Line-Up
Cath Little
“Mesmerising mythic stories
from a wonderful Welsh storyteller”
Cardiff Storyteller and Singer Cath Little has
“rough magic” in her voice, and in her words “the gift of the story comes
through.” She has a strong belief in the power of traditional stories to connect us to one another, to the land, and to the people who once lived here. Cath is passionate about sharing the ancient British wonder tales of The Mabinogion.
Cath helps run the Cardiff Storytelling Circle and curate their seasonal concerts, Tales for the Turning Year. She tells and listens to stories at Oasis, a Cardiff Charity which offers a warm Welsh welcome to refugees and asylum seekers.
Cath keeps busy sharing stories in schools, libraries, museums, castles, cafes and fields. She has performed at clubs and festivals across Britain and Ireland and is the author of Glamorgan Folk Tales for Children.
Dominic Bennett
Dominic Bennett draws on the rich storytelling and bardic traditions of his
native South Armagh to create comical tales full of colourful characters and memorable mishaps. Combining elements of storytelling, poetry and stand-up comedy he takes a very humorous view of the modern world and its impact on the middle-aged population of rural Ireland.
Dominic has been a guest performer at the Listowel International Storytelling Festival, The Fiddlers’ Green International Folk Festival and Belfast Tradfest.
His satirical poem How Brexit Ruined My Life became a huge hit online.
‘Screamingly funny verses… delivered with expert comic timing.’ – Belfast Telegraph
‘Often hilarious, occasionally poignant, this was real entertainment.’ – Peter Grogan, Dublin City FM
Maria Gillen
Maria was the Irish Storyteller in Residence for Kerry Writers Museum from 2019 to 2022. She was the Artistic Director for the Listowel International Storytelling Festival 2020 to 2022.
Maria is currently working as an archivist
with Sheahan’s Storytelling Cottage in Finuge – a 300 year old traditional
Rambling House in Finuge, Co. Kerry
She is a well-known popular storyteller on the storytelling circuit in Ireland and
on the Cyberspace Platform. She is a well-known Bean An Tí (Irish Session
Host) on the Irish Storytelling Circuit.
She is the preferred storyteller of Colette Travel Agency (the oldest existing
travel agency based in the USA) for their premium storytelling experience in
Cork.
Maria delivers stories of Ireland’s Ancient East, Wild Atlantic Way, the Diaspora bond with America and the impressive history of Cork City and Cobh Harbour.
Maria delivers Erasmus training in storytelling and storymaking – she will be
returning to Ernst, Germany for her fourth visit to the Grammer School system
in 2024 and will be taking part in an Education through Story progamme in
Croatia in 2024.
Dr Tomás Mac Conmara
Dr Tomás Mac Conmara is an award winning oral historian, author and lecturer from County Clare. Since he was a teenager, he has made over 1,000 oral history recordings across Ireland and has written several books on memory, including his 20-year work, The Time of the Tans and in 2020, The Scariff Martyrs.
In 2024, with iCAN and the National Museum of Ireland, he published In the Possession of His Every Neighbour, a guidebook for local historians, as well as a history of Cork County Council from 1999 to 2024.
In 2016, he was commended by President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins, as one of seven recipients who have made outstanding contributions to culture over the last 100 years for a Comhaltas Forógra na Cásca Centenary Award.
Tomás runs a Heritage Consultancy with clients across Ireland and internationally, as well as Managing the Cork Folklore Project on behalf of UCC. He is recognised as one
of the leading oral historians in the country and delivers a regular history slot on RTE’s The Today Show.
Paddy O’Brien
Paddy was a teacher for 35 years, has been a TV presenter on RTÉ, All-Ireland champion storyteller (Slógadh-Gael Linn), twice he was All Ireland champion storyteller (Scór-GAA) Founder member of Cork Yarnspinners Storytelling and a member of the organising committee of Cape Clear International Storytelling
Festival.
Paddy has a wide knowledge of traditional Irish folklore and also a large collection of seanchaí style stories which he mostly composed himself. Paddy has a large repertoire of Irish poetry and ballads which he sings or recites in either or English or Gaeilge.
Paddy is now a ‘piece of the furniture’ at our festival and we love having him with his ready smile and jokes.
Frances Kennedy
Frances Kennedy is one of North Kerry’s most popular traditional storytellers,
singers and entertainers. Originally from Freemount, Co. Cork, Frances now
calls Listowel, Co. Kerry her home.
There is very little we have to say about Frances. And anything she did prior to
her first appearance at our festival is irrelevant. Because ever since then every
year whenever anyone talks about our festival the very first thing they say is
“Have your got Frances this year?” That says it all.
Vincent Hyland
Vincent Hyland is a multi-award-winning underwater filmmaker, publisher and
digital broadcaster.
He was an early adopter of digital technology, establishing Ireland’s first V
design bureau in the mid-1980s. He spent ten years working in technology at
Microsoft. He established and published Ireland’s first Wildlife magazine “Wild
Ireland”, has filmed the underwater marine life of Galapagos and Antarctica
and worked for the BBC’s Natural History Unit. He has appeared on BBC, RTE,
TV3 and TG4 television including directing and narrating the recent series “Call
of the Wild” for RTE One television.
Vincent is a regular performer at many of the festivals in Sneem and also the
public houses in the area as he sings and plays with local musicians.
He has just published his life’s work “Wild Derrynane” – all about the wildlife of
Iveragh and the Skellig Coast which is very popular and is now in its second
printing. He lives with his partner Mo and son, Neil in Caherdaniel, Co. Kerry.
Vincent is a long time friend of the festival and we are pleased to have him
return to us.
Mary’s Hopes and Dreams
Written and performed by Hubcap Theatre.
The Hubcap boys are back!
The company behind ‘The Parish’ are back with a hilarious new comedy exploring life in contemporary rural Ireland. Hubcap’s unique brand of physical comedy and absurd characterisations has been delighting audiences with madcap moments of slapstick, rap, mime, song, dance, martial arts and swimming!
Audience Reactions to Mary’s Hopes and Dreams
“Fantastic show… haven’t laughed like it in years.”
“What a show! Loved every minute of it!”
“Laugh out loud comedy gold!”
“Great show! Ye had them rolling in the aisles”
Sneem International Storytelling & Folklore Festival 