This ‘Ramble’ is inpired by the silver rider on the River Seine at the Paris 24 Olympics. So join Chris as she explores the history and mythology of three great rivers, the Seine, the Severn and the Shannon and discovers just how their stories may just meander together. Explore a gallery page of images of…
Tag: Otherworld
A new conversation with Jamie Madden: The Writing of the Takings
The The Lebor Gabála tells of a series of mythical Irish migration stories, which can be traced back to a very early date. Its history is somewhat complex and, although fascinating, it is not an ‘easy read’. So, join Chris and Jamie as they share Jamie’s new telling. ‘The Writing of The Takings’. Jamie has…
Chris’ Ramble 7: What’s in a Name?
Culture heroes, ancestor figures, genii loci, gods and godesses … Can all, or indeed, any of these terms be useful in defining some favourite characters in Irish mythology, Join Chris as she takes a walk throuh a forest of stories on a light hearted search for hidden identities. Links for this episode I have referenced…
Chris’ Ramble 2: David and Goliath, Meet Lugh and Balor
Some reflections on a journey to discover Irish stories. Join Chris as she explores Irish oral story transmission and wonders if even stories sometimes need careful map makers to prevent them them from being lost. Links for this episode If you would like to find out more about the infamous Giraldus Cambrensis Or just join…
Chris’ Ramble 1: Mercator the map maker and the Tuatha Dé Danann
Find out more about these new posts, ‘Chris’ Rambles‘. Join Chris as she sets off, aided by an unusual sixteenth century map, encounters an excentric English polymath with big ambitions, and with the help of a medieval Irish monk, discovers a fresh view of the arrival of the Tuatha Dé Danann. And a good ramble…
A Conversation with Ann Gerety Smyth
Ardagh hill, in County Longford, Ireland is a very special ‘Stories in the Landscape’ location. This is the legendary Bri Leith, where much of the Tocmarc Étaíne is set. The Ardagh Heritage and Creative Centre, managed by story teller and educator, Ann and her colleague Annette, nestles at the foot of this beautiful hill. Join…
A Conversation with Clare Millege
Join Chris and Clare, an artist from Sydney Australia, and an eloquant exponant of the art of landscape stories, as they discuss, art, ecology, the Australian landscape and, especially, Clare’s recent installation Imbás: a well at the bottom of the sea at the Sydney Biennale 22. Take the opportunity to explore the installation as Clare…
An Unexpected Journey
On the second morning of May, 2020 I awoke before dawn. It was four forty a.m. A glorious cacophony of birds was already celebrating a luminous sky-glow, heralding a clear morning. Suddenly, I was no longer sleepy. I grabbed my dressing gown, put my phone into my pocket, and stepped outside. Standing in the orchard,…
The Otherworld and How to Get There!
So many of the old Irish stories tell of an Otherworld that lies so close to our own. If you want to discover what the stories have to say about getting there, what you might find when you arrive, and when, or if, you might return, then join Chris in this audio-article exploration. Apologies for…
Circling the Tain 01: The Quarrel of the Two Swineherds (or “Where It All Began”)
Welcome to Series 6, “Circling the Tain”. In this series, we will delve into the fascinating web of stories making up the Tain tradition, with the Tain Bó Cúailnge, “The Cattle Raid of Cooley”, at its core. We begin this exploration with the story of two talented swineherds and their shape-shifting,poetic quarrel. Join the Story…