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Welcome to the Seanchaí – Kerry Literary & Cultural Centre Website
When a Listowel man takes a drink from any tap in this lovely town‘Tis not only water that’s going down, but the purified secrets of the dead
Flowing into his belly and through his head
No town here or in any land will do this for your body and mind
Inspiration flows through the graveyard sod
Turn a tap in Listowel, out flows God!
The Seanchaí – Kerry Literary & Cultural Centre is a visitor attraction in the Heritage Town of Listowel which presents the works of the great Kerry writers in a unique audio-visual experience. Located in a 19th century Georgian residence in Listowel’s magnificent Square, the Centre features five of the County Kerry’s most esteemed writers – John B. Keane, Bryan MacMahon, George Fitzmaurice, Brendan Kennelly and Maurice Walsh. The writings of these national and internationally renowned literary figures are filled with an abundance of rich characters, humour, romance and tragedy drawn from the towns and villages of North Kerry. The words of the writers will make you laugh and cry, but above all you will come away from your visit to Seanchaí with a sense of the people and places that shaped Kerry’s literary genius.
A Guide to the Centre is available in 6 languages – English, French, German, Spanish, Italia & Japanese, and guided tours are available for group bookings.
The Seanchaí
Seanchaí, pronounced “shan-a-key” comes from the Irish language and means ‘Storyteller’.
“Storytelling is the oldest form of entertainment. In ancient Ireland The ‘Seanchaí’ was held in such high regard, he sat at the table with the King himself.” So said Eamon Kelly, Ireland’s most famous ‘Seanchaí’ of the long tradition of storytelling.