LCIS logo

WOSAS : F1121 WOSAS/CD356/track1
R1183.wav

a Fionn MacCumhaill story; Irish Mythology story

Sound recording, story; a section of the epic cycle of Fionn MacCumhaill stories orginating from Irish mythology from told by Robin Williamson, at The Crick Crack Club at The King of Hearts Arts Centre, Norwich, 5th October 1991.

Words from Master of Ceremonies Hugh Lupton about the series of storytelling events being held at The King of Hearts Arts Centre, followed by harp music and a story told by Robin Williamson, accompanying himself on harp. A story of Fionn MacCumhaill being approached by giant warrior to fight a sea monster. Fionn refuses, and he, his wife Una and members of the Fianna trick the giant warrior into thinking that Fionn is much stronger and more powerful than he is. These tricks include dressing Conan as his own baby and persuading the warrior that he can eat bread containing horse shoes. The warrior is angered and vows to destory Ireland. Fionn then travels to the land of the giant warriors and discovers that if the warriors see a handful of sacred feathers in the hands of Fionn, they will lose their power. Fionn steals the feathers, and returns home. On his return journey he is challenged by the sea monster which he kills. Back in Ireland Fionn approaches the warriors, overpowers them and sends them home, but keeps the feathers.

The programme note reads - 'Robin is well known as the founder of "The Incredible String Band". Over the past fifteen years he has devoted himself to exploring Celtic music and story, and has developed a style of telling which is both enchanting and moving. Robin is recognised as one of Britain's finest harpers. Tonight is a rare chance to see him perform in such intimate surroundings. Book Early!'

audience:- adult
    recording quality
condition:- good
completeness:- complete
duration:- 0 hours, 16 minutes, 46 seconds

This is one of a series of recordings made by Marc Jobst to create a pilot of a series of radio programmes entitled Cracking Tales for broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Pilots were made, but the programme was never broadcast.

The Crick Crack Club was founded by Ben Haggarty in 1987 and was the first regular performance storytelling club to be established in the UK. From the outset, the club operated with a programme of storytellers put in place by an artistic director, Ben Haggarty. It had no 'floor spots' whereby anyone had the opportunity to tell stories. The club was created in response to a recognised need for there to be sufficient UK storytellers to perform competent, formal evening shows for adult audiences in the proposed 1989, 15 day long, Third International Storytelling Festival at London's South Bank Centre. In the autumn of 1987 the first season of 26 weekly Crick Crack Club events was launched in a pub theatre (The Chair) in Ladbrook Grove, with the expressed aim of trying out new artists and providing an opportunity for established artists to develop their skills and repertoire for adults. Jenny Pearson of the Kew Storytellers helped Ben Haggarty with the organisation of this first season.The Crick Crack Club promoted weekly events in various venues in London between 1987 and 1995, and then monthly events at the Spitz from 1995 to 2001. During this time it also organised numerous monthly events and mini-festivals in regional arts venues throughout England. In 1991/92 wth £10,000 from the Arts Council Literature department it tried to establish a touring circuit promoting 120 events in a year. Daniel Morden gave invaluable administrative support during this period. In 1993, in partnership with David Ambrose of St. Donats Arts Centre in Wales, the Crick Crack Club Club created the Beyond the Border International Festival of Storytelling and Epic Singing. Ben Haggarty co-directed Beyond the Border from 1993 to 2005. Since 2001 the Crick Crack Club has worked on a peripatetic basis, programming in various venues and in partnership with various organisations, and in 2003 began a long-term partnership with Barbican Education in London, to promote 9 events a year in the Barbican Pit Theatre

storytelling:- storyteller; singer; musician: Robin Williamson
male / Irish

storytelling:- Master of Ceremonies: Hugh Lupton
male / British / English / Welsh / occupation performance storyteller

origin:- Ireland


use:- BBC Radio 4
Marc Jobst

radio broadcast pilot


administration & programming:- administrator; programmer: The Crick Crack Club
administrator; programmer; Artistic Director: Ben Haggarty


storytelling:- Norwich, Norfolk, England: The King of Hearts: The King of Hearts Arts Centre
25 Apr 1991
storytelling club: The Crick Crack Club
public performance
radio production


gift from:- Marc Jobst


©  The London Centre for International Storytelling: 2007
mailto button  email to The LCIS