Three Storytellers for the West Cork Islands
Cork County Council has announced a Storytellers in Residence Programme for the West Cork Islands. Supported by Creative Places West Cork Islands, an Arts Council-funded initiative that aims to build sustained arts investment and create opportunities for local arts programmes.
The residency will see acclaimed storytellers Paddy O’Brien, Nuala Hayes and Simone Schuemmelfeder undertake a 10-month residency across the seven inhabited West Cork islands: Dursey, Bere, Whiddy, Long, Heir, Sherkin and Oileán Chléire with their project entitled ‘Three Heads / Na Trí Chinn on Seven Islands’.
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Joe Carroll welcomed the residency, saying
Mayor
Storytelling is a huge part of our culture in County Cork. The Creative Places West Cork Islands programme continues to impact and support islanders of all ages, while contributing to the rich and varied arts across all seven islands. This residency will also help to nurture and grow the Irish language, which is very much alive across the West Cork Islands.
Paddy O’Brien, Nuala Hayes, and Simone Schuemmelfeder have worked with communities, arts centres, and storytelling festivals for many years. Storyteller Paddy O’Brien expressed the groups excitement for starting the project, saying: “Nuala, Simone and I are excited to further develop our relationships with the islands and connect with islanders of all ages through the art of storytelling.”
The residency will combine participatory live events, song, story-exchange, research into existing folklore and island stories, video, podcasting, and visual art inspired by island stories. As with many of the Creative Places West Cork Islands programming, there will be an emphasis on connecting different islands and islanders through the arts, as well as responding to the rich creativity already on the islands. The residency will engage with the Cape Clear Storytelling Festival, as well as Storytellers of Ireland.
Rose Woods, Director of the Cape Clear Storytelling Festival added, “We look forward to partnering with the storytellers and Creative Places West Cork Islands in order to connect further with islands and also to platform our festival, which is an international highlight on the storytelling calendar.”
To keep up to date with the residency, visit the Creative Places West Cork Islands website at www.creativeplaceswci.ie
The Storytellers in Residence programme is supported by Cork County Council and Creative Places: West Cork Islands, an Arts Council initiative.