Going to the Well for Water: The Seamus Ennis Field Diary 1942-1946

Index of people featured in the diary

Index of people featured in the diary The spelling of proper names in Irish has been regularised throughout. Where it was possible to source biographical material, a brief account has been provided. Not all the people named in the diary gave material to the collector. The biographical note is followed by a listing of the material collected by Ennis, followed by the relevant diary date(s). To facilitate identification, an alphabetical system (i.e. [A], [B] . . .), has been created to indicate family members. Where a title was not supplied for material collected, a recognised title is provided in square brackets [ ] in the listing. Sound recordings on acetate discs or plates were made from some of the people and SA (Sound Archive) is thus given as the source for these items. Séamus Ennis and Caoimhín Ó Danachair travelled throughout Ireland in the Commission’s travelling van and made sound recordings. Some recordings were made in the Commission’s office in Dublin during the annual Oireachtas festival. Recordings were also made at Oireachtas events by members of the Commission staff. The archive records give Caoimhín Ó Danachair’s name together with that of Séamus Ennis for each of the recordings given below, with one exception. The exception is ‘Amhrán Shéamuis Uí Chonchúir’, which Ennis recorded from Seosamh Ó Héanaí. Bairéad [A] Pádraig (Peait Choilm Thomáisín), Maínis. He was the nephew of Colm Ó Caodháin, qv. 1945: 10.5.45 [B] Pete. He owned a farm in Lúch Thuaidh, Dúlainn. Peter died in 1955. His wife, Ellen McMahon, who died in 1932, was a sister of the folklore collector Seán Mac Mathúna, qv, who lived with them for a number of years. 1945: 14.9.45 401 Ball Jack, Belfast. In a letter to Seán Ó Súilleabháin of 17.8.44, Ennis mentioned that Ball was a bus driver. 1944: 11.8.44 Bonar [A] Hughie, Fál Chorb, An Machaire. Hugh was born in 1874. His parents were Mary and Charles and Hugh was the eldest in the family. He had three sisters. He and his wife Nellie had four sons and a daughter. Their son, Hugh, was killed in the Spanish Civil War in 1937. Hugh was a farmer and it proved difficult for the family to live off the land. His sons Charlie, John and Patrick and daughter Alice emigrated to England and Scotland. Hugh was a short, plump man but he was healthy. He always wore a cap. He was a hard worker and performed his tasks neatly. Every morning he walked with his donkey and two baskets to Machaire Maoláin to bring home his supply of turf. He had a racing bicycle, which was quite unusual at the time, as other people rode the type of bicycle known as a ‘High Nelly’. He was a highly regarded fiddle player locally. He was also a dancer and lilter. He made his first fiddle. His fiddle always hung on the wall. Hugh often played with another fiddle player, Micí Neidí Bhán Ó Dónaill, from Tearmann, An Machaire. Hugh was nicknamed ‘Bonar’. He died in the early 1950s. Blackbird Among the Berries, The MM 020.064 Connaughtman’s Rambles, The MM 020.067 Cup of Coffee, The MM 020.060 Cup of Tea, The MM 020.061 Johnny’s Gone to France MM 020.062 Mary Tripping Over the Heather MM 020.063 Morning Dew, The MM 020.066 Unnamed [Maighdean Mhara an Mhullaigh Mhóir] MM 020.065 Wild Irishman, The MM 020.059 1944: 10.3.44; 26.9.44 [A] his wife [Nellie] and his daughter [Alice]. 1944: 26.9.44 402 Going to the Well for Water [B] Master [Paddy], Gort an Choirce. He had four sons and a daughter. The family lived in the house in which Coláiste Uladh was established in 1906, in An Ardaigh Bheag. 1946: 18.5.46 Bowles Michael, Dublin (1909–98). He was music director with Radio Éireann in 1942 and he left that organisation in 1948. He spent time working on songs in Irish with Colm Ó Lochlainn, qv. He was very friendly with the Keys family (muintir Mhic Aoidh), qv. He asked Ennis to try to arrange a series of radio programmes of the music and song Ennis had collected. Ennis used to discuss fees and...