Studying folklore involves the exploration of traditional popular culture, in the past and in the present. It is primarily concerned with the history and culture of ordinary people, and with the evolution and role of tradition at a vernacular level. As an academic discipline, Folklore (or ethnology) involves the exploration of oral literature, social tradition, material culture, popular belief and practice, as well as traditional music and song. It explores the dynamics of communal memory and of culture as a collective phenomenon. It looks at the nature of popular tradition and the way in which such tradition is transmitted, usually outside of official channels and often across vast distances of time and space.

 

This course investigates Irish Folklore as a local expression of international cultural phenomena, making the subject particularly suitable for international students.

 

The educational values are centred on the promotion of a spirit of enquiry regarding the nature, persistence and dynamics of tradition in everyday life. They encourage students to develop a reflective approach to their studies, while also emphasising the centrality of fieldwork and archival sources to their research and learning. Teaching is carried out in lectures, in small-group tutorials, and in seminar-style participatory classes.