Author Archives: brendan

Fiery head and freezing feet

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Last night saw the introduction of the Milk & Cookies blankets in the new venue in the Chocolate Factory on King’s Inn Street.
The building is undergoing renovation and as yet heating is not seen as a priority.
Nonetheless, we were warmed by conviviality.
Though some tellers told in their overcoats, while some listeners wrapped the blankets about them.
For myself, I told the story of the head on fire in an Irish court from Dublin Folk Tales and went home to warm up.
Great night, once more.
All hail.

 

Snake stories in Dublin

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When adults shout out answers before the assembled children manage to say anything, you know the storytelling session has caught fire.
All hail the children who brought their parents to my storytelling on the Storybus as part of Dublin’s St Patrick’s Festival.
We chased the snakes out once more, to much noise and hilarity.
Mighty.

One day by the Barrow

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All hail listeners and tellers at the Pan Celtic festival in Carlow last week.
It was good to be see and hear people from the Celtic nations wandering about the town.
Some stayed to listen to the tellers from Dublin Yarnspinners on Tour.
I contributed a medley of stories depending on who remained as listener at any time.
Great fun and very funny.

Sailing stories

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Congratulations to Sea Speak on a great launch of the new monthly storytelling sessions in Howth.
I told the chainless cycle story with the slow letter writer, the mysterious ship that sailed into a Wexford harbour and the tale of the drowned ghost on the sea shore.
Sessions will continue in Krugers pub, Main Street on the third Thursday of a month

Storymap app is here

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A new storytelling  app for Dublin has been launched by Storymap.
The app is a web-based multimedia project that revives Dublin’s tradition of storytelling and tries to capture the personality of Dublin city through its stories and storytellers. 
People will receive an alert if they are nearby a place that has a story associated with it.
It will enable tourists and citizens alike  to explore the city in every direction while being entertained at every turn with a new story about Dublin life.
These stories are filmed being told where they happened and integrated into a live map to create a charming and layered collective vision of Dublin city made by the people of the city.
Storymap includes the telling by Brendan Nolan of the Dollacher story from Dublin Folk Tales.

 

Breaking out

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All hail the performers and audience at the Breakaway Project in the Centre for Creative Practices on Pembroke Street on Sunday evening.
There was mulled wine and pies and craic and fun and tea a plenty, thanks Ian.
 I told the story of the three unwise men.
People smiled, laughed and clapped.
Enough.

Tying up loose ends

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All hail the young listener at our storytelling at the Axis theatre in Ballymun who enquired of the storyteller if he knew how to tie shoe laces and, if he did, would he tie her undone laces back up, please?
That done, all contributed to the timeless story of Santa becoming stuck in the chimney.
Sláinte

Telling stories in the lounge

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As part of the YARN festival in Bray last evening we told stories in Holland’s fine lounge which developed into a storytelling session with audience members telling stories.
We heard of the mad woman seeking sun in a sieve, four brothers who could not find their missing member, the queen’s cigarettes, Matt Talbot’s wardrobe, the goose woman who declared her own demise, the go-kart rivals, and the tale of the bald men and the beguiling woman.
A great night.