We’re “crowd-transcribing” our archive at the moment in preparation for lodging it to the Digital Repository of Ireland.  We need volunteers to listen to the interviews and write summaries of them (not actually full transcripts). We need a big crowd effort to get to grips with this enormous story archive and try to capture it on paper.  We will advertise and provide training at regular intervals through the year.  If you’ve never been part of a “transcription community”  before, now’s your chance!  If you love listening to people telling stories and talking about traditions, folklore and their own Co. Clare lives, you might like this project.

What you’ll need:
– Your own laptop and the ability to access or download audio from links we send. (We’ll show you how.)
– The patience to listen and type summaries of what you’re hearing onto our interview summary forms. 

If you think you’d like to help, you can register your interest by sending us an email to [email protected].  We’ll send you more information and sign you up for training.  Training will take place online on Tue 19 May and Monday 25 May online 6.30 – 8pm. (You need only attend one session.)
Remember you don’t have to be living in Clare to help.   And even if you miss these training dates you can register your interest any time by emailing us at [email protected]  We’ll let you know when the next training dates are decided.

Our last Talking Landscapes walk before the summer break is on Saturday 16 May at 12 noon.  Led by Michael Sheedy, this is a walk through the Slieve Aughty Mountains, approached from Corrakyle in North East Clare.  Under Michael’s expert guidance, we will walk up to Ard Aoibhinn (1200 ft), walk on to the Danes’ Den and The Fox Dens, get views that sweep from Kilrush to the Devils Bit in Tipperary, as well as taking in the beauty of Lough Derg. Michael will tell us stories of his native mountains along the way.  We will look around us at 1,000 acres of open unplanted heath, and see  what the landscape of the East Clare uplands looked like before today’s spruce plantations.

This walk is a good deal more challenging than our usual walks.  Walk grade is moderate to tough, on open heathland, about 4 hours duration.  A reasonable level of fitness is needed. Please read the description at the booking link carefully, along with the risk assessment.  Good walking boots and weatherproof clothing must be worn. It is essential to bring drinks and a packed lunch.

Book your free place here.

About Talking Landscapes:
Cuimhneamh an Chláir has been gathering oral histories of Co. Clare since 2009. Those stories are strongly linked to place and to our sense of identity as Clare people. Now we invite you to walk through those places in the company of local people who will act as your guides. Look beneath the surface, learn the deep stories, connect with landscape. Walks take place 4 times a year, mostly in rural locations, but Clare towns feature too. They are free but must be booked in advance. Details and bookings here.

Cuimhneamh an Chláir broke new ground in 2024, investigating new and innovative ways to manage, interpret and share our community archive. Working with experts from America’s James Madison University, we tackled a question that’s becoming increasingly important: how can we use new technology to preserve our local stories while ensuring we do it the right way?  The project, led by researcher Tatjana Titareva from The Cohen Center for the Humanities, looked at how artificial intelligence (AI) could help protect the oral histories we collect. But rather than rushing to adopt new technology, we focused on creating guidelines to ensure that AI is used respectfully and ethically when handling these precious memories.

“It’s about finding the balance between embracing new tools while protecting stories bequeathed by Clare’s older citizens,” explains Cuimhneamh an Chláir chair Cormac McCarthy. The result is a clear set of rules and guidelines that other heritage groups can follow when using AI in their own work. 
Read the report here.
This collaboration has once again illustrated Cuimhneamh an Chláir’s ambition to be at the cutting edge of heritage practices in Ireland, showing how local community led groups can lead the way in using modern technology while staying true to traditional values.  This work could not have been undertaken without the support of The Heritage Council and Clare Libraries

We are proud to announce the publication of our comprehensive Step-by-Step Guide for archiving oral histories with the Digital Repository of Ireland.

Working with expert archivist Clare Lanigan and Cuimhneamh an Chláir Project Manager Paula Carroll, we’ve created a detailed roadmap for preserving Ireland’s rich oral heritage in digital format using established DRI guidelines and including additional information relevant to digital Oral Heritage. This guide transforms complex archival processes into clear, actionable steps that any heritage organisation can follow.

Key features include:
• Detailed metadata creation templates
• Strategic subject term mapping
• Step-by-step batch ingest processes
• Best practices for digital preservation

This resource represents a significant step forward in standardising oral history preservation in Ireland. We’re sharing it openly here to help other heritage organisations protect their valuable collections for future generations. This project would not have been possible without The Ireland Funds and  The Heritage Council