How To Tell A Story -The Seanachaí (Eamon Kelly)

Clip from 1987.

The Traditional Art of Storytelling.

The seanachaí made use of a range of storytelling conventions, styles of speech and gestures that were peculiar to the Irish folk tradition and characterized them as practitioners of their art. Although tales from literary sources found their way into the repertoires of the seanchaithe, a traditional characteristic of their art was the way in which a large corpus of tales was passed from one practitioner to another without ever being written down.

Because of their role as custodians of an indigenous non-literary tradition, the seanachaí are widely acknowledged to have inherited -- although informally -- the function of the filí(poets) of pre-Christian Ireland.

Some seanachaí were itinerants, traveling from one community to another offering their skills in exchange for food and temporary shelter. Others, however, were members of a settled community and might be termed "village storytellers."

The distinctive role and craft of the seanchaí is particularly associated with the Gaeltacht (the Irish-speaking areas of Ireland), although storytellers recognizable as seanachaí were also to be found in rural areas throughout English-speaking Ireland. In their storytelling, some displayed archaic Hiberno-English idiom and vocabulary distinct from the style of ordinary conversation.

Eamon Kelly (1914 -- October 24, 2001) was an Irish actor and author.

Childhood

Kelly was born in Sliabh Luachra, County Kerry, Ireland. The son of Ned Kelly and Johanna Cashman, Eamon left school at age 14 to become an apprentice carpenter to his father, a wheelwright. He first became interested in acting after viewing a production of Juno and the Paycock.[1]

Career

Both an actor and storyteller, he became a member of the RTÉ actors group in 1952. He is best known for his performances of storytelling on stage, radio, and television. As an actor, he worked extensively with both the Gate Theatre and Abbey Theatre in Dublin. He was also nominated for a 1966 Tony Award in the category Actor, Supporting, or Featured (Dramatic) for his role in Brian Friel's Philadelphia, Here I Come.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Storytelling
• Actor
• Story
• Irish
• Ireland
• yt:stretch=16:9

[EadaoinK]

Im his granddaughter

[breffnipark]

I love this man !!! Pure class !

God Bless Eamonn Kelly !!!

[SuperDonna888]

hahaha...now that must have been one fine cake!...I wish more people would tell stories in these times, they are far more interesting, humorous warm and homely, than watching bland TV ...I wonder whether I'm related to (The late) Aemon Kelly, because I'm a Kelly too!

[qwyzl]

great story!!! 

[castlebar67]

my old uncle michael wasnt daft he once told me eamonn wore a hat and pretented to be old and that he was a teacher i know that now by reading eamonn s obituary on you tube may god bless them all go ar dheis de a bhi an anam dhilish. may god rest them all in heaven PB uk.

[castlebar67]

God bless Eamonn kelly god rest him me and my dear uncle/ grandmother used to listen to him on Radio Eireann 40+ years ago. He was so great ! and style too , funney me and my uncle were discussing this shortly bfore his death in 2001. funney enough he died few months after my uncle 2 years older. shame my uncle didnt live for mr to tell him. if eadaoinik his grand daughter ever reads this wud love to hear from u. pb UK.

[xXFireChickXx]

I absolutely love this! Pure class! Makes me miss Ireland

[mauricejudge]

Nows your chance!

[donal1969]

I'm originally from Millstreet, Co. cork. Thank you so much for posting this.

[Flashy62]

Eamonn at his brilliant best

[Gaeilgeoir]

@EadaoinK Nach bhfuil an t-ádh ort... :)

[electricrussell]

'Shedding the tear for Parnell'. Great euphemism!