Devine, James

Reference Code: IE 2135 N50

Title: The James Devine Collection

Dates of Creation: 1998, 2007, 2009

Level of Description: Fonds

Extent and Medium: 4 items (4 files)

CONTEXT

Name of Creator(s): Devine, James.

Biographical History: James Devine was born in Ireland and began to take dance lessons at the age of eight. At the age of fourteen he became the only Irishman to have won the World, American, British, and All-Ireland Irish dancing titles in the same year. In 1996, Devine was selected by Michael Flatley to star in his Lord of the Dance show and spent two years performing in the show’s global tour. Between 1998 and 2000, Devine lived in Australia where he choreographed, directed, and performed the lead role in the dance show GaelForce, which toured worldwide. Since 2001, Devine has lived predominantly in America where he has taught Irish dancing to thousands of enthusiasts. In February 2005, he began work on a new solo project, Tapeire, which premiered the following year at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to critical acclaim. The show’s success inspired Devine to found his own production entity, Devine Dance Company, and to bring Tapeire on tour in America and Canada. Devine is widely respected as a leader in the world of percussive dance and holds the world record for fastest tap-dancing speed.

Immediate Source of Acquisition: Donated by James Devine to the National Dance Archive of Ireland on 7 March 2012.

CONTENT AND STRUCTURE

Scope and Content: Certificate, press cutting, flyer, and CD relating to James Devine’s Tapeire production and his breaking of the world record of the fastest rate ever measured for tap dancing.

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

Accruals: No accruals are expected.

System of Arrangement: The documents have been arranged chronologically by date.

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 CD in good condition. Item N50/3 requires a CD-player.

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

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: April 2012. Revised October 2020.