Professor Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin
Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin, PhD
- Principal & Professor of Anthropology, Ethnomusicology and Cultural History, School of Irish Studies
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Biography
The Johnson Chair in Québec and Canadian Irish Studies is named in honour of the Johnson family, well-known to Quebecers for its years of public service. Daniel Johnson Sr. and his two sons, Daniel Jr. and Pierre-Marc, were each Premiers of Québec, representing three different political parties.
The research focus of the Chair is on the role played by Quebecers of Irish origin in contributing to the social, cultural, religious and economic evolution of Québec, becoming, in the process, a model of integration into Québec society.
The creation of the Chair was made possible by a $3 million endowment, $2 million of which was provided by the Government of Quebec through the Canadian Irish Studies Foundation, and $1 million from the Concordia University Foundation.
In August 2009, Dr. Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin was appointed the inaugural holder of the Johnson Chair.
A world-renowned musician, Dr. Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin MA, DUEF, MBA, Ph.D. is a native of County Clare on the west coast of Ireland. Formerly Smurfit-Stone Chair of Irish Studies and Professor of Music at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, he is an extern research advisor for the Centre for Irish Studies at the National University of Ireland-Galway. A graduate of University College Cork, Trinity College Dublin, and Université du Sud-Toulon-Var, France, he received a Ph.D. in Social Anthropology and Ethnomusicology from Queen’s University Belfast in 1990. Author of A Pocket History of Irish Traditional Music (Dublin: O'Brien Press, 1998/2003) and numerous monographs on Irish music and folk culture, his work has been featured on PBS, CBC, RTE, BBC, TF1 and NPR. An internationally acclaimed music author, lecturer, producer and editor, he holds five world titles in Irish traditional music: as a concertina player, uilleann piper, and as a member of the Kilfenora Céilí Band, the oldest traditional ensemble in Ireland. As a professional musician, he has presented over one thousand concerts on four continents during the past thirty years. His recordings include: Traditional Music From Clare and Beyond (1996); Tracin – Traditional Music from the West of Ireland (1999); The Independence Suite – Traditional Music from Ireland, Scotland and Cape Breton (2004), and Paddy Murphy: In Good Hands – Field Recordings from a Pioneer of the Irish Concertina, published on the Celtic Crossings label. A key architect in the development of Irish music studies in North America, he has been a consultant for documentaries on Irish music and folklife in the US, Canada and the EU. An Irish language journalist in California from 1994-2000, he is a North American correspondent for RTE’s Raidió na Gaeltachta. As Johnson Chair, he is planning to conduct an extensive interdisciplinary project on the soundscape of the Irish in Quebec. Focusing on traditional Irish repertoire, transmission, and performance contexts that mark critical nodal points in the cultural history of the province, his ground-breaking project will broaden our understanding of how the Irish in Quebec preserved their unique sense of identity, place and memory through sound.
La Chaire Johnson en Études Canado-Irlandaises au Québec
Musicien mondialement connu originaire de County Clare, sur la côte ouest de l’Irlande, Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin (MA, DUEF, MBA, PhD) s’est récemment vu confier à l’Université Concordia (Montréal) la prestigieuse chaire Johnson en études canado-irlandaises au Québec. Auparavant titulaire d’une chaire dotée Smurfit-Stone en études irlandaises et professeur de musique à la University of Missouri–St. Louis, il est conseiller externe en recherche au Centre for Irish Studies de la National University of Ireland-Galway. Diplômé de la University College Cork, du Trinity College Dublin, de l’Université de Paris - Sorbonne (Paris IV) et de l’Université du Sud – Toulon – Var (France), il a obtenu en 1990 un PhD en anthropologie sociale et ethnomusicologie de la Queen’s University Belfast, où il étudiait avec l’éminent ethnomusicologue européen John Blacking. Auteur de A Pocket History of Irish Traditional Music (Dublin, O’Brien Press, 1998/2003) et de nombreuses monographies sur la musique traditionnelle et la culture folklorique irlandaises, il a eu plusieurs de ses travaux soulignés sur PBS (É.-U.), CBC (Canada), RTE (Irlande), la BBC (Royaume-Uni), TF1 (France) et NPR (É.-U.).
Renommé comme auteur, conférencier, producteur et directeur musical, Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin a gagné le premier prix à cinq reprises dans le cadre d’un concours international de musique irlandaise à titre de joueur de concertina et de cornemuse irlandaise, ou encore de membre du Kilfenora Céilí Band, le plus vieil ensemble de musique traditionnelle en Irlande. En tant que musicien professionnel, il a donné plus d’un millier de concerts aux quatre coins de la planète ces trente dernières années. Il a également œuvré à la Milwaukee Irish Summer School, à la Swannanoa Gathering (Caroline du Nord) et au Goderich Celtic College (Ontario) en plus de diriger le programme de concertina irlandais à la Catskills Irish Arts Week (New York) ainsi qu’à la Friday Harbor Irish Music School (État de Washington) pendant dix ans. Au nombre de ses enregistrements, notons Traditional Music From Clare and Beyond (1996), Tracin – Traditional Music from the West of Ireland (1999) et The Independence Suite – Traditional Music from Irland, Scotland and Cape Breton (2004), sous l’étiquette Celtic Crossings. Son projet d’archives Paddy Murphy: In Good Hands – Field Recordings from a Pioneer of the Irish Concertina a quant à lui été coréalisé en 2007 avec l’éminent flûtiste irlandais Peadar O’Loughlin. Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin a par ailleurs grandement contribué à orchestrer l’essor de la musique et des études irlandaises en Amérique du Nord, notamment à titre de consultant pour des documentaires sur la musique et la culture folklorique irlandaises aux États-Unis, au Canada et au sein de l’Union européenne. Il a également exercé en tant que journaliste irlandophone en Californie de 1994 à 2000 et agit comme correspondant en Amérique du Nord de RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, le réseau national de langue irlandaise diffusé dans le monde entier.
Depuis 1992, en plus de donner des conférences, ateliers et concerts dans toute la province, le Pr Ó hAllmhuráin a effectué sur le terrain des études préliminaires sur la musique irlandaise au sein de groupes situés dans les centres urbains du Québec et en région. Conscient que le folklore en langue vernaculaire est bien vivant dans les communautés irlando-québécoises et que les gouvernements québécois successifs ont grandement contribué à cette richesse (par le biais de musées d’ethnographie, d’organismes voués au folk, d’écoles et de festivals de musique), il est convaincu que le Québec est un trésor oublié de la musique traditionnelle irlandaise en Amérique du Nord. En sa qualité de titulaire de la chaire Johnson, il prévoit mener un vaste projet interdisciplinaire sur le paysage musical des Irlando-Québécois. En s’attachant aux compositions et au répertoire irlandais, ainsi qu’aux moyens de transmission et au milieu du spectacle qui constituent les points nodaux du patrimoine culturel local, ce projet révolutionnaire permettra de mieux comprendre comment les Irlando-Québécois ont préservé leur identité et leur mémoire collective ainsi que leur sens unique du territoire grâce à la musique.
An t Ollamh Johnson leis an Léann Éireannach in Québec agus i gCeanada
As contae an Chláir ar chósta thiar na hÉireann do Ghearóid Ó hAllmhuráin (MA, DUEF, MBA, PhD) ó dhúchas, tá a cháil mar scríbhneoir, stiúrthóir agus léiritheoir ceoil leaite ar fud an domhain ó shin. Tháinig sé chomh fada le hOllscoil Concordia sa bhliain 2009 áit inar ainmníodh é mar an Ollamh Johnson leis an Léann Éireannach in Québec agus i gCeanada. Is é an comhairleoir taighde seachtrach in Ionad an Léinn Éireannaigh in Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh. Bhíodh sé ina ollamh Smurfit-Stone leis an Léann Éireannach in Ollscoil Missouri–St. Louis, áit inar theagasc sé ceol. Bhain sé a bhunchéim amach in Ollscoil na hÉireann, Corcaigh, agus ghnóthaigh sé iarchéimeanna éagsúla i gColáiste na Tríonóide Bhaile Átha Cliath, in Ollscoil Sorbonne i bPáras, agus in Université du Sud Toulon – Var (France). Bhronn Ollscoil na Banríona Bhéal Feirste dochtúireacht air sa bhliain 1990 tar éis dó staidéar a dhéanamh ar an antraipeolaíocht shoisialta agus ar an eitnicheoleolaíocht i dteannta an scoláire eitnicheoleolaíochta John Blacking. Óna pheann féin a tháinig A Pocket History of Irish Traditional Music (Baile Átha Cliath, O’Brien Press, 1998/2003), dála scata foilseachán eile ar an gceol traidisiúnta agus ar thraidisiún an bhéaloidis in Éirinn. Is minic a tugadh iomradh ar a chuid oibre ar stáisiúin éagsúla teilifíse ar nós an PBS agus an NPR sna Stáit Aontaithe, an CBC i gCeanada, RTÉ in Éirinn, ar an BBC sa Ríocht Aontaithe, agus ar an TF1 sa Fhrainc.
Tá an phríomhdhuais i gcomórtas idirnáisiúnta ceol Gaelach buaite faoi chúig aige, bíodh sé ag seinnt ina aonar ar an gcoinseairtín nó ar na píobaí uillinn, nó ag seinnt mar bhall de bhanna céilí Chill Fhionnúrach, an grúpa is faide ar an bhfód ag seinnt ceoil Ghaelaigh. Tá níos mó ná míle ceolchoirm déanta aige mar cheoltóir proifiúnta ar fud na cruinne sna triocha bliain dheireanacha. Bhí baint aige leis an Friday Harbor Irish Music School (stát Washington) ar feadh deich mbliana, chomh maith leis an Milwaukee Irish Summer School, leis an Swannanoa Gathering (Carolina Thuaidh) agus leis an Goderich Celtic College (Ontario). Chuir sé cúrsa ar an gconsairtín Éireannach ar bun mar chuid den Catskills Irish Arts Week (Nua Eabhrac) ina theannta sin. Ar na taifeadtaí ar fad atá déanta aige, is seoidí ar leith iad Traditional Music From Clare and Beyond (1996), Tracin – Traditional Music from the West of Ireland(1999), agus The Independence Suite – Traditional Music from Ireland, Scotland and Cape Breton (2004), iad araon eisithe leis an lipéid ceoil Celtic Crossings. Rinne sé sraith taifeadtaí ar Paddy Murphy, ceannródaí ar an gconsairtín, i gcomhar le Peadar O’ Loughlin, flúiteadóir mór le rá, sa bhliain 2007 agus ba é an In Good Hands – Field Recordings from a Pioneer of the Irish Concertina an toradh a bhí ar an mbailiúchán sin. Is mór an saothar atá déanta ag Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin ar son ceoil agus léinn na hÉireann i Meiriceá Thuaidh i gcoitinne, agus é le feiceáil ar raidhse clár faisnéise a phléann fairsinge an chultúir Éireannaigh i Meiriceá, i gCeanada agus laistigh den Aontas Eorpach. Bhí sé ina chomhfhreagraí do RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta i Meiriceá Thuaidh ó 1994 go dtí 2000 agus é ag cur faoi in California.
Tá an tOllamh Ó hAllmhuráin ag freastal ar chomhdhálacha, ag déanamh ceolchoirmeacha agus ag múineadh ceardlanna in Québec ó 1992 i leith, agus i rith an ama sin go léir, d’éirigh leis iniúchadh tosaigh a dhéanamh ar an gceol Gaelach i measc pobal éagsúil in Québec, bídis sa chathair nó faoin tuath. Ar an tuiscint gurb ann don seantraidisiún beil in Québec i gcónaí, agus gur mar gheall ar iarrachtaí sraith rialtas éagsúil sa chúige a mhair an traidisiún sin, tá Gearóid lánchinnte gur seoid í Québec ó thaobh an cheoil Ghaelaigh i Meiriceá Thuaidh. Agus é mar an Ollamh Johnson, tá sé mar rún ag Gearóid togra mór idirdhisciplíneach a chur ar siúl arb é an sprioc atá leis ná éachtaint a thabhairt ar scéal an cheoil Ghaelaigh in Québec. Díreoidh an togra seo ar stór ceoil na nÉireannach in Québec, idir shaothair a thug siad leo ó Éirinn anall agus shaothair a cumadh ón nua in Québec, ar sheachadadh an stóir cheoil sin go léir, agus ar thábhacht an tsaibhris seo ceoil i gcomhthéacs an phobail féin. Tabharfaidh an togra seo léargas ar conas mar a chaomhnaigh na hÉireannaigh in Québec a bhféiniúlacht féin tríd an gcomhchuimhne agus tríd an bhfeasacht a bhí acu ar an saol mórthimpealll orthu, agus dar ndó, chabhraigh an ceol féin leo an méid sin a bhaint amach.
Publications
Flowing Tides-History and Memory in an Irish Soundscape
Flowing Tides-History and Memory in an Irish Soundscape (Oxford University Press, New York, 2016) ISBN: 9780199380084 Published: 08 July 2016; 344 PagesPlacing the testimony of music and music makers at the center of Irish cultural history and working from a palette of disciplines, Flowing Tides explores an Irish soundscape undergoing radical change in the period from the Napoleonic Wars to the Great Famine, from the birth of the nation state to the meteoric rise-and fall-of the Celtic Tiger.
Despite its isolation on the western edge of Europe, Ireland occupies vast amounts of space on the music maps of the world. Although deeply rooted in time and place, Irish songs, dances and instrumental traditions have a history of global travel that span the centuries. Whether carried by exiles, or distributed by commercial networks, Irish traditional music is one of the most popular World Music genres, while Clare, on Ireland's Atlantic seaboard, enjoys unrivaled status as a "Home of the Music," a mecca for tourists and aficionados eager to enjoy the authentic sounds of Ireland.
For the first time, this remarkable soundscape is explored by an insider-a fourth generation Clare concertina player, uilleann piper and an internationally recognized authority on Irish traditional music. Entrusted with the testimonies, tune lore, and historic field recordings of Clare performers, Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin reveals why this ancient place is a site of musical pilgrimage and how it absorbed the impact of global cultural flows for centuries. These flows brought musical change inwards, while simultaneously facilitating outflows of musical change to the world beyond - in more recent times, through the music of Clare stars like Martin Hayes and the Kilfenora Céilí Band.
A Pocket History of Irish Traditional Music
A Pocket History of Irish Traditional Music (O'Brien Press, Dublin, 1998- , 3rd edition, Kindle) paperback 192 pages ISBN: 9780862788209 /* Over 15,000 copies sold since original 1998 publication
This publication presents the history of Irish traditional music, song and dance from the mythological harp of the Dagda right up to Riverdance. Exploring anabundant spectrum of historical sources, music and folklore, this guide uncovers the contribution of the Normans to Irish dancing, the role of the music maker in Penal Ireland, as well as the popularity of dance tunes and setdancing from the end of the 18th century.
"The place of sound – the sound of place: Irish music and cultural memory in rural Quebec"
Chapter in ‘Ireland and Quebec-Multidisciplinary perspectives on history, culture and society’ (Margaret Kelleher & Michael Kenneally, editors, Four Courts Press, Dublin, 2016)
Teaching activities
Thesis supervision
Professor Ó hAllmhuráin is interested in attracting graduate students (at MA and Ph.D. level) in the following fields: Irish Cultural History in Quebec - Canadian Irish History - Irish Sociology and Anthropology - Irish Language and Folklife - Irish Music History and Ethnomusicology - Early Irish and Mediaeval History - Cultural History of the Irish Diaspora
Mic Léinn Iarchéime
Tá suim ag an Ollamh Ó hAllmhuráin mic léinn iarchéime (idir mhic léinn ag leibhéal na máistreachta agus mhic léinn ag leibheál na dochtúireachta) a mhealladh go Concordia le taighde a dhéanamh i gceann amháin de na réimsí seo a leanas : Stair Chultúrtha na nÉireannach in Québec – Stair na nGael-Cheanadaigh – Socheolaíocht agus Antraipeolaíocht na hÉireann – An Ghaeilge agus an Béaloideas – Stair an Cheoil Ghaelaigh agus Eitnicheoleolaíocht – Luath-Stair agus Stair Mheánaoiseach na hÉireann – Stair Chultúrtha an Diaspora Éireannaigh