Ireland Journal
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Liz Weir Comes to Athlone
“I stand in awe of Liz Weir after watching her tell stories to four and five year old children in the Athlone Library. When that horde of kids walked down the stairs, I thought, “Oh, man, Liz doesn’t stand a chance. How in the world can any storyteller tell tales to this…
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Be Here Now
I got up early this morning to witness the departure of my colleague Mary Aldridge and most of the students. Mary is on her way to Heathrow, with its heightened terrorist alert status, and then on to Nottingham for her Study Abroad in Britain program. This is the first time for the…
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Bloomsday and Beyond
The 16th of June in Dublin, which happened to be on a Saturday this year, is the annual celebration of Bloomsday. That day in 1904, was the one James Joyce chronicled in his book Ulysses. We started our Bloomsday at the I heard very few of them because…
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The Dublin Yarnspinners
The Dublin Yarnspinners had arranged several weeks ago for me to be the featured storyteller at their monthly meeting on Thursday, June 14th. As it happened, Study Abroad Ireland was scheduled to be in Dublin – starting the 14th – for our annual multi-day trip that includes the celebration of Bloomsday on…
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First Stories
The students in The Irish Storytelling Tradition told their first stories last Wednesday, June 13th. It was a good solid set of stories – well chosen and well told. Their written responses to their stories were as interesting as their tellings of them and added dimension to their choices. Danielle Allison told a modern Irish…
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Did I mention that it’s been raining steadily for a week and a half?
No? Well, it has been. It’s a cold rain, with wind. The worst part was when I was trying to preserve my hairdo while walking down O’Connell Street to the Dublin Yarnspinners on Parnell Square wearing adorable sandals with little leather flowers studded with tiny crystal beads that I bought especially for the occasion while…
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Saints and Aprons
I heard another story involving saints, aprons, and rocks at Glendalough, the home of St. Kevin in Wicklow. St.Kevin was concerned that people not be greedy. One morning about breakfast time he met a woman carrying loaves of bread in her apron. He asked her for…
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This World is Good
Miceál Ross joined us in class on Monday morning. Miceál’s first career, which took him all over the world, was as a research economist. Later in life he attended University College Dublin’s famous Delargy Center for Irish Folklore to pursue his passion for story and obtained an additional degree. Although he recently…
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St. Patrick and the Cailleach
When St. Patrick came to Ireland, he met the Cailleach near the three hills of Loughcrew. It didn’t take him long to figure out that she was the goddess of the land, the keeper of the landscape and its creatures. “Fill your apron with rocks and then hop across these hills in three steps”, he…
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Believe it or not – it’s hot!
It really is. An hour ago it was 75 degrees and 60 percent humidity. The sun is intensely brilliant. It takes me roughly ten seconds to become completely soaked upon stepping out of the door. A breeze will often come up, which then turns me into a human swamp cooler – but it’s better than…
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Words from Wise Students
I have an excellent group of students this year. I have been impressed and moved by their responses to the class readings. My own understanding of the issues is often deepened and expanded by what they write. Below are some selections from the first week. Sean Covington (aka Skippy): It really painted the storyteller as…
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Front Page News
Tuesday afternoon I launched the Summer Reading Program at Athlone’s Aidan Heavey Public Library at the beginning of a storytelling session. The next day it was on the front page of the Westmeath Independent. When my students returned from their break on Wednesday morning, Danielle was…