'Dial a Seanchaí' brings Irish storytelling alive over the phone

A UNIQUE storytelling project returns to Irish phonelines this winter.

Commissioned by the Clare Arts Office and supported by Creative Ireland as part of their Creative Communities programme, the Dial A Seanchaí project returns with 6 new stories, songs and myths to enchant and enthral.  

First put together in 2021, Dial A Seanchaí is a unique audio experience celebrating Irish folklore, storytelling, and song, which can be accessed over the phone, curated and produced by Clare artist John Lillis.

Dial A Seanchaí is a phone service that will allow members of the public to listen to curated Irish folklore stories and songs from six contemporary voices. The answering machine service will operate from October 31 to November 30, and callers will be invited to choose from the list of short recordings by well-known Irish artists and performers. 

Each artist was invited to draw from the well of Irish mythology and folklore and present a piece that resonated with them personally in our current age. There will be cures and curses, epic battles and fairy hurling matches, dances with the dead, and a cow with an unlimited supply of milk.  Each story and song has been interpreted and crafted by the selected artists to capture the imagination and reawaken our relationship to myth.

Dial a Seanchaí 2023 will feature new recordings from six acclaimed Irish artists who were invited to reinterpret existing Irish folklore tales for a contemporary audience. Featured artists include Manchán Magan, Ruth Marshall, Junior Brother, Edwina Guckian, Branwen Kavanagh and Rónán Ó Snodaigh.

The Dial a Seanchaí service is available to access from Tuesday 31st of October until Thursday the 30th of November.

To access the Dial A Seanchaí phoneline from Ireland, please dial (065) 672 3466

To access the Dial A Seanchaí phoneline from the UK, please dial 020 8079 1720

To access the Dial A Seanchaí phoneline from the US, please dial (833) 611-2230 (Toll Free)

To hear Manchán Magan tell the story of An Glas Gaibhneach, please press 1.

To hear Ruth Marshall tell stories of Inchiquin Lake, please press 2.

To hear Junior Brother recite the story ‘Refereeing A Fairy Hurling Match’, please press 3.

To hear Branwen Kavanagh sing ‘Ancient Cures For Modern Ailments’, please press 4.

To hear Edwina Guckian tell the tale of ‘An Oíche Dheireanach’, please press 5.

And to hear Rónán Ó Snodaigh sing his rendition of ‘Follow Me Up To Carlow’, please press 6.