Unlocking the Celtic Collector; The Mind, Methods and Materials of Alexander Carmichael (1832-1912).

The Carmichael Watson collection in Edinburgh University Library, centred on the papers of the pioneering folklorist Alexander Carmichael (1832-1912), is the foremost collection of its kind in the country, and is crucial to understanding the customs, storytelling traditions, poetry, songs and general lore of the Gaelic-speaking areas of Scotland. The project will see an intense dissemination and research programme alongside development of a digital resource that will enable users to search fully-indexed catalogue descriptions, full text transcriptions and biographical records. The project will also develop a website with a variety of research tools including a guide to the often convoluted handwriting of Alexander Carmichael. The project seeks to answer one of the burning questions in Celtic Studies, the authenticity of Carmichael’s 'Carmina Gadelica' and his creative intervention in editing his material.