Eoin McKiernan Library
EML Director Update, February 2021
As the McKiernan Library enters this new year, we are hopeful about the prospect of restarting our public open hours and working to prepare our collection, reading room and new office space to maximize our value to the community once that day comes. At the same time, we continue to look for ways to educate and inspire during the remaining lockdown with new digital content and support for Celtic Junction Arts Center’s other online offerings.
Since November, we have completed a substantial book cataloging project, laid the groundwork for a March online book sale, prepared archival videos and photos for inclusion in our catalog and researched the musical Doherty family of Scott County and St. Paul in preparation for upcoming publications and events. Read below for details on our progress in these areas.
Update on Eoin McKiernan Television Series Collection
We continued our work with our newly digitized collection of Dr. Eoin McKiernan’s 1960s television programs “Ireland Rediscovered” and “Irish Diary.” Thanks to a VHS tape saved by Dr. McKiernan’s daughter Ethna, we were able to add a 50th episode to our collection. We now have digital copies of 50 out of the 53 programs produced by Dr. McKiernan in the early ‘60s. I have now watched all 50 and have prepared descriptive summaries and subject headings for each. These will now be fed into our catalog to help researchers explore this remarkable collection.
Though the programs are mainly lectures given by McKiernan from behind a desk in the KTCA-TV studio in St. Paul, I was delighted to discover that a few of the tapes include some video footage filmed in Ireland. One program, on the Irish sport of hurling (titled “Freedom Games”), includes part of a hurling training video as well as footage of the 1961 All-Ireland hurling final match between Tipperary and Dublin at Croke Park!
This publication was made possible in part by the people of Minnesota through a grant funded by an appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Any views, findings, opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the State of Minnesota, the Minnesota Historical Society, or the Minnesota Historic Resources Advisory Committee.
Doherty Family Article for CJAC Arts Review
This month’s Celtic Junction Arts Review quarterly cultural magazine (available free online) includes an in-depth article on the musical Doherty family of Scott County and Saint Paul written as part of the McKiernan Library’s ongoing project to contextualize and explore our new Doherty Family Recordings collection. The article is based largely on an incredible 413-page collection of writings by Tony Doherty’s wife Margaret that the family allowed the McKiernan Library to digitize. Watch for information on an online talk I will give on the Doherty family in April!
Over 300 new books shelved and added to online catalog
Thanks to hours of hard work by McKiernan Library volunteers Maggie Sullivan, Michaela Corniea, Kate Daly, Jim Tarbox and Tim Scanlan, we completed shelving and cataloging of 312 books! These include recent substantial book donations by Keegan’s Irish Pub, Tom Jeffers and the McKiernan family as well as 19 books purchased by Celtic Junction Arts Center. Thanks to everyone who donated books and to our volunteers for cataloging, labeling, installing security strips and shelving!
