Irish storytellers were today practising one of the country's oldest arts by spinning yarns to children and GAA football supporters on trains heading into Dublin.
Taking on board the Irish saying that to tell a story shortens a journey, around 30 storytellers from across Ireland made their way by train to the capital, sharing tales as they travelled. The `Tales on the Rails' event is promoting the publication of the first ever Irish Storytelling Handbook, a directory of storytellers, events and organisations across Ireland.
The storytellers met up in Dublin and travelled to the National Museum of Ireland's Collins Barracks for an afternoon of tale-telling events. Liz Weir, the chairwoman of Storytellers of Ireland, who was travelling by train from Northern Ireland, said the day was going wonderfully.
Speaking on the journey down, she said the train was crowded with Armagh supporters on their way to today's match against Laois at Croke Park, but that a number of people had come on the journey just to hear the stories.
She said she had been telling simple, visual stories to the children on the train, and they were about to go and try to entertain the Armagh supporters. "Storytelling is one of the oldest arts in Ireland and people outside of the country always think of it when they think of us.
"But it's not just something from long ago, it's something from here and now. "It's a really good way of getting to know people, when you have heard their stories," she said.
Ms Weir said storytelling was still an important cultural practice, and a number of the storytellers worked on intercultural projects in schools and community centres to encourage people coming to Ireland to tell their stories.
"We're getting people to share their stories, and I think it builds a much stronger community," she said. Helen Beaumont, education and outreach officer at the National Museum of Ireland, said the museum was delighted to support the event.
"There is a story behind every object in store and on display at the National Museum and these stories spark off other stories that our visitors bring to us.
"This event brings back to the Museum many of the storytellers who have performed here over the years as part of our education and outreach programme." The event is also sponsored by Iarnrod Eireann, Translink, The Luas and DART.