Ireland’s long, rich history of oral storytelling and song is being given a modern twist this October.
For one month only (1 October to 1 November), people will be able to ‘dial a seanchaí’ and hear Irish folklore stories and songs performed by some of the island’s leading modern voices.
A seanchaí is a traditional Gaelic storyteller, musician and historian. For centuries they were the custodians of Ireland’s history and lore, preserving the past for future generations and held in high esteem in the community.
Their stories and songs carry a deep understanding of the human condition, be it temptation, humour, loss, death, joy, or longing and so their role was not only to entertain but to teach and to help communities understand their heritage, culture, and traditions.
Dial a Seanchaí, curated and produced by artist John Lillis from County Clare on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, will allow members of the public to listen to brilliantly performed Irish folklore stories and songs by simply making a phone call.
Callers will be invited to choose from a list of short recordings which are a mix of story and song, with themes universal to mythology the world over – widows, witches, lost islands, sun gods, drunkards, and devils.