Stories, Storytelling and Seanchaí in Ireland
Written by Ciaran on Aug 16, 2024 | 0 Comments
It was the annual Fleadh Ceoil here in Ireland last weekend. As well as a festival of music, this great party always has storytellers showing off their skills. You may have heard that the Irish have the “gift of the gab” - Irish storytellers are surely the most gifted of all and have held a special place in Ireland for at least 1000 years.
But how did storytelling come to hold such a revered place here in Ireland? And what are some famous Irish stories?
The history of Storytelling in Ireland
Storytelling is an ancient and hugely respected art form in Ireland. A seanchaí is a traditional Gaelic storyteller - a person who shares the old lore, the seanchas.
A seanchaí at a festival in Carna, Co. Galway in 1935.
Pronounced shan-a-key, in medieval times, the seanchaidhe were the keepers of myths and legends as well as laws, genealogies, and annals for prominent Gaelic families. A very important role indeed along with the poet and the musician.
A bronze sculpture by Don Cronin of Eamon Kelly, a famous seanchaí in his hometown of Gneeveguilla, Co. Kerry, Ireland.
Photo Credit: Kman999 (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Storytelling in Ireland today
The role lost some of its prestige with the breakup of Gaelic culture in the 1600s. But the stories and the seanchaidhe lived on, often telling local tales of fairies, forts, and anything else that was likely to win an audience in the “theatre of the fireside" in villages around Ireland.
To this day, a seanchaí can only be trained by another, with lore passed on orally, remembering everything with nothing written down. It's sad to say that there are very few seanchaidhe left these days. A Co. Kerry man by the name of Eddie Lenihan is one of the few who remain and is a true master of his craft.
But with Storytellers of Ireland the craft is slowly but surely gaining strength again and long may it continue!
Three Irish stories for your fireside
Now we can't be holding a candle to Eddie Lenihan, but if you would like to have a few Irish stories to tell by the fire, or indeed campfire-side as the summer draws to a close, we have three collected here for you. Why not have a go and continue a beloved tradition in Ireland.
The Children of Lir
An old Irish story of loss and enduring love. As a story it has it all: love, death, betrayal, and one very evil stepmother. It is one of our island's most famous legends and inspired several of our jewellery designs.
The Children of Lir, cursed to live as swans.
Photo Credit: J. Chadwick
Like many Irish legends, the ending is bittersweet, without the "Happily Ever After" that is more common in stories these days. But it's a beautiful story with everything you would expect in a fairytale, and well worth retelling with plenty of opportunity to add your own personal take.
Tír na nÓg
A love story, Irish-style - another tale without a happy ending! This one has a magical horse, a beautiful fairy princess, and a brave warrior who's urge to lend a helping hand is his downfall. Intrigued?
Oisín and Niamh travel to the otherworldly island of Tír na nÓg.
Another famous tale every child in Ireland is told. I heard this one as a young child by the campfire and it stuck with me ever since. Plenty of space, too, to add your own flourishes describing Niamh's beauty, or the wonder of Tír na nÓg.
The Salmon of Knowledge
This is sort of an origin story for one of Ireland's greatest mythical heroes - Fionn MacCumhaill. As you may expect, there are as many versions of this tale as there are days in the year, and the details really depend on who is doing the telling! So feel free to make it your own.
So famous it was made into a stamp! A design from the story, issued in 2012, illustrated by Fergus Lyons and designed by Steve Simpson.
Photo Credit: An Post
At its core The Salmon of Knowledge is an almost happy tale of striving for knowledge. A good fit for a story that every Irish schoolchild learns while young. There are three core characters: The salmon, said to hold all the world's knowledge. The master, known as Finn Eces, Finnegas, Finegas, or Finneces, depending on who is doing the telling. And our young hero, the apprentice, Fionn MacCumhaill, known as Deimne as a child.
Celebrating Stories
So, will you have a go? If you're more interested in listening to stories rather than holding court and telling them, you can celebrate this tradition with a piece of our folklore jewellery instead. Inspired by these tales and more, they are beautiful pieces that are sure to start conversations and perhaps inspire a new generation of storytellers.
Inspired by Irish tales of courage, love, and beauty: The Children of Lir, the Ninth Wave, the Wishing Tree, and the Salmon of Knowledge, among others, are captured in a variety of metals and designs to treasure for a lifetime.
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Ciaran
My Irish Jeweler
Born in Co. Antrim and reared in Dublin, I was fascinated with Gaelic culture from an early age. I suppose it's not surprising given my mother inherited a grá for the Irish language from my grandfather, an Irish school headmaster. And that grá continues! My brother and sister are now Gaelic teachers here in Ireland, my niece is an award winning Irish dancer, and I proudly work to share Irish culture through our Irish and Celtic Jewelry at My Irish Jeweler!
I love researching and reading about the history of Irish design. It's at the core of what we do here at My Irish Jeweler. I find much of it so interesting that I have to share what I find. I hope you enjoy it!
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