) Cork, Mercier Press. - Danaher's 3rd collection of popular articles
- Folktales from the Irish Countryside Dublin, Mercier Press. (1967) ISBN 0-85342-849-2. - Stories collected by Danaher in West Co. Limerick.
- The Pleasant Land of Ireland (1970) Cork, Mercier Press. - The scripts of the television series "The Hearth and Stool and All".
- The Year in Ireland (1972) Dublin, Mercier Press. ISBN 1-85635-093-2. - Customs and ceremonies relating to feast-days and different seasons of the year.
- Foirgneamh na nDaoine: Ireland's Vernacular Architecture (1975) Cork, Mercier Press. - A fully illustrated account of traditional house designs and construction. This was also published in a new edition with many new illustrations as
- Ireland's Traditional Houses Dublin, Bord Fáilte. ISBN 0-901146-12-9
- A Bibliography of Irish Ethnology and Folk Tradition (as Caoimhín Ó Danachair) (1978) Cork, Mercier Press.
- "That's How it Was" (1984) Cork, Mercier Press. ISBN 0-85342-714-3 - Danaher's 4th collection of popular articles
- The Children's Book of Irish Folktales (1984) Dublin, Mercier Press. ISBN 0-85342-718-6. - Selected stories from Folktales from the Irish Countryside, simplified and illustrated.
- The Hearth and Stool and All!: Irish Rural Households (1985) Cork, Mercier Press. ISBN 0-85342-734-8 - The guidebook to the Bunratty Folk Park, revised and expanded.
Other works
- In the Spring of 1968 he presented a 5-part TV programme about Irish Traditions, "The Hearth and Stool and All".