An Afternoon with Eddie Lenihan at Ardgillan Castle: Live Irish Storytelling

Ardgillan Castle in County Dublin, Ireland, hosts an intimate afternoon with Eddie Lenihan, one of Ireland’s most revered seanchaithe. On June 20 at 3pm the Castle Drawing Room becomes a live chamber for folklore, live music, and storytelling. Tickets are €20, booking is essential, and the performance is restricted to adults aged 18 and over. Eddie Lenihan is an author, broadcaster and keeper of oral tradition; he has been called “one of the greatest of Irish story-tellers” and “a national treasure.” In a small, focused setting like the Drawing Room his voice does more than relate plots — it restores rhythm to old landscapes, revives local place-names, and reopens the quieter passages of Ireland’s rural memory. This is not a lecture; it is a practice of seanchas, where myth, local history and voice converge. The afternoon begins with live music that warms the room and eases listeners into the tales. Expect stories that lean on mature themes and complex folklore; organisers note the content may be unsuitable for younger audiences. The close seating, period architecture and crackle of conversation between pieces make the event part performance, part communal hearth. For travelers who want a cultural window into County Dublin beyond the usual tourist circuit, an hour or two here is a concentrated, memorable experience. Practical details matter. Bring a printed or digital ticket, arrive early to secure seating, and dress for comfort—the Drawing Room can be cool even on summer afternoons. The venue’s historic rooms reward quiet attention: listen for details, names of places and the cadences that reveal deeper layers of local landscape and lore. If you’re researching Irish folklore, literature, or place-name traditions, this session with a practicing seanchaithe is an invaluable primer. Why book this? Eddie Lenihan is one of a shrinking number of professional seanchaithe working in Ireland today. The event sits within An Ghrian Arts Festival at Ardgillan Castle, giving visitors a chance to pair storytelling with a walk around the castle grounds or a coastal stretch nearby. For international visitors, it’s a rare opportunity to encounter oral tradition delivered by a recognized practitioner in an authentic setting. Book early, expect live music and mature content, and arrive ready to listen: this is storytelling that carries the weathered voice of the land and the particular textures of Irish memory. Lenihan also hosts the Tell Me A Story Podcast, and his sessions often draw on recordings, local interviews and field notes that give each tale geographic anchors. The performance language is English, and the festival format encourages conversation after the set — a chance to ask about sources, local placenames, or the seanchaithe’s techniques. Seating is limited; expect an intimate post-show exchange with other listeners. Always.