Supported by documents, many of which were not readily available or have never been published before, this book studies images of the 'Irish traditional storyteller' offered at different periods, from several viewpoints and for various purposes. Invariables, changes, ruptures and the effect of conflicting attitudes and ideologies are identified. Contextualized in Irish history and on the wider European scene, this huge book explores the testimony of early antiquarians, accounts of meetings with storytellers by 18th- or 19th-century travelers, representations of acts of elite storytelling in ancient Irish literature or of popular ones in oral tradition itself and in fiction in English - attention is given to the works of Maria Edgeworth, Lady Morgan, the Banim brothers and Griffin, Carleton, Lover, Le Fanu, Somerville and Ross, Yeats, Synge, George Moore and Joyce, and some more recent authors. The evolution of the aims and methods of folklorists, from the Romantic Age to the institutionalization of collecting and to modern ethnographic projects, and the links between definitions of folklore and cultural nationalism are investigated, as are the complex relationships between storytelling, history and truth and the concepts of Irishness and tradition. Another section tries to establish what is known of actual storytelling in the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th: the tellers' training, their techniques and conception of tradition, their status, the etiquette of performance and the role of the audience. Themes and formal characteristics of different kinds of oral narratives are examined.

“Riveting . . . Readers will quickly warm to [Frank] Delaney’s vividly described Ireland of the 1950s, its fully realized inhabitants, and the dynamic political and personal relationships that make for a remarkable story.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “If we’re to live good lives, we have to tell ourselves our own story. In a good way.” So says Ben MacCarthy’s beloved mentor, and it is this fateful advice that will guide Ben through the tumultuous events of Ireland in 1956. The national mood is downtrodden; poverty, corruption, and an armed rebellion rattle the countryside; and although Ben wants no part of the insurrection, he unknowingly falls in with an IRA sympathizer. Yet despite his perilous circumstances, all he can think about is finding his former wife and true love, Venetia Kelly, who after many years has returned to Ireland with her brutish new husband, a popular stage performer. Determined not to lose Venetia again, Ben calls upon every bit of his passion and courage to win her back, while finally reconciling his violent past with his hopes for a bright future. Brimming with fascinating Irish history, daring intrigue, and the drama of legendary love, The Last Storyteller is an unforgettable novel as richly textured and inspiring as Ireland itself. “A colorful, leisurely tale, with dark moments as well as humor and grace.”—The Star-Ledger “A magical tale [that] weaves in a jackpot of Irish myths.”—Bookreporter “Character-rich and dramatic.”—Library Journal

A wonderful collection of some of the best stories by this master writer.

A modern Irish classic about the irrepressible Tailor and his wife Ansty. The models for the book were an old couple who lived in a tiny cottage on a mountain road to the lake at Gorigane Barra.

“Dramatic, adventurous, heroic, romantic. . . these historical chronicles, legends, myths, tall tales and fables, featuring warriors, kings, monks, explorers and clever common folk, imaginatively tell the history of Ireland.” — Philadelphia Inquirer This New York Times bestselling epic is an unforgettable tour de force that marries the intimate, passionate texture of the Irish spirit with a historical scope that is sweeping and resplendent. Storyteller extraordinaire Frank Delaney takes his readers on a journey through the history of Ireland, stopping along the way to evoke the dramatic events and personalities so critical to shaping the Irish experience. In the winter of 1951, a storyteller, the last practitioner of an honored, centuries-old tradition, arrives at the home of nine-year-old Ronan O'Mara in the Irish countryside. For three wonderful evenings, the old gentleman enthralls his assembled local audience with narratives of foolish kings, fabled saints, and Ireland's enduring accomplishments before moving on. But these nights change young Ronan forever, setting him on a years-long pursuit of the elusive, itinerant storyteller and the glorious tales that are no less than the saga of his tenacious and extraordinary isle.

“Dramatic, adventurous, heroic, romantic. . . these historical chronicles, legends, myths, tall tales and fables, featuring warriors, kings, monks, explorers and clever common folk, imaginatively tell the history of Ireland.” — Philadelphia Inquirer This New York Times bestselling epic is an unforgettable tour de force that marries the intimate, passionate texture of the Irish spirit with a historical scope that is sweeping and resplendent. Storyteller extraordinaire Frank Delaney takes his readers on a journey through the history of Ireland, stopping along the way to evoke the dramatic events and personalities so critical to shaping the Irish experience. In the winter of 1951, a storyteller, the last practitioner of an honored, centuries-old tradition, arrives at the home of nine-year-old Ronan O'Mara in the Irish countryside. For three wonderful evenings, the old gentleman enthralls his assembled local audience with narratives of foolish kings, fabled saints, and Ireland's enduring accomplishments before moving on. But these nights change young Ronan forever, setting him on a years-long pursuit of the elusive, itinerant storyteller and the glorious tales that are no less than the saga of his tenacious and extraordinary isle.

New edition of the award-winning collection, complete with Alan Clarke's witty, eye-catching illustrations First published in 2006 in hardback, this much sought after bookwas unavailable for several years and is now available in paperback The quirky story-telling of Eddie Lenihan and the charming illustrations by Alan Clarke complement each other perfectly Affordablegift will appeal to both domestic and tourist markets Irish Tales of Mystery and Magicis a collection of marvellousstories by seanchaí Eddie Lenihan that will charm, entertain and amuse children of all ages. These tales of ancient Irish heroes and druids tell of strange and peculiar adventures at a time when creatures of the night walked the earth and magic was everywhere. Stunningly illustrated, these hair-raising stories capture some of that magic.

Hidden away for decades and thought to be lost, the film Oidhche Sheanchais (1935) was shared for the first time in eighty years with Irish viewing audiences in 2015. After careful restoration, researchers at Harvard University have presented this item of cinematic history so that it can be enjoyed by new audiences again. Seáinín Tom Sheáin: from Árainn to the silver screen focuses less on the film and more on the repertoire of the main actor, the storyteller, Seáinín Tom Ó Dioráin (1870s-1939). One might fear that a film by the director Robert Flaherty (1884-1951) could portray a night of storytelling in a less than authentic fashion. Under the watchful eye of folklorist Séamus Ó Duilearga (1899-1980) and with the assistance of the local schoolmaster Seósamh Ó Flannagáin (1894-1939), a storyteller from the Aran Islands skilled in the art of seanchas was featured in this curtain raiser. This book, which shares forty-two pieces of folk narrative collected from Seáinín Tom Ó Dioráin in the 1930s, provides a more complete picture of the storyteller and of the process behind the creation of the first Irish language film.

"The Other Crowd," "The Good People," "The Wee Folk," and "Them" are a few of the names given to the fairies by the people of Ireland. Honored for their gifts and feared for their wrath, the fairies remind us to respect the world we live in and the forces we cannot see. In these tales of fairy forts, fairy trees, ancient histories, and modern true-life encounters with The Other Crowd, Eddie Lenihan opens our eyes to this invisible world with the passion and bluntness of a seanchai, a true Irish storyteller.

As the home of the famous Blarney Stone it is perhaps not surprising that the stories of County Cork could fill many libraries. Among its vast archive of myth and legend are tales of the Goddess Cliona, The Hag of Beara and the Giant Mac Mahon and the epic story of St Finbarr who bashed Louie, a fiery serpent, from the lake at Goughan Barra, its wriggling tail forming the course of the River Lee.These tales and more, drawn from historical sources and newly recorded local reminiscences, have been brought to life here by professional storyteller and Cork native Kate Corkery. This collection is a heady mix of bloodthirsty, funny, passionate and moving stories. It will take you into a remarkable world where you can let your imagination run wild.