FOLKLORIST, storyteller and author, Keith Corcoran is set to perform a once-off storytelling event in Dillon’s Hotel on Friday, November 10 from 8pm to 10pm.
This free event will give people a chance to pick up a signed copy of Keith’s new book, ‘Finding Fairy Mysteries in Donegal’, which is already on its way to becoming another Donegal bestseller.
At the event Keith will be joined by fellow story-teller, Charlie Gallagher, for a unique, high-energy night of historically related Donegal fairy and ghost stories to entertain, enchant and even spook.
Sinead Gallagher will also entertain crowds by performing a few songs on the night.
As a national tour guide, Keith has travelled around every county in Ireland, but still feels that Donegal is one of the few places in the world in which fairy folklore and other, as of yet unexplained mysteries, are still a living part of the culture.
During the course of the past four years journeying around Donegal, Keith interviewed everyone from lore keepers, local historians, sculptors, retired army officers, writers, cattle farmers, tour guides, seanchaí, gardeners, seers, home keepers, druids, post-masters, wood carvers, psychologists and sheep farmers.
From the large number of interviews and related research, Keith has no doubt that Donegal is a hotspot for unexplained phenomena and fairy related mysteries.
Keith believes that Donegal’s remote geographical location on the Atlantic edge of Europe may be one factor as well as the county’s wildly mystical landscapes.
“Mysterious mountains such as Slieve League, Horn Head, Carnaween, Grianan Mountain, Muckish and Errigal have been sacred to our ancestors for thousands of years.
“Then there is the richness of our traditions in crafts, music, folklore, singing and storytelling.
“All these factors have permeated into the psyche of Donegal people and remain a constant well-spring of ingenuity, creativity, storytelling and warmth of personality,” he said.
Keith’s new book reveals why artists, musicians and mystics from around the world have been attracted to Donegal and includes a fascinating story on the life George (AE) Russell who spent many summers in the Dunfanaghy area.
In 1933, AE published a futuristic fantasy novel called ‘The Avators’ based on his mystical experiences in the Northwest.
Glenveagh National Park and Castle grounds also emerge in the book as a place of deep enchantment going back many centuries.
The late Jane Crane’s extraordinary life story features in another story entitled ‘The White Witch of the North’.
Popular local historian, Ben McFadden, who only passed away last year, also features in the new collection for the magical stories he shared about the ‘The Fairy Hollow’ in Ards Forest.
The Wilson Family of Horn Head feature in a fascinating historical story connected to the famous fairy hill called Cruach Sidhe.
Concluding his interview with the Donegal News, Keith emphasised how important Manorcunningham born lore-keeper and blacksmith Charlie Gallagher was in putting this new collection together.
“Charlie’s knowledge and understanding was invaluable.
“You could say he was my chief advisor on all matters of a mysterious nature!
“Only Charlie could come up with a fairy related story title ‘They’re a tribe of their own so leave them alone!’.
“He even made me a protection amulet to wear around my neck when one of the fairy related stories I was researching genuinely spooked me,” he said.
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