Ballad Broadsheet
UCD Library Special Collections holds the Colm Ó Lochlainn Book Collection
Click here to view ballad sheets from this collection in the UCD Digital Library.
The Collection
- The book collection of Colm Ó Lochlainn contains early Irish printings and handsome bindings of 19th and 20th century texts.
- The books relate to the subjects of Anglo Irish literature, Irish language, folklore, ballads and Irish history.
- The collection also contains broadside ballad sheets, songbooks and devotional literature. Many of the broadside ballad sheets have been digitized and are available on the UCD Digital Library website.
- Special Collections UCD Library purchased Ó Lochlainn’s manuscripts, letters, ballad broadsheets as well as his book collection in 1963.
Biographical History
- Colm Ó Lochlainn (1892-1972) was a ballad collector, Gaelic scholar, printer, publisher, binder and bibliophile, from Dublin.
- He owned the publishing company The Sign of the Three Candles and later The Three Candles Press.
- He was a lecturer in Modern Irish in UCD between 1933-1944.
- He wrote several books, published by his own company, The Three Candles Press.
- His most famous book is Irish Street Ballads which contains ballads selected from the many broadsheet ballads he had collected.
Access and Use
- The material in this collection is available by appointment to students, teaching staff, and independent researchers. We also welcome interested members of the public.
- Please contact us at special.collections@ucd.ie for further information. To book an appointment click here.
More Information
Find books and material in the collection:
- Use The Library Catalogue to key in Ó Lochlainn
- When you get a results screen select Special Collections from Location option in the left panel
Find information on Colm Ó Lochlainn in the Dictionary of Irish Biography (UCD only).