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