trickster
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Giving Life by James Ashcroft
"…What was and is crucial for this storyteller (and all storytellers) is shaping a tale so that it becomes alive, effective, and relevant…"(The Irresistible Fairy Tale by Jack Zipes) This little phrase struck me as I read it. I even bookmarked it in my Kindle so I could refer to it. Stories have become much…
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“I wrote it down, just can’t remember where I put it.” by Gail Kimzin
Whoever claims that technology is advancement to mankind needs to take a hard look at society and how we interact. I have a written course syllabus with due dates for this class, a calendar on my phone with sound notifications, a calendar on my e-mail for work, a home calendar and I have even resorted…
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Final Reflections 2013
I had an excellent group of students this summer in the Irish Storytelling Tradition. Their final papers revealed the breadth and depth of what they learned about storytelling in general and Irish storytelling in particular. Here are some excerpts from each of them: Diana Lucente: I learned that seanchais are often folks otherwise thought to…
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Third Stories of 2013!
The students in The Irish Storytelling Tradition told their last stories in class on Wednesday, June 26th. I’m really proud of what they have achieved in four short weeks. They are a talented group that just kept getting better. They also write very well about their experiences. Here are excerpts from their reflections on their…
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Summer in Ireland
Summer in Ireland this year was from June 1st to June 9th – nine days of clear skies, bright sunshine, and (for them) high temperatures of up around 75 degrees. Everyone, including me, took advantage of it to be outside. On Saturday the 8th, Barry and I drove to Ballinderry Castle, a Gaelic Norman tower…
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Second Stories
The students in my Irish Storytelling Tradition class, shown above with their pipe-cleaner Brigid’s crosses, told their second stories last Wednesday, June 19th. They all did very good jobs of both selecting stories that fit their personalities and then telling them naturally and in their own voices. Here are some excerpts from their reviews: Bayliann…
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Got Gundestrup?
I was, as they say, gasping for a cup of tea at the National Museum in Dublin on Friday. I was following the signs to the café, when I came around the corner and saw the Gundestrup Cauldron. Not what I was expecting to see to say the least – last I’d heard it was…
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A Day in Dublin
On Friday, June 21, we all took the train over to Dublin. Barry and I only stayed the day, and Bob came back on Saturday. All but two of the students stayed for the whole weekend and by all accounts they had a blast. The picture at the bottom is the group in front…
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Bad News for Athlone
I got an email last week from Gael Bradbury and Garry Hughes, the owners of the Olive Grove Restaurant in Athlone, saying that they were closing their beautiful restaurant on Custume Pier of the River Shannon in the center of town. Here is the first paragraph of Gael's letter to her customers: I have tears…
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Child of the Solstice
We were all on the bus ready to leave Loughcrew, the Sliabh na Callighe, the Hill of the Hag, when our stalwart bus driver Tom Kirwan asked, “Did you see the monument they put up to old Mick”? Mick Tobin was a fixture in the car park at Loughcrew. He’d been there every time I’d…
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Etain Makes an Appearance
While Liz Weir was visiting my class on June 6th, there was a very large purplish horsefly buzzing all around the room. I immediately thought of Etain, the beautiful woman who was turned into a purple or scarlet fly by the jealous wife of Etain’s lover. I always think of that story when I see…
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Making a Place Where Stories Can Be Shared
It’s a tradition for Liz Weir to visit my class during Study Abroad Ireland’s annual sojourn in Athlone, and she visited us on June 6th. This was the 8th group of students she’s met in the Irish Storytelling Tradition. She is the only storyteller who has told to every group. Liz’s place in the world…