Greetings from the Emerald Isle,

I have been on Irish soil for only 3 nights, but it fees much longer.

Within an hour of arriving in Dublin, I heard of the Gaelic concept of 'D'an', a kind of 'soul dreaming' whilst in conversation with the magnificent Jen Murphy (Celtic Embodiment). I'd never heard of this term before, and yet it seemed so vivid, it struck a chord within me and has added a beautiful texture to my journey so far.

After acquainting myself with Dublin's galleries, graveyards and Guiness, I made my way along the sunny coast for a storytelling event in Bray. Hosted in a beautiful old building under wooden rafters, the Bray Yarnspinners audience were a delight. I'm now in Cork, enjoying its trad-punk spirit, before heading up to the Glens of Antrim in the North, before a finale gig on the Hill of Tara.

It's more of a mini trip with a few gigs, than an actual tour, but it's a joy to set foot upon Irish soil, feel the magic and cultural richness.

I'm particularly excited to announce a special finale to this Ireland trip with my pal Aoife Lowden.

I love working with Aoife, and she's spent a good time living at Tara, so knows the place well and holds a fire like no other I know.

This should be a potent gathering!

https://www.leigheasdedanann.com/siopa/p/salmon-deer-sacred-fire-at-tara

Salmon of Wisdom

If you can't make this one, we will be working together again at the Salmon of Wisdom weekend up in the Scottish Highlands in July (note the change of date).

I'm personally enjoying getting to know the River Farrar, and am excited for when the salmon return. The more I give my attention to these magnificent fish, the more I respect them and appreciate their value to the ecosystem and the ancestral cultures of these isles.

Like many wild species, their numbers are dwindling, and it feels important to celebrate them in fine style with mythopoetic meanderings and land based crafts. We'll be calling the salmon back as best we can, dreaming with Finnegas and Fionn, and having a rare old time.

I'm not aware of anything similar happening in these parts.

Find out more here:

https://www.leigheasdedanann.com/an-bradn-feasasalmon-of-wisdom

Scottish Tales for Telling on Bandcamp

Finally, it's Bandcamp Friday today, the day in which all proceeds of purchases via bandcamp go straight to the artist.

My audio story collection, Scottish Tales for Telling is available via band camp, and to celebrate the day I've dropped the price by 15% too.

If you don't already have this story collection, I'd suggest it might be ideal for summer road trips or an unusual gift for a friend.

Check out Scottish Tales for Telling here:

https://dougiemackaystory.bandcamp.com/album/scottish-tales-for-telling

Wishing you poetic blessings from the South West of Ireland

Dougie