The Irish are blessed with a natural story telling ability. They are also blessed with a natural ability to add a little “colour” to a story. But where is the line between a good story, a good lesson and the truth of the matter?
We are not privy to all the COVID-19 information. We elect and rely on our Government (and their advisors) to make the best possible decisions on our behalf. While we do not need to know all the facts, there is also no point in hiding the truth. The story now is a combination of stick and carrot. The stick is another lockdown and the carrot is: “If we take this now, we can have a ‘nice Christmas’.” I fear the latter is just a nice story, as no one can see around corners.
Like many others, we grew up warned away from the fairy forts around the farm
I generally love Halloween. It’s my birthday. Being born on the spookiest day of the year, has left me with more than a passing interest in the legends and stories of old Ireland. Like many others, we grew up warned away from the fairy forts around the farm. These stories were substantiated by tales of broken-down tractors regaled by any number of “grown-ups” so they “had to be true”. Add in a good dose of Darby O’Gill and The Little People and a few other books and this lady has a trip to Mexico for the Día de los Muertos (day of the dead) still high on the bucket list.
This year, Halloween will be very different and parents will need to recall all that storytelling ability and imagination to create some magic for their kids. If you are struggling, take some inspiration from our cover star, seanchaí Eddie Lenihan who tells quite the tale here.
We all use storytelling to influence others, particularly children
Back a month or so ago, my mother and I reminisced about the stories she told us when we were young. She confessed that many of these “stories” were actually completely fabricated, ie lies. I was flabbergasted. But she completely and categorically stands over her actions, as she believes her reasoning to be solid – it was done to “keep you safe”. Despite her apparent noble motives, suddenly everything, every word was under suspicion.
But we all use storytelling to influence others, particularly children. An obvious one was highlighted when queues formed at Smyths Toys, for fear of what has now come to pass. We are into the period when the words “such and such won’t come unless” are uttered regularly. Then there are Bible stories such as the Good Samaritan and other similar parables. These are generally accepted as simple stories that illustrate a valuable moral lesson. Fables aim to do the same thing – mother just added that little bit of Irish “colour”.
I wish I had written down more of the stories that my grandad told me about our family and the area before he died. As author Gillian O’Brien says “unless I put the story down on paper, or retell it to friends, it will eventually be lost”. Mike Magan has done a fantastic job recording the people and places of Killashee, Co Longford, over the last couple of weeks (he will be back next week). If you want to be the next reader to write a piece of history for us to print, please send us your story.
Over the last couple of weeks, Mike Magan has regaled us with his many tales from Longford. Sent your own memories to us for Reader Writes \ Claire Nash
As we go into lockdown again, I would respectfully suggest the Government tell no stories of how things will be – that way they will tell us no lies. A fable that jumps to mind is that of the boy who cried wolf one too many times. When the people were really needed, nobody answered the call.
Read more
You might think you know what’s going on but you probably don’t
Raising spirits for mental health and raising awareness for physical health
The Irish are blessed with a natural story telling ability. They are also blessed with a natural ability to add a little “colour” to a story. But where is the line between a good story, a good lesson and the truth of the matter?
We are not privy to all the COVID-19 information. We elect and rely on our Government (and their advisors) to make the best possible decisions on our behalf. While we do not need to know all the facts, there is also no point in hiding the truth. The story now is a combination of stick and carrot. The stick is another lockdown and the carrot is: “If we take this now, we can have a ‘nice Christmas’.” I fear the latter is just a nice story, as no one can see around corners.
Like many others, we grew up warned away from the fairy forts around the farm
I generally love Halloween. It’s my birthday. Being born on the spookiest day of the year, has left me with more than a passing interest in the legends and stories of old Ireland. Like many others, we grew up warned away from the fairy forts around the farm. These stories were substantiated by tales of broken-down tractors regaled by any number of “grown-ups” so they “had to be true”. Add in a good dose of Darby O’Gill and The Little People and a few other books and this lady has a trip to Mexico for the Día de los Muertos (day of the dead) still high on the bucket list.
This year, Halloween will be very different and parents will need to recall all that storytelling ability and imagination to create some magic for their kids. If you are struggling, take some inspiration from our cover star, seanchaí Eddie Lenihan who tells quite the tale here.
We all use storytelling to influence others, particularly children
Back a month or so ago, my mother and I reminisced about the stories she told us when we were young. She confessed that many of these “stories” were actually completely fabricated, ie lies. I was flabbergasted. But she completely and categorically stands over her actions, as she believes her reasoning to be solid – it was done to “keep you safe”. Despite her apparent noble motives, suddenly everything, every word was under suspicion.
But we all use storytelling to influence others, particularly children. An obvious one was highlighted when queues formed at Smyths Toys, for fear of what has now come to pass. We are into the period when the words “such and such won’t come unless” are uttered regularly. Then there are Bible stories such as the Good Samaritan and other similar parables. These are generally accepted as simple stories that illustrate a valuable moral lesson. Fables aim to do the same thing – mother just added that little bit of Irish “colour”.
I wish I had written down more of the stories that my grandad told me about our family and the area before he died. As author Gillian O’Brien says “unless I put the story down on paper, or retell it to friends, it will eventually be lost”. Mike Magan has done a fantastic job recording the people and places of Killashee, Co Longford, over the last couple of weeks (he will be back next week). If you want to be the next reader to write a piece of history for us to print, please send us your story.
Over the last couple of weeks, Mike Magan has regaled us with his many tales from Longford. Sent your own memories to us for Reader Writes \ Claire Nash
As we go into lockdown again, I would respectfully suggest the Government tell no stories of how things will be – that way they will tell us no lies. A fable that jumps to mind is that of the boy who cried wolf one too many times. When the people were really needed, nobody answered the call.
Read more
You might think you know what’s going on but you probably don’t
Raising spirits for mental health and raising awareness for physical health
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