Story Archaeology

Stories in The Landscape: Conversations

Through the ‘Stories in the Landscape’ conversations I will be inviting people with fascinating insights into stories in their own landscapes, here in Ireland and beyond, to join me and share ideas, interpretations and some occasional mysteries.

Stories in the Landscape 1: A Conversation with Daniel Curley

Daniel is an archaeologist and th manager of the Rathcroghan Visitor Centre in Tulsk. Join us as we explore this very special part of the Roscommon landscape, its close connection with the Tain Bo Táin Bó Cúailnge and so much more.

Stories in The Landscape 2: A conversation with Professor Ralph Kenna.

Professor Ralph Kenna. is an Irish mathematician and theoretical physicist who is head of the statistical physics research group at Coventry University.His ‘Maths Meets Myths ‘research programme uses mathematics to investigate world mythologies and epic literature.

Stories in the Landscape 3: A conversation with Clare Millege.

Clare is an Australian artist based in Sydney. She is currently exhibiting at the Sydney Biennale. The installation Imbás: a well at the bottom of the sea draws on the Story of Sinann, an Old Irish story/dindshenchas about the forming of the river Sinnan/Shannon. The Sinann story and the postcast was a ‘source’ ideas for the instalation. I look forward to talking with her sometime in May.

Stories in the Landscape 4: A Conversation with Jamie Madden

Jamie is a story discoverer, a story teller, something of a genealogist and, oh yes, an affordable housing expert and town planner, from Boston but now living in Seattle. This conversation really demonstrates the applicability of dindshenchas style origin stories and how Jamie is able to make use of them as a resource in his work.

Stories in the Landscape 5: A Conversation with Anne Gerety Smyth

Anne Gerety Smyth, is a writer and story teller who with her colleague Annette Corkery, runs the innovative, Ardagh Heritage and Community Centre in County Longford. Anne and Annette’s centre is right at the foor of Bri Leith, Midir’s ‘tree girt’ hill where much of the Tochmarc Étaíne, is set. I enjoyed talking with another storyteller, actively working to revitalise the wonderful Irish stories, We explored the complex, sometimes, challenging, motivations of the characters of the Tocmarc Étaíne and , if you are looking for ideas for entries to the current ÉIRÍ arts competition, this conversation might offer some useful avenues to follow.

Stories in the Landscape 6: A New conversation with Ralph Kenna

Join Chris and Ralph, professor of Statistical Physics and enthusiastic comparative mythologist, as they enjoy discussing the ongoing ÉIRÍ project, ‘Evoking Ireland’s Resiliant female Icons‘, and discover how you, too, can add to some exciting and unusual research as well as discovering more about Ralph’s upcoming Myths and Maths projects.

Stories in the Landscape 7: A conversation with Professor Patrick Nunn

Patrick Nunn is the Professor of Geography and Director of the Sustainability Research Centre at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Patrick has brought his experiences of Pacific Island cultures to Australia, focused largely on highlighting the depth and longevity of oral traditions, especially of memorable/catastrophic events like volcanic eruptions and post-glacial sea-level rise. Recently he has extended these interests to northwest Europe, especially to Brittany, and is focused on applying insights gleaned from Australia and the Pacific to the rest of the world.

Join Chris and Patrick as they discuss, remarkable oral story transmission, illustrated by ‘climate change’ stories from Australia, the Pacific Islands, and, Ireland. In this conversation I finally get to discuss the potantial longevity of the Dindshenchas story of Sinann, a conversation that I have been looking forward to since 2015!

Stories in the Landscape 8: A Conversation with Professor Benjamin Dwyer

Ben is an Irish musician and performer as well as professor of music at Middlesex University. His recent work, Sacrum Profanum is a deeply thought provoking musical exploration of the enigmatic Sheela-na-gigs as watchers and witnesses of a thousand years of Irish history.

Stories in the Landscape 9: A Conversation with Shona Macdonald

Shona is a talented artist and illustrator who tells stories through images. Join Chris and Shona as they explore some of the wonderful women characters to be found in the world of Irish story, and even the take path to a most perplexing library.

Stories in the Landscape 10: A Conversation with Niola Bowes and Rosemary Carty from the Celtic Eye arts group

Nicola and Rosemary are both gifted artists from the Celtic Eye artists group who have all come together to draw on their talents to create some inspiring and innovative landscape and environmental projects. Join Chris, Nicola, and Rosemary as they talk about about the wide scope of some of Celtic Eye’s impressive and on-going, still growing, projects as well as getting to discuss ‘art in the landscape’.

Stories in the Landscape 11: Conversations with the 2023 ÉIRÍ Competition Winners

‘This is a series of shorter Stories in the Landscape’ conversations to celebrate the 2023 ÉIRÍ Evoking Irelands Resilient Female Icons competition and continuing project. (More conversations very soon,)

  • 1. Meet Ruth Egan. Join Chris and Ruth as they discuss, art, mthology and the importance of listening to the stories told by your grandmothers.
  • 2. Meet Lee Fenlon. Join Chris and Lee as they discuss, what can be acheived in leaded glass and ceramic mosaic work , how Sinann has been treated in Athlone as well as stories of Boand and the Boyne.
  • 3. Meet Louise Shine. Join Chris and Ruth as they discuss, the importance of creativity in art and education, explore art and technology as well as the way in which women from Irish mythology can still speak powerfully to current issues.
  • Meet Kate Lionis. Join Chris and Kate as they discuss, the many creative possiblities of digitally enhanced photography, the enviromental relevance of Australian indigenous stories and share the colours, light, and scents of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales.

Stories in the Landscape 12: An Immráma Voyage with Jamie Madden

What if Brigid had undertaken her own Immrám? Join Chris and Jamie as they explore James’ Immrám Brig Bostún, an Irish Mythology Collage, in which he gathers stories from Irish mtyhology and folklore, to curate an Immrám voyage for Brigid taking her to the many coastal islands of north eastern USA., reflecting the many more recent journies of the Diaspóra na nGael.

Stories in the Landscape 13: Jamie Madden and ‘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 created an entertaining and highly amusing interpretation, which gets to the heart of how and why these migration stories were so valued.

Stories in the Landscape 14: A conversation with Anthony Murphy ~Mythical Ireland

Anthony Murphy, is an author, journalist, astronomer and photographer. He also curates the wondeful Mythical Ireland website. Join Chris and Anthony as they explore how Irish mythological stories, supported by recent evidence from genertics, seem to reflect the remarkable story of both neolithic and bronze age Ireland.

Stories in the Landscape 15: The Uí Máine Project~ A Conversation with Liam Kildea, Nicola Bowes and Paula Sharkey.

Designed to protect and celebrate the unique Karst landscape of South Roscommon and its embedded mythologies and stories, the Uí Máine community Project has grown and developed from the inspired work of three main groups, The Celtic Eye Art group, the Karst Farming group and the Taughmaconnell Hall, community. Join Chris as she discovers more about their on-going achievements and awards.

Stories in the Landscape 16: A Conversation with Professor Lisa M Bitel

Lisa Bitelis a Professor of Religion and a Medieval historian specializing in Britain and Ireland. and is the author of her new book Otherworld’. Join Chris and Lisa as they explore some favoutite stories and discuss how best to contintinue the transmission of these wonderful tales from the deep past to an audience today.