Tales in Trust
Storytelling preserves the past, reveals the present and creates the future…
Join England’s first storyteller Laureate, Taffy Thomas MBE, special guest Maria Gillen, and a hand-picked team of tellers and musicians for a weekend of workshops, performances and presentations to stir the heart and feed the soul.
From our earliest years, we remember our history as stories. These stories describe good and bad characters, and so helped to created our moral compass without preaching. The fact that stories inspire our imagination can enable us to consider a future that is kinder and more humane for generations to come. If you join our enthusiastic company, you with leave enriched by a wealth of folk tales, and keen for more!
The weekend is suitable for storytellers and traditional performers of whatever experience, those who would like to include storytelling in their work or anyone who just wants to relax and listen.
It will also feature the popular Storyteller’s Supper event on the Saturday evening.
Who is it for?
Tellers of all levels of experience, and those who just want to listen. Bring stories to share, instruments if you play one, or just come as audience.
“If speaking was more important that listening, we’d have two tongues and one ear”.
The Team
The team will be led by Taffy and Chrissy Thomas.
There will also be workshops and performances by special guests.
Taffy Thomas MBE, England’s first storyteller laureate. Taffy is the patron of The Society for Storytelling. Taffy received The English Folk Dance and Song Society Gold Badge award in December 2010. With Taffy’s head bursting with stories, riddles and folklore, professional storyteller Giles Abbot once commented, “when Taffy goes it will be like a library burning down.”
Maria Gillen 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 & Storyteller in Residence for Sheehan’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.