I raise this matter as a result of a parliamentary question I tabled on 21 November on the Folklore Commission. Many Members are probably not aware of the existence of the Folklore Commission. However, when I was a young boy 50 years ago I recall it collecting material from the older generation. It did that through recordings on gramophones and by taking information down in long hand. It got people's experiences of what life was like in the middle of the 19th century. Indirect knowledge probably dates back to the 18th century or earlier as a result of traditions and stories which were passed down by word of mouth.
I was surprised to learn that the works of the Folklore Commission were given to the department of Irish folklore at University College, Dublin in 1971 and that they are now the property of that university. I was informed in the reply to which I refer that there are 2,300 bound volumes in the main manuscripts and 1,100 bound volumes in the schools' collection and that there are also approximately 1,120 boxes of unbound material. The latter consist of a collection of sound recordings on gramophone discs, audio tapes, photographs, film and video tapes and a variety of plans, sketches and diagrams.
I am asking that this material, which was collected by the Folklore Commission since the foundation of the State 80 years ago, be distributed to the county and city libraries throughout the country so that people can gain access to it. It is a great pity that this material is not available locally. Later in the reply, I was informed that it can be examined at the Arts Building in Belfield on weekdays. That is reasonably helpful but most people with an interest in this matter do not want to come to Dublin to study items such as those contained in the collection. Schools, local newspapers and libraries should all be given access to this material. It would be of massive benefit to this country and its people, in terms of preserving our heritage, culture and history, if we could gain access to the first-hand experiences of those who witnessed events surrounding the land wars, the Land League, the Fenian uprisings, the Famine and the War of Independence.
I am requesting that this material be disseminated by University College, Dublin, to libraries in cities and towns where they can be examined and studied in order that people can learn from it. Unfortunately, many people do not appreciate local history until they become older. We love to listen to people who are 20, 30 or 40 years older than us and who have wonderful recollections about past events which we value. People are not learning from the recollections contained in the folklore department at UCD which date back 80 years.
I am familiar with a man who frequents one of the many public houses in which I drink. This individual is about 70 years of age and he has an incredible store of knowledge about local history which has never been recorded in any book or newspaper. He gained this knowledge from his grandmother who was born in 1856 and who, in turn, had an incredible recollection of events from the middle of the 19th century. She also picked up knowledge of local history from her parents and grandparents which dated back to the mid-18th century.
We are losing out on a large part of our culture because we are not particularly proactive in this area. I ask the Minister of State to make available the material to which I refer and to make a conscious effort to have it distributed in order that it might be gainfully used.