Chris’ Rambles – Story Archaeology: Recent Episodes
Chris Thompson and Isolde Carmody
The story of Sinann, who gave her name to the river Shannon, was first recorded, in written form, in the Metrical Dindshenchas, ‘the Lore of Prominent Places’. Such tales morph and shapeshift as they are retold through time yet still retain unexpected applicabilities. Join Chris as she traces her own meandering journey in Sinann’s company....
The Irish Otherworld goes by many names, Tír na mBeo, the Land of the Living, or Emhain Abhlach, the Plain of Apples, for example. It is a world that, in Irish mythology, lies unseen, adjacent to our own, a source of beauty and fertility and occasionally, danger. Join Chis as she explores its boundaries and...
Animal companions have played a variety of important roles in human societies over the millenia. Join Chris as she explores how dogs, cats and even the occasional crane, have been regarded and regulated both in the comprehensive early Irish law texts and Irish stories, mythology and folklore. Links for this Episode
Recent DNA testing on a long ignored jawbone fragment has opened a viewpoint on the distant past to when and how animal companions began to alter the everyday lives of human communities. Join Chris as she explores this new research and wonders, on the way, what ‘pet’ names might they have chosen! I will be...
Carrowmore visitor centre benefits from €1.5 million upgrade works Reposted from RTÉ website: Wednesday, 1 Apr 2026 By Shane Ó Curraighín North West Correspondent A newly upgraded state-of-the-art visitor centre at the Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, showcasing Ireland’s oldest megalithic tombs has officially opened following €1.5 million upgrade works. Carrowmore is home to more than 30...
Dolmens, Barrows, Cairn ? They were built millennia ago to transport the human memory and imagination from one world to another and, in so many different ways, they still do. Join Chris on a personal exploration of these liminal places as she considers not only their archaeological importance but the impact they can still have...
Back in 2012, Isolde and I recorded a conversation entitled ‘Tales of Sheebeg’. It was a topic that was very close to my heart. Sheebeg, after all is the hill on which I live. It is a hill with an extensive and beautiful view. The Corry hills and Sliabh an Iarainn, The Iron mountain frame...
The settling of the The Tuatha Dé Danann in Ireland and their struggle against the mysterious Fomoire, form the central strand of the ancient Irish Mythological Story Cycle. Join Chris as she explores why this great cycle of stories might just be the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ of Irish mythology. If you explore further into...
Stories in the landscape of Uzbekistan .One of the best travel experiences is to have all your preconceived perceptions overthrown without having time to gathered them up again. Join Chris as she explores the unexpected ‘stories in the landscape’ encountered in a recent trip to Uzbekistan. Links for this episode Thanks Thanks to my wonderful...
Storytelling in changing times It is always exciting when new scientific research is able to throw a new light on ancient stories. Join Chris in a new and wide-ranging ramble as she explores the extaordinary vistas of the early Irish Cath Maige Tuired (The Battle of Moytura) and contemplates a neolithic tragedy. Links for this...
What makes a story mythic? Why have so many cultures gathered, protected and passed on mythological stories? And, why do they matter today? Join Chris as she takes a personal look at myth and how much mythology still has relevance. Links for this episode
Stories of The Big Wind of 1839 have been told and retold in Ireland for all of 186 years. Join Chris as she explores what makes weather events such as Oíche na Gaoithe Móire so memorable and considers whether Storm Eowyn, a storm of a similar destructive nature, will still be remembered so far into...
The storm that hit Ireland on the night of the 23rd and on into the 24th January 2025 was a big one. Whether this was a stronger extratropical cyclone than ‘Hurricane Debbie’ which whipped its way across Ireland, taking much the same route in September 1961, is hard to tell. Eowyn, I believe, has broken...
The effects of the die-back disease are slowly destroying most of Ireland’s beautiful ash trees. Join Chris as she explores the sad story of this tree-tragedy that began in Leitrim more than a decade ago now and why it is important that everyone should know what is happening to our woodlands. Links for this episode
Banbha is one of the three Dé Danann sisters, daughters of Ernmas, who gave their names to the land of Ireland, Ériu is the best known of the the three but Banbha has another, older, and less well known story to tell. Join Chris as she celebrates the birth of a new granddaughter named Banbha....
The festival of Samhain, is one that has been celebrated, in one form or another, for a very long time. In the early Irish stories it was a time for gatherings and feasting. But how has it changed in more recent times? Join Chris as she explores The ‘Schools’ Folklore collection” finding some fascinating Halloween...
Sequana’s Healing temple at the Source of the River Seine The Source of the Severn and the Lydney temple. Or visit the Story Archaeology page: The Romano British temple at Lydney The site was excavated by Mortimer Wheeler and his wife Tessa, in 1920’s I have also always been also interested in the influence this...
This ‘Ramble’ is inpired by the silver rider on the River Seine at the Paris 24 Olympics. So join Chris as she explores the history and mythology of three great rivers, the Seine, the Severn and the Shannon and discovers just how their stories may just meander together. Explore a gallery page of images of...
New Scientific evidence supporting the origin of the altar stone at Stonhenge supports a better understanding of the of societal connections and collaborative co-operation to be found between the communities of early neolithic farmers throughout Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. Join Chris in this new ramble and share her excitement! Links for this Episode
The National Folklore Schools Collection was compiled in 1937 with stories and memories collected with the support of schools from all over Ireland. Itis one of Ireland’s unique and valuable treasures and a wonderful resource. Join Chris as she explores this collection including its current relevanceand considers whar a similar collecton might look like if...
Back in 2004, I was asked to created a short book based on transcribed conversations I shared with groups of older people in Longford nursing homes. They painted some vivid memory pictures and I really did enjoy our conversions. It was a great pleasure and it was also very interesting to compare their memories of...
Grianstad an Gheimhridh, the winter solstice is that special moment when the year turns and the hours of daylight, begin slowly to increase. This time of year has long been a cause for reflection and celebration. So, join Chris on yet another ramble, as she explores an Irish Winter Solstice journey. Links for this episode...
Season’s Greetings / Happy Holidays / A Joyful Solstice …. or just here comes 2024!!! Whicherver suits you best I do want to send my very best seasonal wishes to all listeners, readers, or discovers of, or to, Story Archaeology. I was unexpectdly busy through November and most of December. Also, for a variety of...
The Táin Bó Cúailnge is an dramatic epic well worth the telling but with some challenging themes including broken loyalties and friendships with destruction laid on the land, for the sake of status and honour. Join Chris as she explores the telling of the tales and encounters a fresh resonance for our times. Links for...
Culture heroes, ancestor figures, genii loci, gods and godesses … Can all, or indeed, any of these terms be useful in defining some favourite characters in Irish mythology, Join Chris as she takes a walk throuh a forest of stories on a light hearted search for hidden identities. Links for this episode I have referenced...
So how old are the Irish stories? Come to think of it what exactly is meant by old, or medieval or any of the other terms so frequently used to describe mythological stories, and… does it matter? Join Chris as she follows a ramiliar route and sets up a few indicative and hopefully useful signposts...
This ramble, begun in Queensland, Australia and completed in Leitrim, Ireland. begins to explore the ways in which the environment in which the stories were told may change elements creating the tale. And, no, I didn’t walk all the way! This ramble was a long time in the making, begun in late January in Brisbane...
SacrumProfanum by Benjamin Dwyer is an exploration of the Sheela-Na-gig through music. Join Chris as she encounters this profound and poetic experience out walking her local landscape accompanied by Sheela-na- gigs. Music for this episode: Lamentum from SacrumProfanum by kind permision of Benjamin Dwyer https://www.farpointrecordings.com/product-page/benjamin-dwyer-sacrumprofanum https://benjamindwyer.bandcamp.com/album/sacrumprofanum Listen to the podcast episode ‘A Conversation with Professor...
Join Chris as she shares a conversation with Professor Benjamin Dwyer. Ben is a prolific Irish performer and composer as well as an educator. He is currently Professor of Music at Middlesex University. SacrumProfanum is Ben’s thought provoking musical exploration of the enigmatic Sheela-na-gigs as watchers and witnesses of a thousand years of Irish history....
Join Chris on her ramble through the landscape of early Irish story and discover why many of the best stories contain messages about the environment that are still relevant for us today. Links for this ramble. Circling the Táin: seven Story Archaeology podcast episodes. Cath Maige Tuired: six Story Archaeology podcast episodes. Stories in the...
Some reflections on a journey to discover Irish stories. Join Chris as she explores Irish oral story transmission and wonders if even stories sometimes need careful map makers to prevent them them from being lost. Links for this episode If you would like to find out more about the infamous Giraldus Cambrensis Find out about...
Find out more about these new posts, ‘Chris’ Rambles‘. Join Chris as she sets off, aided by an unusual sixteenth century map, encounters an excentric English polymath with big ambitions, and with the help of a medieval Irish monk, discovers a fresh view of the arrival of the Tuatha Dé Danann. And a good ramble...
I like walking. I walk several days a week. I have several favourite local routes of around 5k or so. I don’t mind familiar walks as there is always something new and unexpected to find out. One day I might be trying to sort out the wild angelica from the cow parsnip. No. Neither are...