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Includes student timetables from the Royal College of Music; a music catalogue ‘Selected Works from the Catalogues of the Universal Edition’ (Summer 1954); typed and handwritten music exam papers with annotated comments from examiners; lecture notes; model answers to exam questions; Derek Bell’s MusB degree parchment from Trinity College Dublin (29 Jul 1959); two photographs from the Ninth International Conference of the International Society for Music Education (ISME) which took place in Moscow (14 July 1970); articles about various aspects of musical composition; and newspaper clippings of obituaries of fellow students from Campbell College, Belfast.

Original and photocopy newspaper and magazine articles about The Chieftains and their tours, concerts, and recordings from various Irish, British, German, Finnish, Italian, Australian, New Zealand and North American publications. Includes reviews of The Chieftains 5 (Island, ILPS 9334) (18 Oct 1975); articles about The Chieftains being named Group of the Year by ‘Britain’s foremost pop paper, Melody maker ’ (12 Jan 1976); reviews of concerts in Melbourne, Australia (8 June 1977); and Dunedin, New Zealand (23 June 1977); article about the group’s performance in The Phoenix Park, Dublin during the ‘Offering of Mass’ by Pope John Paul II (16 Oct 1979); article about The Chieftains playing for Pope John Paul II at a General Audience in The Vatican, Italy (21 Jan 1980); articles about the premiere in Philadelphia, United States of America of The Chieftains Christmas show ‘A traditional Irish Christmas’ with special guest Geraldine Fitzgerald; (18 Dec 1981); a series of three articles published by the Irish times about The Chieftains tour in China (18-20 May 1983); reviews of Irish heartbeat their album with Van Morrison (18 Jun 1988); reviews of The Chieftains album Bells of Dublin (9 Oct 1991); copies of press clippings for The Chieftains album The long black veil (1995) which was collated by BMG International and RCA (20 Jan 1995); copies of press clippings from North American publications about the release of The Chieftains album Tears of stone (1999); articles about The Chieftains 40th anniversary in 2002 including reviews of their CD The wide world over: a 40-year celebration (19 Mar 2002).

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).

Includes original and photocopied letters from Liya and Elise ? to Derek Bell and John Leach about the manufacture and purchase of a cimbalom (2 May 1974); Hungarian cimbalom catalogue (27 Feb 1996); photograph of a cimbalom; typescript of an article ‘The heckelphones’ (Oct 1998); typescript of an article by Michael Finkelman ‘The bass oboe’ (Oct 1998); letter from Gildas Jaffrennou, Ploeren, France to Derek Bell which includes the article ‘The Celtic hammered dulcimer’ (22 July 1994); and a handwritten article by Derek Bell ‘The tiompán in ancient Ireland’.

Request from various organisation to Derek Bell to perform or rehearse. Includes a request from the general secretary of CEMA, Tyrone House, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast to Bell to play piano at a concert by the Lydian Singers in Neillsbrook Hall, Randalstown, [Co Antrim] ‘the work to be performed is Elijah and the conductor will be Douglas Armstrong’ (30 Apr 1958); information and script for the pre-recording of a radio programme for the Northern Ireland Home Service called ‘Music from Ulster’ with ‘Derek Bell (oboe and cor anglais), Norman Henry (baritone), Henrietta Byrne (soprano) and May Turtle and Havelock Nelson (pianos)’ (19 Jun 1958); rehearsal times and duty sheets for various orchestras including ‘City of Belfast Orchestra’ (9 Apr 1964) and ‘BBC Northern Ireland Orchestra’ (17 Oct 1967); letter from Marcella De Cray, Treasurer & 1979 Conference Director, American Harp Society, San Francisco, California, United States of America, inviting Bell to be a guest artist at the 16th Annual Conference of the American Harp Society’ (15 Jan 1979); copy of a letter from Liam Ó Conchubhair to Maureen Gallagher, Producer, BBC, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast referring to a ‘recital at Garron Tower’ (13 Jun 1992) includes a setlist of tunes and songs to be performed; an invitation from Christine Burns, Cork to Derek Bell to attend the ‘First Annual Cork Dulcimer Festival’ (Apr 2002).

Original and photocopied newspaper clippings with reviews of Derek Bell’s performances, the majority dating from 1970 to 1986 from various publications including the Belfast telegraph, Ballymena observer, The Times [London, England], News letter [Belfast], Brunswick news [Georgia, United States of America], Irish times [Dublin] and the Orcadian, [Orkney, Scotland]. The majority of the reviews are from the Belfast telegraph and are written by ‘Rathcol’.

Original handwritten and photocopied set lists containing tune and song titles, the key of the piece, the approximate time the piece will take to play, the number of ‘verses’ to be performed and some contain song words. In most cases it is not clear which performance the set list relates to. Includes the set list for the film score Tristan and Isolde [1980].

Handwritten and typed letters and cards from various relatives and friends to Derek Bell and a series of letters from Derek Bell to Mary ?, Evansville, Indiana, United States of America. Letters from Bell’s mother, father and sister are personal in nature and mostly date from when he was in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America. One of these letters is addressed to him ‘c/o American Wind Symphony Orchestra’ (3 July 1963). There are three letters from his parents written while visiting his sister in Cuzco, Peru. His father, William Bell, describes hearing Peruvian harps ‘the harps out here are a dead loss. Big ones about 8 ft. high, carried in hand occasionally, or crude little ones tinkled by blind Indians’ (13 Oct 1968); letters from Derek Bell to Mary ? are conversational in tone with many references to Bell’s work with The Chieftains including the release of a number of CDs including Tears of stone , Mystic harp II and Christmas in Rome . There are also references to his solo work and masterclasses. Includes descriptions of a recording session with soprano Monserrat Caballé in Barcelona (30 May 1998); The Chieftains recording ‘two pieces for the new Babe II film’ (20 Sep 1998); an amusing description of his ‘lunch with President Clinton in the House of Representatives’ (31 Mar 2000) and Bell’s attendance at the 100th birthday party of the BBC Symphony Orchestra’s harpist, Sidonie Goossens (12 Oct 1999); letters dating from June 2000 congratulate Bell on being awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II. Another letter references the death of Bell’s harp teacher Artiss [de Volt] (16 Sept 2000). Undated letters from Bell’s nephew William ? have many musical references especially to Bell’s career with The Chieftains; includes an undated letter from snooker player Alex Higgins. Undated correspondence has been placed at the back of the file.

Black & white and colour photographs of Derek Bell. Includes professional photographs taken for publicity purposes. Many photographs feature Bell with musical instruments including the pedal and Irish harp, oboe and dulcimer; also includes photographs of Bell receiving his MBE from Queen Elizabeth II (19 June 2000).