Thursday September 18th
Opening Night Concert – A Tribute to Sonny Egan
There has never been anyone before quite like Sonny Egan. He is not just a champion storyteller, he is a musician, a singer, a podcaster, an actor and an expert on many subjects. He is generous with his talents and for years opened his door to everyone in his famous rambling house.
On the opening night of our festival, we pay tribute to Sonny, one of Kerry’s cultural icons. Featuring music, song and dance with Lixnaw Comhaltas, of which Sonny is a member, with storytellers Frances Kennedy, Daisy Kearney, Conor Cox and other special guests.
Time: 8 pm
Venue: Kerry Writers’ Museum
Tickets – €10 (Includes refreshments)
Friday September 19th
Lucky Legends: Exploring Irish Folklore & Good Fortune
This interactive folklore workshop delivered by historian and local educator Tom Dillon will explore the rich world of Irish folklore with a particular focus on good luck traditions.
Time – 9.30 am to 11.30 am
Venue: Kerry Writers’ Museum
Tickets – €25 (limited to 15 participants)
Storytelling in Schools
Storytellers Maria Gillen & Seosamh Ó Maolalaí (Ireland), John Row (UK) and Omar Belaarej (Morocco) will visit local primary schools to share exciting tales about faraway places, funny characters, brave heroes, and magical adventures. Children will get to listen, imagine, and enjoy stories from different cultures and traditions. Guaranteed to be a fun and exciting way to learn, laugh, and travel the world through words.
Time: 10 am to 1 pm
Venue: Local Primary Schools
Free Event (Booking required)
Closing the Circle
“The journey of my life has travelled in a circle.”
In this art exhibition, Priscilla Donovan is closing the circle as she started it…with visual art, celebrating a return to her first love. She explores and experiments with styles, mediums and any idea that pops into her head. She prefers oil paints and never gets tired of recreating the human face, particularly women.
The launch will include the story A VOICE FROM ABOVE, and a 10-minute play THE NURSING HOME BLUES starring Christopher Fitzgerald, Tom Stack and Noelle McGibney.
Time: 11 am
Venue: Kerry Writers’ Museum
Free Event
Cú Rí Mac Daire
Not many warriors have ever got one over on the most lauded of warriors Cú Chulainn. But there was one giant and sorcerer who not only beat, but buried Cú Chulainn to his armpits, cut his luscious locks and smeared his head with dung. So brutal was the humiliation Cú Roí Mac Daire (The Druid of many Faces) laid upon the hero of Ulster that Cú Chulainn dared not show his face for a whole year.
Written & presented by Foinse, a group of storytellers, musicians, artists and singers based in Corca Duibhne.
Time: 1 pm
Venue: St. John’s Theatre & Arts Centre
Tickets: €15 (Schools concessions available)
Story & Poetry on the Bawn
Join poet John McGrath for our first Story & Poetry Swap of the weekend with the majestic Listowel Castle as our backdrop. Whether you have a captivating story, a heartfelt poem, or a thought-provoking piece to share, we invite you to take the mic and let your voice be heard.
Time: 2.30 pm
Venue: Listowel Castle
Free Event
Focail, Fonn is Filíocht
Bí linn d’tráthnóna álainn lán le healaín na Gaeilge – áit a dtiocfaidh focail, fonn agus filíocht le chéile go beo bríomhar! Beidh an file mór le rá Gabriel Fitzmaurice i mbun an tí mar Fhear an Tí, agus é ag treorú na hócáide le croí, greann agus ceol na bhfocal le aíonna speisialta. Beidh deis ag lucht féachana páirt a ghlacadh chomh maith – mar sin tabhair leat do scéal, do dhán nó d’amhrán más mian leat, nó tar go simplí chun éisteacht agus taitneamh a bhaint as an ócáid. Le haíonna speisialta, an scéalaí Seosamh Ó Maolalaí agus an t-amhránaí traidisiúnta Karen Trench.
Time: 4.30 pm
Venue: St. John’s Theatre & Arts Centre
Free Event
Book Launch: Unveiled
Unveiled is the debut poetry collection by poet Sandra Behan. This compelling collection invites readers to look beneath the surface of their emotional lives, to the significant if not immediately visible feelings below.
Remarkably varied for a debut collection, Unveiled includes warm recollections of childhood and family, thoughtful reflections on world events, and intimately personal poems that speak to the complexities of relationships.
Time: 6 pm
Venue: Kerry Writers’ Museum
Free Event
Stories from around the World
On Culture Night we celebrate diverse oral traditions passed down through generations, with storytellers Inés Álvarez Villa from Spain, Omar Belaarej from Morocco, John Row from the United Kingdom, Godfrey Coppinger from the USA and Seosamh Ó Maolalaí from Ireland. Featuring fairy tales, myths, and folktales across various cultures, but with universal themes. With Bean an Tí Maria Gillen.
Time: 7 pm
Venue: Kerry Writers’ Museum
Free Event (Culture Night)
Late Night Poetry & Stories
Listowel Writers’ Week Poets Corner
We are delighted to collaborate with Listowel Writers’ Week on Culture Night for a lively Open Mic night where anything could happen! Feast on plenty of courage, culture and the craic at Christy’s Bar. Enjoy verses & stories from emerging and established voices, paired with a pint and good company in the heart of literary Listowel.
Time: 9 pm
Venue: Christy’s ‘The Well’ Bar
Free Event (Culture Night)
Saturday September 20th
The Storytellers Trail
Join John Keane on this story walk and discover the birth places of literary greats, Bryan McMahon and John B Keane, the doyen of Sculptural stuccos, Pat McAuliffe and ending in the Small Square where in May 1951, Tom Doodle, president of the Independent Coulogeous Party made his only public appearance.
Time: 10 am
Departs from Listowel Castle
Free Event
Celtic Warriors & Legends Workshop
Calling all young warriors! Sign up now for our action-packed Celtic Warriors & Legends Workshop. This interactive, hands-on storytelling & art workshop will transport young learners back to ancient Ireland, where fearless warriors roamed, druids cast their spells, and epic tales were told around roaring fires. Suitable for children aged 5 to 12 years.
Time: 10.30 to 11.30 am
Venue: Kerry Writers’ Museum
Tickets: €10 (limited to 15 participants)
Beyond Words: Telling with Movement and Presence
In this playful and practical workshop, Inés Álvarez Villa brings together her experience as a ballet dancer, storyteller, and physical theatre trainee to guide you in:
– Building a stronger body-mind connection
– Bringing movement into storytelling in a fun and natural way
– Finding your own unique style of expression as a storyteller
Whether you’re new to storytelling or a seasoned teller, this workshop is a chance to explore new ways of connecting with your stories and your audience by bringing not just your voice, but your whole self into the telling.
Time: 11 am to 1 pm
Venue: St. John’s Theatre & Arts Centre
Tickets: €25 (limited to 15 participants)
Book Launch: GRIT
GRIT is the debut multimedia book by Kerry artist & writer Aidan O’Leary weaving poetry, prose, photography and sound. It explores resilience, memory, and the quiet force of survival through layered storytelling. Each piece invites the reader to move between image, word, and sound – a tactile reflection on inner grit.
Time: 11.30 am
Venue: Kerry Writers’ Museum
Free Event
The Keeper of Bees
Did you know that bees have been around for over 100 million years? Or that the Brehon Laws included judgments about the rightful ownership of swarms? In this lecture Eimear Chaomhnách, author of ‘The Keeper of Bees’ presents folklore and legend about bees and beekeeping in Ireland including St Gobnait’s travels to County Kerry, the patroness of the bees!
Time: 1 pm
Venue: Kerry Writers’ Museum
Tickets: €10
Magic Carpets
Shared Stories between Ireland and Morocco
In this session Omar Belaarej brings old Moroccan tales to life, sharing stories filled with wisdom, morals, and cultural traditions. Omar will be joined by Maria Gillen who will share the ancient Irish story of Manannán Mac Lir which she has developed as part of an Irish Moroccan cultural exchange project. Introduced by John Row, Director of the World Storytelling Café and Marrakech International Storytelling Festival.
Time: 2.30 pm
Venue: St. John’s Theatre & Arts Centre
Tickets: €10
Circus Skills Workshop
Have you ever wanted to join the circus? Now is your chance to learn a range of circus skills with juggling balls, juggling clubs, flower sticks, juggling silks, gymnastics ribbons, spinning plates, dragon staff, spinning staffs, balancing, poi, hula hoops, & diabolo. Join us for an afternoon full of fun with circus and fire artist Mira J. All ages are welcome. Children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult. Adults are welcome to join in too!
Time: 3 to 5 pm
Venue: Kerry Writers’ Museum
Tickets: €20
Story Swap at John Bs
Step right up and share your tale at our Saturday Story Swap in Listowel’s famous hostelry. Whether it’s a personal experience, a fictional narrative, or a funny incident, we want to hear it. All stories are welcome, and participation is encouraged, but not required. Come listen, laugh, and be inspired! With Bean an Tí Frances Kennedy.
Time: 4 pm
Venue: John B. Keane’s Bar
Free Event
Winding the Clock – The O’Rahilly & the Irish Revolution
Ballylongford native Michael Joseph O’Rahilly (1875 – 1916), known as The O’Rahilly was a founding member of the Irish Volunteers in 1913 and served as Director of Arms. Despite opposing the action, he took part in the Easter Rising and was killed in a charge on a British machine gun post covering the retreat from the Dublin GPO during the fighting. In this lecture Eunan O’Halpin, Emeritus Professor of Contemporary Irish History at Trinity College Dublin will explore The O’Rahilly’s role in the Irish Revolution on the 150th year of his birth. In association with NEWKD.
Time: 7 pm
Venue: Kerry Writers’ Museum
Tickets: €10
P.J. Murrihy & Seamus Shannon in Concert
P.J. Murrihy has been a firm favourite at Irish festivals in Europe and the UK over the years and continues to draw in the crowds around Ireland. He previously played with the Kilfenora Céilí Band and The Bannermen, and some of his most popular songs include ‘Pat Murphy’s Meadow’ and ‘There’s Life in the Auld Dog Yet’.
P.J. will be joined by the virtuoso accordion player Seamus Shannon for a special night in Listowel. Playing for several years at home and abroad, Seamus Shannon is well-known for his unique style of music. He has featured on many artists recordings including Christy Moore and Foster & Allen and was a part of Joe Dolan’s showband.
With special guest, Mary Conroy of Radio Kerry.
Time: 8.30 pm
Venue: St. John’s Theatre & Arts Centre
Tickets: €20
Sunday September 21st
Story & History Bus Tour
Our story tour travels to the village of Ballylongford, birthplace of one of Ireland’s best loved poets Brendan Kennelly and revolutionary leader The O’Rahilly. We will visit Finucane’s Bar where The O’Rahilly was born and Lislaughtin Abbey the final resting place of Brendan Kennelly.
Time: 10 am
Departs from Kerry Writers’ Museum
Tickets: €25 (must be booked in advance)
Poetry Workshop: Nature Writing
Join poet Lorraine Carey for a creative writing workshop exploring the natural world. Using visual and written prompts as a guide to create new work, this inspiring session will invite reflection on the importance of nature writing today in a friendly, relaxed environment.
Time: 10 am to 1 pm
Venue: Kerry Writers’ Museum
Tickets: €25 (limited to 12 participants)
Tales from Spain
In this show our guest international storyteller Inés Alvarez Villa tells traditional stories from Spain featuring fairy tales, folk tales and legends, some comical and some more atmospheric, including the tale of two young cow shepherds who had grown up in the mountains of Asturias and escaped to the sea for the first time. Suitable for all ages.
Time: 12 noon
Venue: Kerry Writers’ Museum
Tickets: €10 (Free entry to children aged 12 and under)
Poetry & Story in the Park
Mike Gallagher, haiku‑shaman of North Kerry, welcomes us to open the circle, to share stories plucked from everyday wonder, with special guests Stephen Murphy, the “people’s poet,” and Joe Brennan, founder of the Killorglin Story Sessions. Voices old and new are welcome to share poems, stories, and memories in this relaxed and uplifting afternoon of community, creativity, and connection.
Time: 2 pm
Venue: Kerry Writers’ Museum
Free Event (Donations welcome)
Slán Abhaile: A Farewell Gathering
To close our festival, we move to the picturesque village of Finuge, just outside Listowel with a gathering of all our tellers and invited guests with our regular performers from Listowel Rambling House. With Fear an Tí Johnny McElligott.
Time: 3.30 pm
Venue: Teach Siamsa, Finuge
Free Event (Donations welcome)
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