Collection CMA-240167 - The Caoimhín Mac Aoidh Collection

Identity area

Reference code

CMA-240167

Title

The Caoimhín Mac Aoidh Collection

Date(s)

  • 1930s-2015 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

2 boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Archival history

By the mid 1980s Caoimhín Mac Aoidh had amassed a significant collection of the manuscripts of Pádraig O'Keeffe sourced mainly from his pupils and in a limited number, others who had come to possess some material. All collections were given freely to Caoimhín and every original manuscript returned to their owners once they had been photocopied.

Caoimhín understood the writing systems for fiddle, ten key melodeon and whistle and meticulously transcribed each tune into staff notation. In those cases where he couldn't reasonably photocopy the originals, he copied the originals using stencils and a draftsman's Rotring pen in order to ensure clarity of reproduction. It was always Caoimhín's hope to get the collection "published with the view to making them available to the public as a mark of respect to the great master that was Pádraig [O'Keeffe] as well as to honour the generosity of the manuscript owners" but due to the size of the collection he failed in this endeavour. In total 700 tunes were transcribed from manuscript sources and these transcriptions along with text and notes on the tunes were donated to ITMA in September 2015. The donation coincided with an event to mark the retirement of ITMA Director Emeritus Nicholas Carolan and was a "small but genuine tribute" by the donor "to offer the collections on this occasion."

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Donated to ITMA by Caoimhín Mac Aoidh, 24 September 2015.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

This collection includes: photocopies of original Pádraig O'Keeffe manuscripts; transcriptions made by Caoimhín Mac Aoidh of 700 Pádraig O'Keeffe tunes, along with contextual notes and texts on the tunes; and correspondence relating to MacAoidh's research into Pádraig O'Keeffe. The photocopied manuscript collections are as follows:

O'Connell Collection: 212 Tunes
O'Connor Collection (comprising five Manuscripts): 260 Tunes
Horan Manuscripts: 85 Tunes
Mickey Duggan Manuscripts: 14 Tunes
Jerry McCarthy Manuscripts: 15 Tunes.
Nicky McAuliffe Manuscripts: 38 Tunes
Miscellaneous Manuscripts: 74 Tunes
Appendix 1 is a summary sheet of the collections and their contents by rhythm.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • English
  • Irish

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Draft

Level of detail

Minimal

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Accession area

Related subjects

Related people and organizations

Related genres

Related places

Physical storage

  • Box: Caoimhín Mac Aoidh Collection. Box 1-2