A landscape of mountains, valleys, glens and waterfalls, ancient raths and medieval castles, in the heart of Ireland, rich in music and folklore, is an ideal setting for a new Festival of Oral Storytelling, Music, Dance and Song.
The riches of the heritage of the Slieve Bloom Mountains are known mainly to those who have lived or spent time, walking or exploring the secrets behind this landscape. The stories that have been told for generations by the people who live on and around these mountains are bound up with the landscape, place names and the history of the area which stretches back to before the time of the Druids. There are stories of invasions, plantations and rebellions, fairy lore and ghost stories, as well as the necessary yarns and tall tales which Irish people love.
Storytelling in the Slieve Bloom area was vibrant up to recent times and happened in a very natural way by the fireside in houses that were known as rambling houses, common all over Laois and Offaly. The rambling houses are no more, but the interest in the stories is still alive.
Thursday 19th September
| 11am |
The art of Storytelling through a multimedia workshop with Niall de Burca in Kinnitty National School. |
| 11am |
The art of Storytelling through a multimedia workshop with Nuala Hayes in Roscomroe National School |
Friday 20th September
| 11am |
The art of Storytelling through a multimedia workshop with Niall de Burca in Camross National School. |
| 11am |
The art of Storytelling through a multimedia workshop with Nuala Hayes in Killinure National School. |
| 8.30pm |
Storytelling, Music and Dance in the Camross Inn with Niall de Burca, Dan Culleton, Paddy Dooley, Tony Scully and Nuala Hayes.
Traditional Music with The O'Moore Folk Group. Adm: €5 per person |
5
Saturday 21st September
| 2pm |
Afternoon Bus Tour of Slieve Bloom accompanied by local storytellers and musicians. Bus leaves and returns to Camross. Pre-booking is essential as numbers are limited.
Charge: €10 per person Tel: 0509 37299 |
| 8.30pm |
Storytelling in Kinnitty Castle with Jack Lynch, Niall de Burca, Paddy Heaney, Paddy Lowry and Attracta Dooley.
Traditional music with local musicians. Adm: €5 per person. |
Niall de Burca
Niall de Burca was born in Galway and now lives in Dublin. He spent many years living and working in New Zealand where he developed an energetic storytelling style which is popular with both adults and children. He draws on folk tales, legends and myths from many parts of the world adapting them with skill and humour from modern audiences. He travels widely and has appeared at many International Storytelling Festivals, including Scealta Shamhna in Dublin and the Cape Clear Storytelling Festival. This year he has succeeded Nuala Hayes as Director of Scealta Shamhna in November.
Nuala Hayes
Nuala Hayes trained as an actor at the Abbey Theatre and has performed and toured throughout Ireland and abroad in works by some of the great playwrights. In the last ten years, she has developed an interest in the revival of storytelling in performance. She set up Two Chairs Company, with musician Ellen Cranitch, to explore stories and music from legends and literature, and they have toured in UK, Denmark, Spain, USA and Canada. She was the Director of Scealta Shamhna for 10 years and is presently Artist-in-residence in Co. Laois, where she is recording some of the voices and stories of the region.
Dan Culleton
Dan is a member of the Camross Branch of Comhaltas Ceotoiri Eireann. He has won national awards as a storyteller at Fleadh Ceol na hEireann. He has been a regular performer at the Comhlatas Seisun during the Summer at the Manor House Hotel in Abbeyleix.
Paddy Heaney
Paddy Heaney, Cadamstown, author of At the Foot of the Slieve Bloom - history and folklore of Cadamstown, has a deep interest in local history and folklore.
Paddy Lowry
Paddy Lowry from Kinnitty, local historian brings to life the tales of past times and is ever willing to share them with those who seek him out.
Jack Lynch
Jack Lynch, a member of the Dublin Yarnspinners, has told stories throughout Ireland and has toured to the UK, USA and the West Indies. He leads story telling sessions at the National Museum with school children and with teachers and also performs in prisons, retirement homes and mental institutions. He has been featured at all the Storytelling Festivals in Ireland. Jack is also an actor. His one man show, The Humours of Breffni is a character based extravaganza of tall tales, music and lies.
