Celebrating the Seanchaí Writers By Barbara Derbyshire

The Seanchaí Writers’ Group has been meeting at Kerry Writers’ Museum for over two decades, and this year its members marked the occasion in print. We asked Barbara Derbyshire, one of the group’s writers, to tell us about The Seanchaí Writers’ Anthology and its launch during the Storytelling Festival.

Words by Barbara Derbyshire

Poets, Short Story Writers, Novelists have, for 23 years, had access to The Seanchaí Writers’ Group, where they can meet with each other to discuss work that they have produced. Whether they want to earmark it for publishing or just want to get some feedback on a poem or story they are proud to have written, the group has been there to listen, and the writer has been there to read and to learn.

Many people have been part of the group. They come, they go, and they come back when they want or need to. There are no rules about attendance, in fact, there are no rules about anything! We meet every second and fourth Wednesday of the month at the Kerry Writers’ Museum and then magic is unleashed as we listen to the words of our fellow writers.

Left to right: Cara Trant, Executive Director; writer and poet Seán Lyons, who launched the anthology; and poet and writer Barbara Derbyshire of the Seanchaí Writers’ Group, at the launch during the Kerry Writers’ Museum’s Listowel International Storytelling Festival.

During 2026, we had thirteen writers attending the meetings. John McGrath, not a self-appointed leader, but a leader, nonetheless, suggested we compile an anthology of our work to shed light on the group and what it’s about. The anthology was to cover the 2026 term – if we attempted to cover the 23 years and all the writers involved, we would be looking at many, many volumes.

Centre: John McGrath of Moybella Press, who compiled and produced The Seanchaí Writers’ Anthology, with fellow Seanchaí writers reading at the launch.

So, John, temporarily un-retired from his amazing work at Moybella Press compiled and produced this beautiful book, The Seanchaí Writers’ Anthology, which was launched by Seán Lyons at the Kerry Writers’ Museum. There were readings, music, wit and repartee flying all over the place and a great crowd attended as the launch took place during the Storytelling Festival.

Readings, and a little wit and repartee at the lectern.

You will find all sorts of stories and poems in this book. Tales of birds and nature, of the fairies and the beauty of Ireland. Pockets of grief and great happiness, of childhood, of shadows and light. All human life is there.

More voices from the anthology.

I am so proud to have been a part of this project.

Music at the launch, and flowers and thanks to close the celebrations.

The Seanchaí Writers meet again on 14th October at 7.30pm in the Kerry Writers’ Museum. All are welcome to join.

Friends, family and fellow writers filled the museum for the occasion.

The Seanchaí Writers’ Anthology is available in the book shop of the Kerry Writers’ Museum.

Copies of The Seanchaí Writers’ Anthology are available in the museum shop and online here.

Hot off the press: copies of The Seanchaí Writers’ Anthology, and a presentation at the launch.

Photo Credit | Launch photographs by Susan Browne.