Comeback story: The re-birth of Irish storytelling

In a world dominated by Netflix and smartphones, storytellers are flourishing in the most unlikely places. Pubs and coffees shops are among the venues facilitating storytelling groups making their mark across the country.

The Gab and Cork Yarnspinners are among organisations re-igniting the dying art at a time when technology has all but eradicated the human touch. Clare Murphy hails from Dublin but carved out her storytelling career in Galway almost two decades ago.

“I started looking at it in 2002,” she told the Irish Examiner. “Someone advised me to think about storytelling after reading my writing." 

She was initially skeptical.

I thought to myself 'this isn’t a job'. However, I then looked into it and found a whole world around this art form. 

"There were so many festivals and organisations. Storytellers work in all kinds of places from museums to refugee camps and theatres. 

"You have a lot of freedom with storytelling because you’re not bound by props or staging. All you need is the story. My friends asked me to try it, really informally in the living room. We were living in Galway at the time and it just took off from there to be honest. I started to learn and collect stories. 

"After that people began asking me to come to their libraries, their schools, their festivals. It just snowballed and turned into an avalanche.“ 

The artist has enjoyed defying stereotypes since starting in the industry.

“Ever since I started storytelling at the age of 30 I’ve been told that I am young. I think until I hit 70 I’ll be considered young for a storyteller which is grand.” 

After earning a degree in arts at the University of Galway, Clare had already secured enough storytelling gigs to pay the bills. The artist’s captivating tales have taken her all over the world and offered her opportunities to meet with people of various occupations and cultures. 

The Dublin native’s services also extend to storytelling workshops undertaken by staff from some of the world’s most elite organisations.

Workshops

Her story repertoire includes Irish mythology, wisdom tales, history, world folklore and quantum physics. Clare has told stories to former president Mary Robinson, the All-Blacks coaches and schoolchildren as well as performing on stages and in festivals around the world.

The rationale behind her workshops is to help people deliver a story related to their message in a clear and concise manner.

“The word storyteller is thrown around a lot,” she said. “You often hear people in marketing use it. Only the other day I was telling someone that I was a storyteller. His reply was “yes, but what do you do?” When I told him that storytelling is my full-time job he told me that he was also a storyteller. 

"I asked him about this and he explained that he was a brand strategist. The word storyteller is often used quite broadly to describe filmmakers, novelists or anything to do with branding and marketing. Nobody can quite conceive of it being a career in its own right.” 

Despite being in the industry for almost 20 years, some are still baffled by Clare’s alternative career choice.

“I’ve had 19 years of it. I think of it as like a game at this stage. 

I enjoy seeing the light coming on in people’s eyes when I tell them what I do. 

"Things are beginning to get better in Ireland but we still don’t value the arts the way we would the accountant. 

"And yet it is inconceivable to imagine a world without the arts. Just imagine having to take down every piece of art and remove every podcast and every bit of music. Life would be very grey without all these things.” 

Storytelling workshops have been a rewarding part of Clare’s career.

“I can take the skills that help make a story come alive inside someone’s head and give them to people who aren’t performers. I’ve worked with firefighters, doctors, nurses and limbless veterans. It doesn’t matter what you have to talk about, but people often don’t convey their message effectively. 

"If you’re trying to change the narrative on disability, cancer research or anything you are passionate about you have to be a clear enough speaker. People need to go home remembering the story you told them.”

Terri Ryan

Terri Ryan is newer to the scene, having mastered the art during the covid pandemic. Now living in Cobh, much of Ms Ryan’s stories focus on growing up in Mitchelstown, Cork. 

“The idea of the gathering was something I always loved. I often watched Eamonn Kelly storytelling on television. However, the idea to tell stories came later. During covid when the tumbleweed was coming through the streets and there was almost no sound, I began to remember the magic of my youth. 

"I grew up in a family of eight in Mitchelstown. I remember the things you never see a sign of anymore. I remember the magical sounds that came through the window of our house, the fun and shrieks of laughter. I started to write down the memories every time they came to me. 

"Before I knew it I found myself writing a story.

"Everything I talk about is a true story. I’ve spoken about the characters from the area where I live. Among them were two women known as the 'loudspeakers'. Whatever you told them went all over town which is how they got the nickname. That was a story about two real people who lived in the town who were mad for news. All these stories are now folklore.” 

Terri enjoys regaling audiences with stories from her youth.

“All the shops that used to exist where I grew up have now been replaced by Tesco and Lidl. You’d always meet some very colourful characters in the shop. There were sweets that were dished out with a scoop and a weighing scales. The meat was wrapped in parchment paper and then wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine. 

Shops were the Google search engines of their time because that was where everyone went for the news. 

She underlined the psychological benefits of storytelling.

“The apps are colonising our brains which is why activities like storytelling are so important. When you tell a story you’re not just using your voice. You are also making a connection with the eyes and body language. 

"I remember once hearing that a child comes into the world waiting to hear their first story. They don’t want to hear a tape recorder. What they want is to hear that voice next to them so they can experience that connection with the story.”

Deirdre O'Mahony

Deirdre O'Mahony from Watergrasshill in Cork is an emerging storyteller and founding member of the Gab Storytelling.

“My cousin Mary Walsh had the idea to start the Gab Storytelling in 2016 and I was kind of along for the ride. We both attended the Cape Clear storytelling festival and loved the idea of hearing stories with no microphones. 

"There are no distractions. Everything is completely dependent on the connection between the storyteller and the audience. We wanted to bring that magic to Cork City.” 

The Cork native still experiences nerves during performances.

“Storytelling is very different to other art forms. I’ve done amateur drama and I love singing. But when you're storytelling there’s nowhere to hide. You have to connect with the audience and bring them into the story. You have to be in the story with them. 

"That’s really difficult because you can’t read from a script and you can’t really learn a story off. I have to put my own voice into the story to make it something that the audience can relate to. I’m still learning which is why I have trouble even identifying myself as a storyteller at times.” 

Deirdre is enjoying honing her craft.

“Tales like the enormous turnip or the magic porridge pot might be children’s stories but they hold just as much magic for adults as they do for kids when told in an engaging way. I started by telling these kind of folk tales and have since started telling a couple of personal stories.” 

Storytelling often elicits fond memories for Deirdre.

“One of my favourite stories is the one I tell about my dad. I was getting ready to compete in Feis Maitiú but dad was convinced that only city girls won these competitions. He bet me £40 that I wouldn’t win and was so happy to be able to come home with my medal that day to prove him wrong.

"Storytelling is a great way to keep our memories alive.” 

The 41-year-old enjoys the intimacy of storytelling events.

“If a storyteller is so much as holding notes or their phone, it can result in a barrier between them and the listener. Some places are really cosy and make you feel like you are shoulder to shoulder with the person. You can see the white in their eyes and the hair standing up on the back of their neck. 

"For a storyteller, it's the perfect environment for telling stories because it offers that little bit of magic that you're always looking for.” 

Deirdre said she is glad to see storytelling growing in popularity.

“I think there's a real appetite for stories at the moment. People are really interested and that’s great to see. 

I wouldn't say it is a lost art form but it can be difficult. 

"When we first started the Gab there wasn’t much around in terms of storytelling. It’s nice to see that this is changing and people are really hungry for stories.” 

Upcoming storytelling events include Clare Murphy’s Conversations on the Hero’s Journey which takes place online on February 26 from 8pm to 9pm (UK time). 

The Gab will hold its mixtape event which also includes performances from guitarist Cathal ÓLoinsigh at Callanan’s Bar on February 18 at 8pm.