By the Light of the Silvery Moon featuring Bardic Irish Storyteller Aindrias de Staic is treading in the footsteps of the great Irish storytellers, uncovering ancient pathways, and heralding a new era of Irish storytelling. Strongly influenced by previous bards like Raifteri an Fhíle, Brian Merriman and Aindrias MacCruitín, this storytelling show is a contemporary take on the living tradition of storytelling.
Nationally and internationally, there is a growing interest in Irish storytelling but something special is happening in the Southwest. While academics in UK and US have long regarded the Irish tradition of storytelling as one of the finest in the world of folk art, only recently are we seeing the start of an interesting revival here at home.
Since moving back to Clare to take over the family farm, Aindrias de Staic has been researching and developing his own style of telling stories, yarns, folktales and excerpts from mythology. De Staic spent most of the pandemic in a caravan with no electricity, just reading books by candlelight and listening to recordings of old musicians and storytellers made in the 1980s by his father Eddie Stack, on a battery powered tape-recorder.
Receiving a grant from the Arts Council in 2020 to research rhythm in Irish storytelling, de Staic has found a winning combination in a new yet ancient bardic style which uses a rustic fiddle style to help drive the narrative.
It’s worth noting, Aindrias’ father Eddie Stack had recorded a few short stories with fiddle player Martin Hayes in San Francisco in 1990’s long before Eddie took the role of Professor of Irish Studies at Berkley, California, so it’s no surprise the bardic style of violin and story is working well for a next generation Seanchaí.
Aindrias’ style is a fast paced, lively new approach to the ancient Irish art form, yet his work is firmly rooted in the traditional storytelling styles of the west of Ireland. By the Light of the Silvery Moon is a new experience in storytelling, combining spoken word with guest musicians – harpist Aisling Lyons and percussionist Brian Fleming – collaborating live to add a sonic soundscape to the tales and performance.
Well known for his work as a Presenter with TG4 and his comic appearances on Hardy Bucks, Aindrias de Staic enjoys a cult following in rural Ireland for his ability to help audiences enjoy the full flavour of our traditional arts, particularly storytelling and music.
Leading a revival in new Irish storytelling, Aindrias de Staic’s rhythmic and energetic approach to storytelling has won many awards, including an All-Ireland medal at the Fleadh Cheoil in Mullingar and a Celtic Media Award 2018 in Wales.
