Many of us when the dark evenings draw in tend to sit in front
of the television screen, rather than joining
neighbours for an evening's ceilidhing. As a result,
we miss sharing and passing on stories about a
way of life now gone. Stories, however, are actually
a great way of preserving our social and cultural
heritage.
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Clockwise: Anne Harte and Lela Traynor, Declan Forde, William Roulston and Mary Murphy, Tom Sweeney, Sinead McLaughlin.
Contributors to the 'Your Place & Mine' storytelling special
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It is as important to relate the details of ordinary events as those of great historical significance. Every person, every townland has its story. It's not just the stories that are important though, but also the way in which they are told. Local expressions and dialect give a sense of a place's past.
The Your Place & Mine programme hosted an evening of storytelling in the An Creggan Centre, near Omagh in November 2003. You can listen below to some of the programme's highlights.
(To access audio and video on Your Place and
Mine you need RealPlayer.
)
Listen
to Lela Traynor relating the story of Cuchulainn,
a myth set in ancient Ulster. But first Mary Ferris
talks to Lela and Anne Harte (both of whom used
to work at Navan Fort) about celtic myths and folklore.
Listen
to Declan Forde and Don McGurgan speaking to
Michael MacNamee about story collecting. Then poet
Paddy Montague chats to Paul Moore and tells a tale
set near Drumquin, as well as reciting a poem.
Listen
to William Roulston of the Ulster Historical
Foundation explaining to Michael MacNamee about
how graveyards are rich in historical information.
Listen
to Mary Murphy reciting a poem, during which
most of the shirt factories in Derry are named.
Don McGurgan talks about meeting the lady whose
granny had lived through the famine. Have you
a story about your family or local area you'd
like to share? Which is your favourite Irish myth
or legend? Submit your comments or stories by
filling in the form below.
The site William Roulston mentioned in his interview
with Michael MacNamee is History
from Headstones , where you can find out more
about graveyards in Ulster.
(The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.)
YOUR COMMENTS
I was interested to see your name William Roulston
( Ulster Historical Foundation ) as it was the
same as my father, his father was Alexander Roulston
who married Catherine Malcolm they left Northern
Ireland where they were farmers to live in Glasgow
many years ago, I wonder if we are linked?
Moreen Coulson nee Roulston -
October 2004
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