Leabhar Stiofain Ui Ealaoire Storytelling Celebration

The Doolin Folklore Project will host the Leabhar Stiofáin Uí hEalaoire Storytelling Celebration, an evening event that will serve as the centrepiece of National Heritage Week 2026. This free public event is designed to be a "homecoming" for the stories of Stiofán Ó hEalaoire, bringing them back to the ears and hearts of the North Clare community.

Prior to the event, Aindrias de Staic will conduct three workshops, mentoring a number of individuals living locally in the art of storytelling. Aindrias is a renowned master seanchaí with a strong presence. He will show us the magic and the mechanics—the pauses, the rhythm, and the bit of devilment that makes a story work by a fireside.
The evening will feature live performances by our newly trained local storytellers, alongside Aindrias de Staic and other experienced storytellers, showcasing the rhythm, music, and bilingual magic of the collection in a social, local atmosphere that honours our traditional scoraíocht (visiting) culture.

To ensure the widest possible engagement, the event will be promoted through our established network of over four thousand followers, local parish newsletters, Clare FM, and wide community networks throughout North Clare.

The celebration will be professionally documented through photography and audio snippets to serve as a lasting record of the project's impact.

Following the Heritage Week event, a high-quality, five-episode bilingual podcast series titled Leabhar Stiofáin: Voices of Doolin will be released. The series will include full Irish-language transcriptions, plain-English summaries, and archival notes.