Folklore and nature for festival

In Nenagh Castle at 4pm on Saturday, October 11, Shane Lehane will discuss his book, Old Ways to New Days. Step back into a world where turf fires warmed the hearth, water was drawn from the well, and stories told by flickering candlelight lit up the night more brightly than an electric bulb ever could. In Old Ways to New Days, folklorist Shane Lehane brings the soul of Ireland's past to life in a beautifully woven tapestry of tradition, transformation and memory. Through vivid storytelling and playful illustration, the book explores how everyday rituals, seasonal customs and rural ingenuity shaped generations of Irish lives - from the magic of birth and courtship to the customs of death and mourning.

From matchmakers and milking stools to butter charms, Skellig Lists and fairy lore, Lehane traces the arc of a society rooted in the land, as it evolved with the arrival of bicycles, electricity, cinema and the wireless. At once scholarly and deeply personal, this is a celebration of how the old ways still echo in Irish memory and lore, even as the new days roll on.

Sunday morning (October 12) sees two events about the natural world. This year’s talk/ cruise on the Ku-ee-tu will be presented by nature writer Éanna Ní Lamhna.

Éanna Ní Lamhna is a well-known biologist, environmental and wildlife consultant, radio and television presenter, author and educator. She served as president of the national environmental charity An Taisce for five years and has recently completed her second term as president of the Tree Council of Ireland.

Originally from Louth, she now lives in Dublin and is the author of several popular wildlife books. On the cruise she’ll talk about her recently published The Great Irish Biodiversity Book.

She’ll take the audience and crew on a trip through Irish wildlife habitats – from bogs to beaches and woodland to grassland.

Discover how habitats work and which creatures and plants to look out for in each one, from the very rare to the most common.

On the same morning in Muintir na Tíre Hall, Ballycommon, Eimear Chaomhánach will discuss her recent book The Keeper of Bees. A beekeeper’s daughter and a student of folklore, Eimear weaves folktales about bees with memories of growing up in a beekeeping household, collecting swarms with her father and learning how to harvest honey. A fascinating look at the beliefs and traditions about bees and beekeeping.

BOOKING DETAILS

For booking, see www.dnlf.ie