When you hear the word ‘storytelling’ it might conjure up the image of an old woman in a shawl sitting at the fireside of a thatched cottage reminiscing that ‘our likes will never be seen again.’ Nothing could be more untrue, with 2010 emerging as the year of the story telling revival. Story telling nights have started to mushroom right around the globe. They are all different in their own right, but most of them involve an evening where an MC hosts the night and the common thread is that the audience are the ones who do the story telling.

The history of telling stories is as old as the history of mankind. It all began by tribes painting pictures in caves. These pictures told the story of their lives and gave insight and knowledge to further generations. Over the centuries, telling stories has been a thread shared by every culture in the world, even if how they were told are different. And although different cultures tell different stories, you could say that culture itself is born out of story telling.

Through the art of story telling, different societies have created their own gods, monsters, magical creatures and mythical heroes. We navigate our world with stories, they are the essence of teaching, religion and learning. Indeed, most ancient stories throughout the world had morality as their essence, selling the benefits of morally good behaviour while exposing the dangers of dark deeds.

Ireland has been especially rich in story telling. Just a few generations ago, few people could read or write, so this meant getting information by word of mouth. Because it was so easy for information to get lost or confused, the way that somebody told a story became hugely important, so important that anyone who could tell a story in a compelling and amusing way received a warm welcome at most doors. This, in turn, resulted in some people telling stories professionally, travelling around the country and entertaining people with their news and views. These people became known in Ireland as ‘Seanchai’ which means a bearer of ‘old lore.’

In time, modern culture overtook the ‘Seanchai’. People started to read and write and became bombarded with new technology from books, films, newspapers, T.V. and eventually the new media we have today coming at all angles from the internet. Story telling didn’t die out, but it did lose its’ place in peoples’ lives. Perhaps the overload of media in the past decade has helped bring back the popularity of the story. Stand up comedy has been one gateway back to the storyteller, and now, story telling nights where people can get up and tell their story seem to be gaining great momentum.

Galway has really put itself on the map with three regular story telling events. The ‘Loose Lips’ story slam, run by comedian Tommy Tiernan and Mags Treanor is a night where people are invited to tell their own stories as long as they don’t take more than five minutes and are related to whatever the selected theme for the evening is. The pair tell their own stories while also facilitating those who have volunteered to come up and tell a story. The only rule is that the story must be their own, true and unscripted. The night can be a real roller coaster of emotions; some stories hilarious, others heartbreaking.

‘What’s the Story?’ is another story telling night where people have the opportunity to tell a story. It is also hosted by Mags Treanor and Danny Dowling, and takes place in Campbells Tavern, in Headford. The pair kicked off on the 16 of June with the theme ‘The First Time’.

‘Story Night Galway’ is another tale telling event that began in Jan 2006 around a kitchen table with story teller Clare Murphy and a couple of friends sharing stories. As extra bodies were brought along more room had to be found and they went public with the night which takes place on the first Tuesday of the month at the Blue Teapot Theatre Company on Munster Ave. Start is at  8pm, and all stories are welcome, even the telling of old folk tales.

Storytelling today has great potential. Similar story events in the U.S.A. have become a phenomenal success, and people find them less daunting than a visit to the theatre or a poetry reading. They are natural, spontaneous and varied. Unlike comedy, it’s easier to be funny at a storytelling event, as the audience are not expecting you to be funny, so if you are, it’s a bonus. Some people will tell a story because they want to share it, others are semi-professional while for some it is a rite of passage to get up and talk in public.

Whatever the reason, for the audience, one thing is clear. You won’t be left with the same old story, because these gatherings are the proof that our likes will be seen again!

Loose Lips Story Slam – Every last Wednesday of the month. Roisin Dubh, Galway

‘What’s the Story?’  – Campbells Tavern, varying dates, next: Wednesday 21 July

Clare Murphy Story Night: Blue Teapot Theatre, Galway, Every first Tuesday of the month.

Mags Treanor works with both groups and individuals in all aspects of career coaching, communication skills and public speaking. She also specialises in CV writing and Interview Preparation.  To contact Mags call : 087 6500700