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The collection contains music manuscripts, photographs, slides, lecture scripts, diaries, music arrangements (mostly for the Irish harp), research notes, ephemera, artefacts, and commercial & non-commercial sound recordings. A large number of books also form part of this collection.

Sound recordings, non-commercial video and ephemera, 1960s–2010s

Audio recordings made by Tom Davis during his lifetime at Irish music events.

Audio recordings of singing programmes and interviews prepared by Jimmy McBride for local Inishowen and national radio stations; audio recordings of traditional singing and music programmes from Irish radio stations, 1978?-2008.

Audio recordings of singing programmes and interviews prepared by Jimmy McBride for Inishowen Community Radio, Inishowen, Co. Donegal, 2004-2008.

Letters, original and photocopied newspaper clippings, an order of service, and magazine articles relating to the death of Derek Bell and the various memorial services and tributes which occurred. Includes letter from President Mary McAleese to Derek Bell’s widow, Stefanie Bell, sympathising with her on the death of her husband. McAleese writes that ‘Derek’s great love of both traditional and classical music was truly remarkable and inspired audiences throughout the world. His contribution to music appreciation has been immense.’ (21 Oct 2002); order of service for ‘A service of thanksgiving for the life of Derek Bell, MBE 1935-2002’ St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast (1 Nov 2002); letter from Peter Browne, Producer RTÉ Radio 1 to Stefanie Bell about a ‘documentary and memorial concert for Derek’ which was broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 on the 1 January 2004 (26 Jan 2004); letter from Liam and Frances Ó Conchubhair to Stefanie Bell enclosing an article in Irish about Derek Bell from the magazine An tUltach, Feabhra 2003, also included is a translation of the article (3 Jun 2003); letters from Brenda Dwyer, Stamp Design and Production, An Post, Dublin 1 to Stefanie Bell informing Bell of ‘a series of stamps celebrating Irish Music and the contribution of artists and performers, such as The Chieftains’ (7 Nov 2006) included with the letter are samples of the stamps and stamp products from the series; and a letter from Declan McGovern, BBC Northern Ireland, Belfast to Stephanie Bell informing her of a ‘BBC documentary on The Chieftains’ which is being made to ‘celebrate 45 years’ of the group (14 Nov 2007).

This collection was created by Derek Bell during his lifetime. The majority of the papers and audio visual collection date from the late 1960s to the late 1990s. There are some papers relating to Bell's early music education in London's Royal College of Music and Trinity College Dublin but the vast majority of materials date from his professional music career. The papers cover Bell's time with the City of Belfast Orchestra and the BBC Northern Ireland Orchestra. His international career as a solo musician, recording artist, composer and his long career with the Irish music group The Chieftains are very well documented in this collection. Derek Bell's interest in Irish music, ethnic music from Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and South America and classical harp music are also evident in the collection. His interest in the relationship between music, mysticism and meditation is reflected both in his papers and his audio visual collection. The first series contains personal papers which include: music papers relating to education, teaching and musical instruments; financial documents; religious papers relating to the guru Gideon Fontalba and the spiritual organisation the Self Realization Fellowship; papers relating to family history; and papers gathered by his widow Stefanie Bell after his death in 2002. Correspondence with family, friends, music publishers, music librarians, musicians and business related correspondence can be found in the second series of this collection. The third series contains papers collected by Bell during his time as a working musician both as a solo and orchestral artist and with The Chieftains. Included in this series are invitations from individuals and organisations to Bell to perform as well as rehearsal schedules, performance related ephemera, reviews, articles, promotional material, tour schedules and awards and certificates. The final two series in this collection contain photographs of Bell and The Chieftains and audio visual material. This material includes Bell's solo recordings as well as The Chieftains many albums. Also included in the audio collection are ethnic music recordings from around the world.

This series contains music papers, financial documents, religious papers, family history material as well as material relating to Derek Bell’s death. The files within the series have been arranged chronologically. Within this series there are three files and two subseries. The first subseries, ‘Music Papers’, has been divided into four files. The first contains papers relating to his music education in the Royal College of Music, London, England and Trinity College Dublin, as well as material relating to teaching and the study of composition. The remaining three files contain papers about the musical instruments played by Bell during his solo, orchestral and ensemble career - the piano, the pedal and Irish harp, the oboe, cimbalom [dulcimer] and heckelphone. Receipts and financial documents relating to touring with The Chieftains and the purchase of musical instruments can also be found in this series. The second subseries contains religious papers mostly dating from the 1990s. This subseries is divided into three files, the first relates to the guru Gideon Fontalba and the second and third relate to Bell’s interactions with two spiritual organisations the Church of Self Realization and Arcane School, London, England. The two remaining files in this series contain papers relating to family history research into the Bell family and material acquired by Bell’s widow, Stefanie Bell, after his death in 2002.