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Research Cluster

History

Funding Body

Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure Northern Ireland

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The Supernatural in Ulster Scots Literature and Folklore Project was funded by MAGUS/Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure. Its main objective was to produce an open access, online resource, 'The Supernatural in Ulster Scots Folklore and Literature Reader'. It provides a selection of Ulster Scots literary, historical and folklore sources, from c.1672 until c.1920, relating to various aspects of the supernatural. The Supernatural Reader demonstrates that in Ulster Scots culture, both rural and urban, there was a range of sincerely held, supernatural beliefs, similar in many ways to those held elsewhere in Ireland.

The Supernatural Reader facilitates access to resources for community groups, members of the general public, as well as educational (schools, universities, colleges) and governmental institutions, for use in their specific areas of study or educational and outreach programmes. The sources were selected on the basis that they were new to most readers, or hard to locate, and includes poetry, prose, memoirs, songs, newspapers reports, legal records, and contemporary pamphlets. The material has been presented in a readable, annotated, thematically arranged manner.

The project team, comprised of staff members of the Ulster University and affiliates, was as follows: Dr Andrew Sneddon (principal investigator/researcher/editor); Dr John Privilege (researcher/editor); Dr David Gray (researcher); Rowan Morrey (new media/web design); Tina Macfarlane (research support).

If using, citing or publishing material contained in the Supernatural Reader, the editors request the following citation be used: Andrew Sneddon, John Privilege (eds), 'The Supernatural in Ulster Scots Folklore and Literature Reader', Centre for Irish-Scottish Studies, Ulster University.