During this research project musician Aoise O’Dwyer will explore the sheet music included in the Joly Collection as an aspect of the cultural and material heritage of Co. Offaly. The collection consists of 23,000 printed volumes, unbound papers and Irish and Scottish song music, collected by Jaspar Robert Joly (1819-1892) of Brackagh, Clonbullogue, King’s County (Offaly) and held at the National Library of Ireland (NLI). Aoise will spend research days at the National Library to gain an overview of the sheet music collection and to create a database of musical works that could be selected and developed for performance activities in 2027. She will work in partnership with Clonbullogue Development Association to understand more about the community’s connection with the Joly family and survey local awareness about the collection. She will also use this period of research to consider how she would develop an innovative and engaging musical response to the collection materials, which could include the commissioning of new arrangements of selected works, composition of new material inspired by the Joly collection, performance of song material in original and new settings, and outreach and education activities in local schools.
A research presentation will take place during Heritage Week in August – further details to follow.
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