What’s the Scéal? is an annual series of events organised in partnership with Poetry Ireland, to celebrate the ancient tradition of storytelling and highlight the role of storytellers in Ireland today.
The National Museum of Ireland and Poetry Ireland are delighted to work together to deliver What's the Scéal? with some of Ireland’s most renowned and talented storytellers through a special programme of events for adults and children.
Storytelling tradition
Ireland has a long tradition of storytelling. From the deep well of Celtic folklore dating back into our ancient past, the Seanachaí brought forth tales of fairies, fiends, friendships and adventures. In more recent times, they performed tales at the fireside in a visiting house, to the merriment and often terror of their fixated audiences. Today, that tradition still thrives, and storytellers all over Ireland continue to tell the tales of old and add their own voice to the ever growing treasury of stories.
What's Scéal? 2023
Creative programme and podcast
The third annual What's the Scéal? mini-symposium on 1 December 2023 was chaired by poet and writer Theo Dorgan. The theme was 'Storytelling and Memory'. A panel featuring some of Ireland's leading storytellers reflected on how memory of experiences help form stories; how emotional experiences effect memory; and how storytelling can help memory in a practical way.
The panel included Joe Brennan, Jack Lynch and Simone Schuemmelfeder.
Listen back to the full symposium through the podcast below.
What's Scéal? 2022
Creative programme and podcast
What's the Scéal? 2022 brought some of Ireland’s renowned and creative storytellers together to engage school children and adults with stories that inspired the imagination and provided personal connections between Museum objects and peoples' own stories and experiences.
As part of this programme, the Museum and Poetry Ireland delivered a mini-symposium on Friday, 2 December 2022, featuring panel discussions and speakers from the world of storytelling in Ireland and beyond. It was chaired by Theo Dorgan and featured storytellers Oein DeBhairduin, Nuala Hayes, Jack Lynch, Pat Ryan and Liz Weir.
Listen back to the full What's the Sceal? symposium 2022 through the podcast below.
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