Mag and Ellen

Folklore samples from the Adamstown area of Co. Wexford which were recorded as part of the project My People -  My Place by Michael Fortune in 2015.
................................................................................

My People -  My Place is an intergenerational  project produced with 1st and 2nd Year Pupils from Coláiste Abbain in Adamstown, Co. Wexford between January and May 2015. This place-based mapping and folklore collection project, was produced as part of the NAPD's (National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals) Creative Engagement Programme and supported by Coláiste Abbain and the Arts Department of Wexford County Council.
 
The Creative Engagement Programme is co-funded by the Department of Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht, and it brings arts practitioners into schools around the country to conduct arts and heritage based projects with students. This project contained the added dimension of an intergenerational strand, where the pupils, under the guidance of Michael and teachers from the school, conducted conversations and research with the older people from the area.


During the course of the project, sixty pupils undertook a wide survey of their own area, identifying ancient and contemporary sites ranging from Holy Wells, May Bush Sites, Norman Keeps, Raheens etc. Using open source software such as Google Maps and Ordnance Survey Ireland, the young people traced, marked and identified these places of importance. 

Coupled with this, Michael undertook interviews with the young people themselves and produced a new body of films where the young people recalled their own stories from their locality. These stories, many ancient in their origins, combined with contemporary references and the storyteller's own character, highlight the incredibly rich oral history which still exists in County Wexford to this day. These short films will also be viewable on the project website and are a must view for anyone with an interest in folklore and storytelling.
 
This project further builds upon the success of folklore collections Michael conducted in neighbouring Raheen in 2006 for Wexford County Council and some of the people involved visited the school and spoke with students. The complete Raheen collection ‘That's What We Were Told Anyway’ has since been digitized and it too features on the project website.
 
The project website www.mypeoplemyplace.com will be officially launched on Monday the 25th of May 2015