LISTOWEL INTERNATIONAL STORYTELLING FESTIVAL

September 18th to 20th
Welcome to the 2nd annual Listowel International Storytelling Festival at Kerry Writers’ Museum. While we would love to bring you the festival in person, it is just not possible this year, so we are delighted to present the next best thing with a programme of online storytelling events featuring the best of Irish and international storytellers. We are especially thrilled to welcome Maria Gillen as our featured teller for the weekend and we are also partnering with St. John’s Storytelling Festival in Newfoundland this year.
Events will be delivered live online via ZOOM, our Facebook page and our YouTube channel.
For the full programme of events and how to register for each click HERE
Storytelling is as old as humanity itself. In fact, it’s the oldest form of entertainment, well before the written word and well before radio or television. It dates to the times of tribes gathering around the fire to listen to heroic tales and legends. The word seanchaí means a bearer of “old lore” (seanchas). In the ancient Celtic culture, the history and laws of the people were not written down but memorised in long lyric poems which were recited by bards (filí) in a tradition echoed by the seanchaithe. Because of their role as custodians of an indigenous oral tradition, the seanchaithe are widely acknowledged to have inherited – although informally – the function of the filí of pre-Christian Ireland.
Born in Sliabh Luachra, Co. Kerry in 1914, Eamon Kelly is considered Ireland’s greatest Seanchaí. Whilst teaching in Listowel, Eamon co-founded the Listowel Drama Group with Bryan MacMahon in 1944, where he developed his love for acting.
I only know what I heard, I only heard what was said and a lot of what was said was made up to pass the night away! So put a sod on the fire, give an apple to the child and pour a drink for the storyteller.
A message from our featured teller Maria Gillen
MEET OUR TELLERS
Consider making a donation!
In this unparalleled time of challenge and change, we have moved our storytelling festival online to protect our tellers and audiences. All our events are free to attend.
While we are generously supported by State and Local Authority funding, and as a community not-for-profit organisation our tickets sales are an integral part of how we continue to provide exceptional storytelling and cultural experiences. If you are in a position to do so, please consider making a small donation: €5 – €20 will help us to deliver quality programming . Thank you!
Supported by:
Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht under The Small Scale Festivals Scheme 2020.
Kerry County Council and Fáilte Ireland under the Festivals & Participative Events Programme 2020.



