THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 19
Biodiversity Walk Along the River Feale – 9.30 am
The scenic beauty of the River Feale as it flows through North Kerry is our backdrop as we discover the rich biodiversity along its banks and in its waters, with stories and poems along the way. Led by ecologist Barry O’Donoghue and fisheries expert Paddy Halpin.
Departs from Kerry Writers’ Museum – Tickets: €5
Art Exhibitions Launch – 11 am
Self-Portraits and Other Stories is Godfrey Coppinger’s first Irish solo exhibition. “Life is just one long story and I like to draw lines around it. I draw what I did today and I draw what I dreamed last night. I draw lines around the imaginings in my head. I play on the paper.”
The Inner Child by Jean McNamara
Embracing our inner child means finding moments in our everyday lives where we can be playful, laugh wholeheartedly and find joy in simple things. Infusing Jean’s love of nature with colour and charm, she invites you to rediscover your inner child through the power of imagination.
Kerry Writers’ Museum – Free Event
Lunchtime Concert: The Yershovy Sisters – 1 pm
Ukrainian sisters Kseniia, Yevlaliia, Olena, Nataliia, and Sofiia will perform some classical and Irish favourites in this special concert.
St. John’s Theatre – Tickets €10
Book Launch: The Amergin Step – 2.30 pm
Dr. Paddy Bushe presents The Amergin Step: Explorations in the Imagination of Iveragh, featuring contemporary and historical literature, folklore, myth, archaeology and placenames of the Iveragh Peninsula. The book will be launched by Gabriel Fitzmaurice.
Kerry Writers’ Museum – Free Event
Lecture: Stolen Skulls & Other Stories: Folklore & Colonial Histories – 4 pm
In 2023 Trinity College was forced to concede that 13 skulls stolen from a monastery on the Island had not been “dumped” but had been placed there for safekeeping according to tradition. A review of the Schools Collections in the Folklore Dept in UCD revealed a rich seam of stories that warned people not to interfere with the remains of the dead. Ciarán Walsh, Film and Digital Media Curator at Kerry Writers Museum, was involved in a ten-year campaign for the return and burial of the remains and in this session, he tells how folklore and oral histories turned the postcolonial histories constructed by TCD on their head.
Kerry Writers’ Museum – Free Event
Caint, Comhra agus Craic – 6.30 pm
Bígí linn le haghaidh oíche de scéalta agus filíocht na Gaeilge le Fear an Tí Gabriel Fitzmaurice.
John B. Keane’s Bar – Free Event
Opening Night Concert: Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh Trio – 8.30 pm
An evening with multi-award winning traditional singer and musician from Corca Dhuibhne, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh with Dónal O’Connor and Gerry O’Beirne. Described by The Irish Times as “One of the earthiest and most distinctive voices, not just in traditional circles, but anywhere”. Introduced by Gabriel Fitzmaurice.
St. John’s Theatre – Tickets: €25
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 20
The Poetry of Place – 9.30 to 11.30 am
In this poetry workshop acclaimed Leitrim poet Stephen Murphy will explore the bond between place and person, themes of home and displacement, loss and recovery, and place as an anchor for larger concerns.
Kerry Writers’ Museum – Tickets: €20
Children’s Storytime – 10.30 am
Visiting storytellers Shane Ibbs and Maria Gillen will enthrall with stories of mystery and magic, myth and legend.
Kerry Writers’ Museum – Free Event
Lunchtime Story & Poetry Swap – 12.30 pm
Storyteller Maria Gillen & poet Stephen Murphy are our hosts for this open-mic session. Whether you have a heartfelt poem, a captivating story, or a thought-provoking piece to share , we invite you to take the mic and let your voice be heard.
Kerry Writers’ Museum – Free Event
Lecture: Folklore of the Sea – 3 pm
Historian Tom Dillon will explore the folklore and legends associated with the sea around the North Kerry coast. From tales of mystic islands, sea horses and mermaids to place names and the role of the sea in telling the weather, this fascinating talk will unlock a greater appreciation of the majestic Atlantic coast right here on our doorstep.
Kerry Writers’ Museum – Tickets €10
Culture Night Late: Theatre of the Hearthstone – 6 pm
Ireland’s Master Storyteller Eamon Kelly called what he did the “theatre of the hearthstone – a diversion having its seed in the time when our forefathers sat at the mouth of a cave and listened to the happening of a day’s hunting”. Inspired by Kelly’s description Kerry Writers’ Museum presents a spectacular carnival-style evening of entertainment in celebration of Culture Night 2024. Listowel’s magnificent Square will transform into a lively festival atmosphere, featuring events that highlight the town’s rich cultural heritage. Featuring Drum Dance Ireland, Balloon Modelling, Rogu Mobius Fire Show, Tralee International Choir, storytellers Shane Ibbs, Maria Gillen, Frances Kennedy & Cillian Brennan, poet Stephen Murphy, with music and song from The Flyshop Blues Band.
The Square, Listowel – Free Event
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21
Workshop: Dreaming the Story – 9.30 to 11.30 am
This storytelling workshop directed by our international guest storyteller Shane Ibbs, is a mindful exploration of story, for people with some experience of storytelling or writing, using the senses, to explore what is there that often gets overlooked in a story.
Kerry Writers’ Museum – Tickets: €20
Children’s Storytime – 10.30 am
Dynamic duo Godfrey Coppinger & Sonia Elston will tell some stories, read some stories and make up some stories in this storytelling session for children of all ages. There may even be a poem or two along the way.
Listowel Library – Free Event
Bryan MacMahon Memorial Lecture: A History of Listowel Drama Group – 12 noon
Owen McMahon recounts the history of Listowel Drama Group from its establishment by his father Bryan MacMahon in 1944, winning the All-Ireland Drama Festival in 1959 with John B. Keane’s ‘Sive’ to present day.
Kerry Writers’ Museum – Tickets: €10
Book Launch: Gabriel Fitzmaurice – The Poet & His Work – 2 pm
A celebration of Fitzmaurice’s life as a poet and translator. Containing a wide range of essays by, among others, Declan Kiberd, Bernard O’Donoghue, Éilís Ní Dhuibhne and Alan Titley, the book traces the career of “a wonderful poet” (The Guardian), “one of Ireland’s leading poets” (Books Ireland) and “the people’s poet (The Irish Independent). The book will be launched by Mary Kennelly.
Kerry Writers’ Museum – Free Event
Story Swap at John Bs – 3.30 pm
An afternoon of stories, verse, music and song in the world-famous hostelry with Bean an Tí Frances Kennedy.
John B. Keane’s Bar – Free Event
Making a Show of Myself – 6 pm
Mary Kate O’Flanagan presents her one-woman show that has earned glowing plaudits from the critics and standing ovations from audiences in its first sellout run. A spell-binding piece of theatre that celebrates The Magic of Story.
St. John’s Theatre – Tickets: €20
A Celebration of the Stories of Eamon Kelly – 8.30 pm
Eamon Kelly has been one of Pakie O’Callaghan’s theatrical heroes since his teenage years and he fondly remembers listening with his father to Kelly on Dinjo’s “Take the floor” which went out for many years on Sunday nights on Radio Eireann and later on to Kelly’s own programme “The Rambling House”. This acclaimed one-man show will be a trip down memory lane for many but will also appeal to a new audience with stories that are universal, timeless and always very, very funny.
St. John’s Theatre – Tickets: €15
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22
Storytelling Workshop – 10 am to 12 noon
Workshop your true-life tales with multiple award-winning storyteller and international expert in story skills Mary Kate O Flanagan. This workshop will cover: The key difference between a story and an anecdote, the use of plants and payoffs for comic effect and emotional impact, the power of specificity to draw a picture with words in the minds of your audience, conveying the rules of the world, finding the heart of your story and bringing it home with an unforgettable ending.
Kerry Writers’ Museum – Tickets €20
(Free entry for ticket holders to Mary Kate’s Saturday night show)
Story Walk – 10 am
Historian Tom Dillon will take us on a Sunday stroll through Listowel recounting the history of Kerry’s cultural capital, where the past fuses with the present to create a vibrant cultural environment. View the landmarks and relive the historical events that have made our town such a special place.
Departs from Kerry Writers’ Museum – Tickets €5
Sunday Stories – 12.30 pm
Join all our storytellers, young and older for an afternoon of spell binding stories from myths and legends to contemporary tales. Featuring Sonny Egan, Frances Kennedy, Maria Gillen, Shane Ibbs, Conor Cox and more.
St. John’s Theatre – Tickets €10
Clan Life Living History Display – 2 pm
The Last Prince are a group of storytellers who use living history displays and educational recreations to tell the story of The O’Sullivan Beare march of 1603. This epic tale of tragedy and triumph is a story of the Gael’s last stand here in Ireland. At this family event discover how the native Irish lived and enjoy storytelling sessions, based on Irish myths and legends with craft sessions based on the stories told.
Listowel Castle Amphitheatre – Free Event
Slán Abhaile – 3.30 pm
We close our festival with a gathering of all our tellers and invited guests with our regular musicians and singers from Listowel Rambling House. Fear an Tí – Johnny McElligott.
Kerry Writers’ Museum – Free Event (Donation)
Click HERE to discover more about our local and visiting artists at Listowel International Storytelling Festival 2024
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