Deireadh ré. Comóradh gairmréim Shíle de Cléir in OL

Colleagues and friends gathered to celebrate Síle de Cléir as she retires after almost two decades of teaching, research and scholarship at UL. The celebration brought together colleagues from across the School of English, Irish, and Communication, Léann na Gaeilge, the School of Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics, and the wider University, alongside friends and former colleagues from other institutions to wish her well as she begins the next chapter of her life.

A message from former UL colleague Professor Tríona Ní Shiocháin paid tribute to Síle as an “utterly outstanding colleague” and great friend. Reflecting on the years they shared an office, Professor Ní Shiocháin recalled the lively intellectual culture created by Síle’s scholarship and her “brilliant interpretative analysis” of subjects ranging from oral tradition and storytelling to material culture, cosmology and cultural practice.

Describing Síle’s retirement as “the end of an era”, Professor Ní Shiocháin highlighted the years when Síle, Professor Tadhg Ó hIfearnáin and herself formed a core academic team at UL.

From public libraries to Irish folklore, from lively classroom debates to a growing collection of books left behind for colleagues, Síle’s career has taken many paths, but it was her love of Irish and Folklore that ultimately brought her to the University of Limerick in 2008.

Reflecting on her career, Síle says her route into academia was far from straightforward.

“I had some different jobs including a spell in the clothing trade and then a longer one in public libraries, and also some lecturing and teaching,” she recalls.

It was when she went to University College Cork in her mid-20s to study Irish and Irish Folklore that she found the subject that would shape her career.

“It was a fantastic three years and I loved it,” she says.

She began researching part-time while continuing to work in the library, eventually bringing together her interests in Irish, folklore, ethnology and cultural traditions in a career that would see her become a much-valued scholar and professor at UL.

What attracted her to UL in the first place was its interdisciplinary approach.

“The approach to Arts in UL is very interdisciplinary and that always appealed to me,” she says. “It’s also a nice place to work and a beautiful environment. So, I have enjoyed working here.”

For Síle, however, her time at UL has been about much more than academic work. Asked what she has enjoyed most about working with students and colleagues, she points to the distinctive sense of community at the University.

“UL has a lovely atmosphere of ‘we’re in it together’, both students and staff seem to feel that, and it makes a huge difference.”

One early teaching experience remains particularly memorable, when one day Síle decided that teaching a traditional grammar class was, in her words, “very boring”.

“So, we went on the internet and read a piece on college life instead,” she recalls. “It was a hilarious session and we all had great fun. I remember thinking ‘I’ve really cracked it!’”

The following week, however, only a handful of students turned up.

“It made me think about what we’re really here for, and what the students expect. They can have the crack elsewhere!”

The experience was a reminder of the importance of understanding students and meeting them where they are, something Síle says she has learned throughout her career.

Asked what she hopes to have left behind at UL, Síle’s typically understated response was: “A lot of books…”. Her collection can now be found in Seomra na Gaeilge and along the MLAL corridor, along with two scented candles for colleague Professor Aengus Finnegan.

As Síle looks towards retirement, her final message to the students and colleagues who have shared her UL journey is equally simple and heartfelt:

“Beidh sibh im’ chroí go deo. Go raibh míle míle maith agaibh go léir.”

After almost two decades of scholarship, teaching, laughter and friendship, Síle de Cléir leaves behind not only a considerable body of academic work, but also the memories and connections of a career spent as part of the UL community.

The School of English, Irish, and Communication wishes Síle every happiness for her retirement, and hopes she finally gets those autumn bulbs planted.