Former UCD professor emeritus and former head of the UCD department of Irish Folklore, find Bo Almqvist, died on Saturday the 9th of November following a short illness. He was 82.
Professor Almqvist was originally from Sweden and moved to Ireland in the early 70’s. He specialised in Scandinavian and Irish folklore and folk beliefs. He soon became a major figure in his field and has been published widely on these topics. He also carried out much collecting from Blasket Islanders, in particular Peig Sayers’s son, Mícheál Ó Gaoithín, and other storytellers in Dún Chaoin. He is also the co-editor of a publication of their stories, Ó Bhéal an Bhab.
Upon his death the Irish folklore department released this statement, “the staff of the National Folklore Collection, colleagues and the staff and the Head of the School of Irish, Celtic Studies, Irish Folklore and Linguistics, extend their deepest sympathy to his wife Eilís Ní Dhuibhne, and go to his family. May he rest in peace.”
Professor Almqvist’s funeral took place in Belfield chapel on Saturday 16th November.
