Moriarty, Joan Denise

Reference Code: IE 2135 N63

Title: The Joan Denise Moriarty Collection

Date of Creation: 2012

Level of Description: Fonds

Extent and Medium: 15 items (15 files)

CONTEXT

Name of Creator(s): Fleischmann, Dr Ruth; and Foley, Dr Catherine.

Administrative History: The year 2012 marked the centenary of the birth and the 20th anniversary of the death of Joan Denise Moriarty (c. 1912-1992), a pioneer who throughout her life strived to give the art of dance a definitive place in the Irish culture. She founded the Cork Ballet Company (1947-1993) and two professional touring companies, Irish Theatre Ballet (1959-1964) and Irish National Ballet (1973-1989). She also established a number of ballet schools throughout Munster and choreographed over 100 ballets, including the iconic The Playboy of the Western World (1978).

To celebrate Moriarty’s unique and unparalleled contribution to the art of ballet in Ireland, a series of events were organized throughout the country during 2012. The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance participated in these celebrations in November 2012 by organizing a seminar, The Contribution of Joan Denise Moriarty to Ballet in Ireland, and by hosting an exhibition, The Music for the Ballet, which documented Moriarty’s role in commissioning new music for her ballets from Irish composers. At the official opening of the exhibition, the launching of Joan Denise Moriarty: Ireland’s First Lady of Dance, edited by Ruth Fleischmann, also took place.

Immediate Source of Acquisition: Donated by Dr Ruth Fleischmann and Dr Catherine Foley to the National Dance Archive of Ireland on 5 December 2012.

CONTENT AND STRUCTURE

Scope and Content: The collection comprises a copy of Joan Denise Moriarty: Ireland’s First Lady of Dance, photographs taken during its launch, and information on the seminar, book launch and exhibition organized in the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance in November 2012 to mark Moriarty’s centenary celebrations.

Appraisal, Destruction and Scheduling Information: All records have been retained.

Accruals: No accruals are expected.

System of Arrangement: The documents have been arranged into two series according to their form.

CONDITIONS OF ACCESS AND USE

Conditions Governing Access: Unrestricted access to all items.

Conditions Governing Reproduction: Standard copyright regulations apply to all items. For photocopying or reproducing material, please consult with the staff.

Language/ Scripts of Material: English.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements: Paper documents and digital photographs in good condition. Items N63/2/1-13 require a PC or laptop and Windows Photo Viewer or similar software.

Finding Aids: A hard copy of the descriptive catalogue is available at the Special Collections and Archives Department, Glucksman Library, University of Limerick.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Related Units of Description: The papers of Joan Denise Moriarty, which constitute the largest historical ballet collection in Ireland, have been donated to Cork City Library.

Further material relating to Joan Denise Moriarty in the National Dance Archive of Ireland can be found in the following collections: N4 (Patricia Crosbie); N6 (Victoria O’Brien); N24 (Conversations from the Archive); N25 (Gerard O’Meara); N47 (Terry and Nancy Bowler); N52 (Domy Reiter-Soffer); and N55 (Ruth Fleischmann).

DESCRIPTION CONTROL

Archivist’s Note: Papers arranged and described by Anna-Maria Hajba.

Rules or Conventions: This description follows guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd edition, 2000; Irish Guidelines for Archival Description, 2009; National Council on Archives: Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997; and EAP Guidance on Data Protection for Archive Services, 2018.

Date of Description: February 2013. Revised December 2020.