Children’s Event

3 November 2024 at 1-5pm

Fable Family Festival presented an immersive experience through authentic storytelling as young and old were invited to re-connect with their storytelling roots. Fable celebrates the power of storytelling, inspiring the next generation of seanchaí by re-imagining the traditional storytelling experience in ambitious and imaginative ways that engage young and curious audiences.

On Sunday, 3 November 2024, Fable hosted a series of workshops, mythic tales, and songs in the James Joyce Centre.

1pm: WHAT’S YOUR TALL TALE WITH STORYTELLER ALAN NOLAN

Do you have a story you want to bring to life?

This workshop aimed to reconnect children with their storytelling roots inspire the next generation of seanchaí by teaching them about the Irish tradition of storytelling and working to bring tall tales to life with little legends.

Children’s author Alan Nolan took children on a magical journey through the art of storytelling using imagery and words as ancient mythology were given a contemporary new twist.

Alan Nolan was awarded the 2024 Children’s Books Ireland Annual Award for his outstanding contribution to children’s books. Alan grew up in Windy Arbour, Dublin and now lives in Bray, Co. Wicklow with his wife and three children. Alan is the author of the Molly Malone and Bram Stoker series. He is also the author and illustrator of Fintan’s Fifteen, Conor’s Caveman and the Sam Hannigan series, and is the illustrator of Animal Crackers: Fantastic Facts About Your Favourite Animals, written by Sarah Webb. Alan runs illustration and writing workshops for children, and you may see him lugging his drawing board and pencils around your school or local library.

2:30pm: CELEBRATE OUR HEROES THROUGH ART WITH KIKI NA ART

What are legends without heroes? Those characters that have gone before us but are eternal.

Heroes are made through their deeds but live on through the tales we tell.

Acclaimed Dublin based artist Kiki Na Art as lead a legendary workshop for children.

As her own handcrafted jewellery and artwork has demonstrated, Kiki was all about being proud of our heroes, so who better than to invite children to tell stories and use their imagination to create their own artworks based upon inspirational people in their lives. Characters of old in Irish folklore or family members and friends who have changed the world for the better, heroes young and old, past and present were celebrated in a kaleidoscope of colour of the page.

Dublin born artist Ciarna Pham, who works under the name Kiki Na Art is the creator of unique pieces of handcrafted jewellery which have been gaining quite a bit of attention in recent times. The idea behind the jewellery is to allow people to wear and show their own modern icons, ranging from musical icons such as Bowie, artists such as Frida Kahlo, political figures, writers, actors, vintage images and even old photos. This year, Fable, with thanks to The Arts Council, commissioned Kiki to bring some of the iconic creatures mythical Irish legends to life.

4pm: STORIES & SONGS WITH WREN DENNEHY AND SHAUNA CAFFREY

Featuring actor, singer and storyteller Wren Dennehy and musicologist Shauna Caffrey.

“Stories & Songs” retold Irish myths and legends for young ears, our seanchaís brought to life colourful tales of the fearsome Caorthannach (a monstrous dragon monster) and the heroic Cú Chulainn. Children sang along to the tale of Molly Malone and made the sound effects as we wemt on a “Puca Hunt.”

The Fable Family Festival is proudly sponsored by the The Arts Council of Ireland.

The James Joyce Centre is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.