Hugh Shields
Encyclopedia
Dr Hugh Shields was an authority on Irish traditional music and a founder member of the Folk Music Society of Ireland
and the Irish Traditional Music Archive
. He was also a senior lecturer in French at Trinity College
, Dublin. He wrote a number of works on Irish music and folklore
.
He was born in Belfast and attended the Royal Belfast Academical Institution. He won a scholarship to Trinity College, Dublin, where he specialized in French and Spanish. He became a junior lecturer there in 1954 and a full lecturer in 1965. After his retirement in 1994 he continued teaching for another four years in the school of music, where he had worked part-time since 1982.
He first met the traditional singer Eddie Butcher in 1953 and started collecting traditional music. He collaborated with the Dublin collector Tom Munnelly
. He edited his recordings for several record companies and for the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
. In 1971 he was a founder member of the Folk Music Society of Ireland and was its first honorary secretary. He edited both the society's journal and newsletter. He also contributed articles to a large number of national and international journals.
Folk Music Society of Ireland
The Folk Music Society of Ireland was founded in 1971. Its mission was to encourage interest in traditional music in Ireland and its practice and to promote research on this and related subjects. Committee members included Seán Corcoran, Sandra Joyce, Niall Keegan, John Moulden, Tom Munnelly, Dr...
and the Irish Traditional Music Archive
Irish Traditional Music Archive
The Irish Traditional Music Archive – Taisce Cheol Dúchais Éireann is a national public archive, information centre, and resource centre for everyone with an interest in the contemporary art forms of Irish traditional song, instrumental music, and dance, and in their history.-Collections:The...
. He was also a senior lecturer in French at Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, Dublin. He wrote a number of works on Irish music and folklore
Irish mythology
The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branch and the Historical Cycle. There are...
.
He was born in Belfast and attended the Royal Belfast Academical Institution. He won a scholarship to Trinity College, Dublin, where he specialized in French and Spanish. He became a junior lecturer there in 1954 and a full lecturer in 1965. After his retirement in 1994 he continued teaching for another four years in the school of music, where he had worked part-time since 1982.
He first met the traditional singer Eddie Butcher in 1953 and started collecting traditional music. He collaborated with the Dublin collector Tom Munnelly
Tom Munnelly
-Early years:Tom Munnelly was born in Rathmines in Dublin, and went to Clogher Road technical college. He took up factory work at the age of 15. At a scout camp he became intetersted in folk songs. To enlarge his own repertoire he acquired a tape recorder. In 1965 Munnelly met an Irish Traveller...
. He edited his recordings for several record companies and for the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum is situated in Cultra, Northern Ireland, about east of the city of Belfast. It comprises two separate museums, the Folk Museum and the Transport Museum...
. In 1971 he was a founder member of the Folk Music Society of Ireland and was its first honorary secretary. He edited both the society's journal and newsletter. He also contributed articles to a large number of national and international journals.