September is already upon us! I’ve been busy getting the ball rolling on my new BAI-funded radio documentary, “Clare’s Forgotten Seanchai and Son” for Newstalk. I began by recording the mighty Pat Laffan as the Seanchai, Padraig (Croaker) O Briain, telling one of his quirky tales, translated to English from the original Clare Irish by Ailbe Van der Heide. And just over the weekend I was delighted to record an interview with the last indigenous child in Coosheen Village, on his memories of Croaker’s English language poet son, Paddy O’Brien, who regaled him with stories as a young child.
Getting the ball rolling with my trusty Zoom recorder on my new radio documentary.
Pat Laffan channels Seanchai Padraig (Croaker) O Briain
I’m delighted to be presenting an event around the Seanchai Recordings (1950 and 2018), at Cathal Brugha Barracks on Culture Night at 6pm entitled “Mother Tongue”. Here’s the blurb!
“Releasing a precious genie out of the bottle for Bliain na Gaeilge, celebrate newly recovered folktales of lost Clare Seanchai Padraig (Croaker) O Briain, from Coosheen, County Clare, refracted through Sinead de Valera’s “The Magic Gifts”, and re-enacted by actor Pat Laffan in a new English translation of the original Clare Irish – with Deirdre Mulrooney. ”
More Irish Fairytales by Sinead De Valera
Earlier in the afternoon, between 2 & 5pm I’ll be contributing an essay I wrote about my dear Dad on RTE Sunday Miscellany Live at Collins Barracks, entitled “Sat Nam – True North”. So watch this space and all will be revealed!
But in the meantime, all going according to plan I’m heading off to walk the last 150km of the Camino from O Cebreiro from Tuesday Sept 4th – 11th. 25km per day is the goal. It’s going to be raining. It may be cold. So wish me luck, and see you on the other side!!!