Play recording: Storytelling Technique (2)
view / hide recording details [+/-]
- Teideal (Title): Storytelling Technique (2).
- Uimhir Chatalóige Ollscoil Washington (University of Washington Catalogue Number): 850114.
- Uimhir Chnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann (National Folklore of Ireland Number): none.
- Uimhir Roud (Roud Number): none.
- Uimhir Laws (Laws Number): none.
- Uimhir Child (Child Number): none.
- Cnuasach (Collection): Joe Heaney Collection, University of Washington, Seattle.
- Teanga na Croímhíre (Core-Item Language): Irish and English.
- Catagóir (Category): storytelling style.
- Ainm an té a thug (Name of Informant): Joe Heaney.
- Ainm an té a thóg (Name of Collector): James Cowdery.
- Dáta an taifeadta (Recording Date): between 1979 and 1981.
- Suíomh an taifeadta (Recording Location): Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, United States of America.
- Ocáid an taifeadta (Recording Occasion): private.
- Daoine eile a bhí i láthair (Others present): unavailable.
- Stádas chóipcheart an taifeadta (Recording copyright status): unavailable.
Joe discusses various aspects of storytelling technique; the nature of various audiences (comparing and contrasting Irish and American ones).
The embellishment applied to the story (cultachaí gaisce, or ‘battle dress’ in English; an essential part of traditional Irish language storytelling).
Joe then tells, in Irish and in English, the beginning of the story King of Ireland’s Son and the Raven. Finally, some remarks about storytelling style: the storyteller should not dramatise or indulge in moving his hands around, but should just tell it.
Joe says that you can always tell when somebody has got a story out of a book, because it’s always the same from one telling to another. He believes that variability is key to telling a good story, just as it is in singing a song. It should never be the same from one telling to another.