Line-Up
Jerry O’Grady
Killarney native, Jerry O’Grady is one of the founding members of the Hugh
O’Flaherty Society (2008). He has served as Chair of the Society since 2013.
After almost 30 years in textile manufacturing (Pretty Polly and Sara Lee Ireland), he served as Chief Executive of Killarney Chamber of Tourism & Commerce for 10 years until he retired in 2010.
Dr Senem Donatan Mohan
Senem is an internationally renowned storyteller, storytelling coach, and author from Türkiye, now based in Dublin.
With a PhD in natural sciences, she weaves together science and art to spark a sense of aliveness in audiences of all ages. Over the past two decades, her performances, books, and courses have brought joy and inspiration to thousands.
Her passion lies in sharing the magical and healing power of stories, as she herself has often drawn strength and comfort simply from listening to a good tale.
Known for her expressive and playful presence, Senem likes to merge the ancient wisdom of traditional stories with contemporary true-life experiences in her performances, where she creates a bridge between past and present, myth and today’s reality.
You can check out Senem’s work:
senemdonatanmohan.com
Cillian Brennan
Cillian has been telling for over a decade at festivals and private events up and down the country. The resident storyteller at Springfield Castle County Limerick since 2016, he has also performed as special guest at Listowel Writer’s Week, the Cape Clear International Storytelling Festival, the Yarn Storytelling Festival in Bray and at
Yarnspinners Cork.
Cillian is the founder of Rerá – a monthly storytelling night ‘as Gaeilge’ that ran from 2012 to 2019.
He is as comfortable telling tales in Irish as in English and he allows both traditions to enrich each other in his overall storytelling style. Cillian is also a stand-up comedian who has performed in comedy clubs nationwide. He won the Coco Club’s Cork Comedian of the Year award in 2018 and has reached the final of TG4’s Irish Language stand-up competition ‘An Gaeilgeoir is Greannmhaire’ 2013.
Cillian tells the stories he’s heard, others he’s lived, and some he’s made up to anyone who’ll sit still long enough to listen to them.
His favourite stories are those that contain seeds of truth sheathed in beautiful lies.
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), founding 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.” – Sneem Storytelling
Órla Mc Govern
Órla Mc Govern is an award-winning Storyteller, Performer and Writer living in Galway. She has told stories to acclaim from The Finnish Forests to the Glens of Antrim. Her plays have been produced globally and she has written two books of tales for children.
Órla acts and writes for film and TV, and is the Artistic Director of Moth & Butterfly;
the well known Galway Storytelling Collective that hosts an international storytelling festival biennially.
She loves a dip in the sea and is delighted to be back in Sneem this year.
The Love Hungry Farmer
Written by John B. Keane
Starring Seamus O’Rourke
Directed by Michael Scott
The Love Hungry Farmer, adapted from the work of John B. Keane, follows John Bosco McLane, a lonely rural bachelor and eternal optimist. He searches for a wife despite local advice and a scarcity of women!
Sneem International Storytelling & Folklore Festival 