*Liam O’Brien. Photograph: Colm Keating.
MILTOWN MALBAY concertina player Liam O’Brien has taken on a new role with the Irish Traditional Music Archive.
Liam has been hired to the post of Digital Access and Development Officer for Co Clare with the ITMA, a role that has been supported by the Michael Guinee Charitable Foundation.
Steeped in a musical family, Liam began learning music at the age of four from his mother Bríd O’Donoghue. He studied concertina under Noel Hill and was awarded the TG4 Ceoltóir Óg na Bliana/Young Musician of the Year Award in
2017.
A BA graduate in Irish Music and Dance from the University of Limerick, Liam also has a Masters in Film Production and Direction. He has previously worked with both Nuacht RTÉ and TG4.
As Clare Digital Access and Development Officer, Liam will facilitate the digitisation, cataloguing and increase in access to the more than 10,000 Clare-related materials currently housed in ITMA’s extensive collection in Dublin.
As a result, this three-year position will provide the people of Clare with unprecedented access to their musical heritage inspiring cultural engagement and contributing to the social, economic and cultural sustainability of the county.
CEO of ITMA, Liam O’Connor commented, “Along with being one of the country’s finest traditional musicians, Liam O’Brien’s deep grá for the music of Clare, along with his technical expertise and experience, uniquely qualify him to help ITMA archive, make accessible and collect Clare-related materials. This new position will advance ITMA’s mission to provide free, universal access to archival materials and will set an unrivalled standard for archival preservation and accessibility, making Clare a world-leader when it comes to digital access to its musical heritage”.
On his new position, Liam stated, “I’m thrilled to be working with ITMA to archive, catalogue and make available the traditional music, song and dance of Co Clare. Growing up surrounded by music in Miltown Malbay, I know first hand the importance of documenting and collecting from musicians in order to keep our tradition alive and thriving. I look forward to liaising with local communities and collectors who wish to have their archival collections digitised and made accessible by ITMA”.
Derek Barrett, CEO of The Michael Guinee Charitable Foundation said they “look forward to seeing Liam and ITMA’s collective work to preserve Clare’s musical heritage over the coming years”.
ITMA’s upcoming ‘Drawing from the Well’ concert on November 2nd in the community hall at Miltown Malbay will see Liam perform as a special guest. He commences the new gig later this month from a desk at Oidhreacht an Chláir, Miltown Malbay. He will also spend time training at ITMA’s office in Merrion Square, Dublin, where he will have access to staff expertise and digitisation resources.
Founded in 1987, the ITMA is home to the largest, most comprehensive collection of Irish traditional music, song, and dance in the world. ITMA digitises, preserves and offers free universal access to valuable recordings, photographs, manuscripts, and other archived materials that would otherwise be lost.
