Just in time for St. Patrick's day, we are joined by Rab Fulton from Ireland. He hosts live storytelling shows called Celtic Tales and is the author of numerous books. We discuss how linguistics, geography and trade routes shaped Irish lore. Rab gives us an amalgamated version of the Irish creation story, the wars and peaces of the Gods, the folkloric heroes, Fae Folk, Finn McCool, St. Patrick, Brian Boru and others.
For more details on that see: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/celtic-tales-storytelling-show-tickets-503373151647
I also teach storytelling, with an emphasis on landscape, memory and story. Storytelling is still very much a living part of the fabric of Galway and Connemara, and of my own family back in Scotland. This means that though I teach in the university, my approach is not academic as such. I teach as a practitioner of the craft. I also enjoy helping others create stories from their own memories and family stories. A good example of this is a bilingual (English / Irish) project I did with teenagers during lockdown. You can hear some of their stories at https://www.mixcloud.com/rabfulton/our-stories-transition-year-tales-part-one/
A well as teaching I am currently working on a another project engaging with memory. This is the Poetry as Commemoration. I am working with another group of young adults / teens to reflect on the exhibitions in Galway Museum about the bloody events that surrounded the creation of an independent Ireland.
