Grianghraf de Sheán Mac Giollarnáth (1880-1970), breitheamh cúirt dúiche, scríbhneoir agus bailitheoir béaloidis. Rugadh é 13 Meán Fómhair 1880 i gCoill an Bhogaigh, Goirtín, lámh le Baile Átha an Rí, Co. na Gaillimhe. Chuir sé spéis sa Ghaeilge nuair a chuaigh sé go Londain mar stát seirbhíseach. D’fhreastail sé ar ranganna Chonradh na Gaeilge thall áit ar chuir sé aithne ar Phádraig Ó Conaire agus ar Mhícheál Breathnach. Ar filleadh go hÉirinn dó i 1908, lean lena spéis i litríocht na Gaeilge. Bhí sé ina eagarthóir ar an gConnachtach, foilseachán a eisíodh gach coicís. Ina dhiaidh sin tháinig sé i gcomharbacht ar Phádraig Mac Piarais mar eagarthóir ar an gClaidheamh Soluis. Sa bhliain 1920 cháiligh sé mar dhlíodóir agus i 1925 ceapadh é ina bhreitheamh cúirt dúiche i gConamara. D’fhan sé sa phost seo go ceann 25 bliain. Cuireadh na lámhscríbhinní i mBailiúchán Mhic Ghiollarnáth le chéile 1925-1950 le linn dó bheith ina bhreitheamh cúirt dúiche. Thug a chuid oibre an deis dó bualadh leis na scéalaithe ba mhó le rá i gConamara agus a gcuid scéalta a bhailiú uathu. D’fhoilsigh sé cuid mhór den ábhar béaloidis a bhailigh sé i dtéacsanna ar nós Loinnir Mac Leabhair agus Sgéalta Gaisgidh Eile (1936), Annála Beaga ó Iorrus Aithneach (1941) agus Peadar Chois Fhairrge (1944) agus mar ailt in irisí ar nós Béaloideas. Cé go raibh clú air mar bhéaloideasóir, bhí an-dúil ag Mac Giollarnáth sa dúlra agus sa bhfiadhúlra freisin. Áirítear nótaí , dréachtaí agus foclóirí sna lámhscríbhinní le haghaidh téacsanna ar nós Féilire na nÉan (1940), Mo Dhúthaigh Fhiáin (1949) agus Cladach na Fairrge (1947) aistriúchán de The Sea Shore (Kelman & Wood, n.d.). D’fhoilsigh sé téacsanna le haghaidh gasúr freisin. I measc na lámhscríbhinní tá dréacht lámhscríofa de Emil agus na Lorgairí (1937), aistriúchán den téacs Gearmáinise Emil und die Detektive (Kästner, n.d.).

Photograph of Seán Mac Giollarnáth (1880-1970), district court judge, writer and noted collector of folklore. He was born on 13 September 1880 in Coill an Bhogaigh, Gorteen, near Athenry, Co. Galway. His involvement with the Irish language began in earnest when he worked as a civil servant in London. He took classes with Conradh na Gaeilge where he met Pádraig Ó Conaire and Mícheál Breathnach. When he returned to Ireland in 1908 he pursued his interest in Gaelic literature, firstly as editor of An Connachtach, a short-lived fortnightly publication, and subsequently as editor of An Claidheamh Soluis where he succeeded Pádraig Mac Piarais. In 1920 he qualified as a solicitor and in 1925 he was appointed District Justice in Conamara and he was to hold this position for 25 years. The manuscripts in the Mac Giollarnáth Collection were compiled 1925-1950, during his time as District Justice. His work afforded him the opportunity to meet some of the foremost storytellers in Conamara and to collect their tales. He published much of the folklore material he collected in texts such as Loinnir Mac Leabhair agus Sgéalta Gaisgidh Eile (1936), Annála Beaga ó Iorrus Aithneach (1941) and Peadar Chois Fhairrge (1944) and as articles in journals such as Béaloideas. Although he is best known as a folklorist, Mac Giollarnáth was also passionate about nature and wildlife. The manuscripts include preparatory notes, drafts and vocabularies for texts including Féilire na nÉan (1940), Mo Dhúthaigh Fhiáin (1949) and Cladach na Fairrge (1947) a translation of The Sea Shore (Kelman & Wood, n.d.). He also published for children. The manuscrips include a hand-written draft of Emil agus na Lorgairí (1937), a translation of the German Emil und die Detektive (Kästner, n.d.).