TELLERS & ARTISTS 2025
Clare Sands
Éire / Ireland
Channelling the music of her ancestors, Clare Sands is a unique force in Irish music. A sixth-generation fiddler and bilingual singer, she blends Traditional roots with Contemporary sounds, embodying a fearless, warrior-like spirit. An award-winning artist with an eclectic career, she’s also an open water swimmer and world-medal-winning black belt representing Ireland.
Born in Cork with deep roots in Co. Wexford and the North, Sands began fiddle at age three, learning Irish tunes from her father and Blues from her mother. Her acclaimed self-titled album was named one of The Irish Times’ Top 5 Folk Albums of 2022. Recent electrifying performances include Glastonbury, Festival Cervantino, and Cambridge Folk Festival.
“Sands reach is wide & deep. This album speaks most of all of resilience & solidarity, of friendship & kinship. This fine debut revels in Sands innate & fearless curiosity, and her insistence on diving deep below the surface. A mighty first step to what promises to be a lifelong expedition.” Siobhán Long, The Irish Times
Francis McCarron
Éire / Ireland
Francis McCarron is a Storyteller from Co Monaghan in the border region of Ireland. The stories Francis tells are drawn from Irish mythology, folklore, history and include many original tales and poems. They are populated by heroes and villains, fairies, saints, sinners and border smugglers, as well as local Monaghan characters!
Francis has been storytelling for well over thirty years. He has served as Storyteller in Residence for Monaghan County Council, has told tales the length and breadth of Ireland, founded and curates the Drumlin Yarnspinners group who hold their monthly Yarn spinning session in Monaghan town. In September 2024, Francis supported the Monaghan Libraries Team to inaugurate the first Drumlin Storytelling Festival.
Ailsa Dixon
Albain / Scotland
Ailsa Dixon is a traditional storyteller, musician and folklorist deeply rooted in place, passionate about sharing traditional tales and unheard histories. She specialises in Scottish stories, particularly those from Aberdeenshire and Orkney particularly interested in narratives with feminist and environmentalist themes, as well as international myths, legends and wonder tales.
A traditional musician, she often incorporates traditional song and folk cello and clarsach into her performances. She has performed solo and collaborative work for children and adults at festivals such as the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, Rome Mythica Project, Beyond the Border, the Orkney Storytelling Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe and many others.
Maria Buckley Whatton
Shasana / England
Maria Buckley Whatton is a treasured award-winning British Storyteller and fiction writer who is renowned for her compelling, vibrant performances. Winner of the Outstanding Female Storyteller of Great Britain in 2013 (British Awards for Storytelling Excellence), she brings to life traditional stories passed down by her Irish father and grandmother. Her storytelling shows—City of Dogs, The Ways of the Wild, The Tempest, and The Lunar Men—have captivated audiences in theatres, art centres, libraries, and festivals.
As an author, Maria wrote the coming-of-age novel Silver in the Quarter (Orion, 2018) and contributed to folktale collections. She leads workshops on fiction, story performance, and cinematic storytelling and is Lead Tutor for Spark Young Writers in the West Midlands. Maria hosts the Seeing Stories podcast and works on community projects like Stars and Stories, training young people in storytelling and interviewing.
“A gifted and spellbinding Storyteller. You can hear a pin drop. Mesmerising.” Frank Cottrell Boyce – Writer and Children’s Laureate.
Len Cabral
Rhode Island – Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá / USA
Len Cabral is an internationally acclaimed storyteller who has been enchanting audiences since 1976 with performances at schools, libraries, museums, and festivals. A great-grandson of a Cape Verdean whaler, whose grandparents immigrated to America from the islands off the coast of West Africa, Len draws deeply on his Cape Verdean heritage. His storytelling brings to life African, Cape Verdean, and Caribbean folktales, along with original stories and tales from around the world, told with passion and exuberance.
A popular performer at theaters, schools, and festivals throughout the United States, Len has also shared his stories internationally, appearing at festivals in Ireland, Belgium, Austria, Holland, and Canada. In recognition of his contribution to the art, he received the National Storytelling Network’s 2001 Circle of Excellence Oracle Award.
Len is the author of a children’s book for young readers and a contributor to several folktale collections. He has released five CDs and audio cassettes, many of which have received NAPPA and Parents’ Choice Awards. His Storytelling Book is a valuable resource for teachers and aspiring storytellers, offering 22 stories, teaching guides, games, and an extensive bibliography.
Séamus Ó Drisceoil
Éire – Oileán Chléire / Ireland – Cape Clear Island
Resident to Cape Clear Island, Séamus is a cherished host of the Cape Clear Storytelling Festival’s Storywalks, where visitors explore the island’s landscapes while listening to tales that weave together history, folklore, and the island’s natural beauty. Over the years, Séamus has contributed to preserving the island’s history through collaborative projects such as The Greatest Film Never Made and the legend of the Timoleague Chalice.
Seamus has been instrumental in the establishment of the Cape Clear Island Distillery, contributing to the island’s economic development and cultural identity. His intimate knowledge of Cape Clear’s culture, paired with engaging stories, gives visitors a rare and meaningful glimpse into the island’s heritage.
Eddie Lenihan
Guest Teller 2025 – Éire / Ireland
We are thrilled to welcome one of Ireland’s finest traditional master storytellers as a special guest this year to perform two solo sets.
Eddie Lenihan, is an Irish author, storyteller, lecturer and broadcaster. He is one of the few practising seanchaithe (traditional Irish lore-keepers and tale-spinners) remaining in Ireland. He has been called “one of the greatest of Irish storytellers” and “a national treasure”.
Don’t miss your chance to join him as he weaves his magic.
“Eddie’s stories are not for the faint-hearted, but then good stories never are” RTÉ Guide
Súil Amháin
Guest Teller 2025 – Éire / Ireland
Súil Amháin is the hip hop project of Irish language poet Séamus Barra Ó Súilleabháin. In 2021 Súil Amháin released for 4 songs all produced by Bantum -‘Viva Liobarnach’. ‘Lá Breá’, ‘Incantation of Féile-Flow Funk’ and ‘Oíche Mhaith’.
Séamus Barra published his first collection poetry Beatha Dhónaill Dhuibh (2016). Séamus has done extensive research on the relationship between composition and folklore in the writings of the Blasket Island poet Mícheál Ó Gaoithín.
