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Welcome to your very own Rambling House

What is it? An evening of homespun storytelling, song and dance in the comfort of your own home

Who can I have join in? Your immediate family members and VIP guests via Facebook Live/Zoom - your grandparents!

Where do I have it? Ideally around the kitchen table or by your fireside. Minimum lights, maximum candles/tilley lamps.

When should I run it? Once a fortnight for no more than an hour on a night that suits everyone.

How much will it cost me? It's strictly free admission, but you must perform at least once to be invited back!

What's a Rambling House?

It was a house where locals entertained themselves in Ireland with stories, song and dance long before modern technology came along. Click here for more info.

How to run one yourself

All you need are some eager storytellers both young and old, a kitchen table and a computer for Zooming. Go to our easy to use Checklist for full details on setting up.

Some handy ideas for one!

Never be stuck on material for Part Two of the Rambling House evening with our ever expanding Archive of interesting footage to read up on and view available here.

A quick explainer guide!

Watch this brief Questions and Answers video with Catherine asking Rambling House fear an tÍ, John Ward, of Racontour Productions a few key questions about this not for profit social enterprise.
The website has a lot of information on it from a detailed checklist to recording pointers to the pick of archives and best links. Best to take it in parts and come back to it when you're ready with a cup of tea in hand! Please feel free to bookmark this page and look out for regular posts on our social media channels.

An ancient anthem revived

Seoirse Ó Dochartaigh is a man of many talents when it comes to music and research. His version of a Bealtaine anthem with The Henry Girls from Inishowen is a rare treat to hear. This is a song that has a long and colourful provenance with plenty of parts of Europe to thank for its popularity. We were happy to add some appropriate imagery thus giving it a truly seasonal atmosphere with an all-women all-nature line up to marvel at.

First up, Seoirse and John have a conversation about the origins of the song before the version itself is played along with Irish and English subtitles. Please share if the video and song appealed.

The Halloween Archive

For Halloween, we’ve put together a series of scary audio playlists for you to savour – some six hours plus in total are available to play either by scrolling down through the various playlists of the Halloween Archive page of sister site, Racontour. Please note - PG discretion is needed!

Everything thing from Samhain Folklore to Ghost Stories is covered and are available to play on your favourite podcast platform. We do hope you get to enjoy the full set over time and of you enjoyed them, please feel free to share on social media.

Top tips from the pros!

After death, it's said that the second biggest fear humans have is public speaking. Fear not, there are pointers to tame those nerves before you stand up and tell your stories!
In Rambling House, we are keen to ensure you're well equipped in your storytelling proficiency. Learn storytelling tricks of the trade from top flight storytellers Keith Corcoran and Rab Fulton by following their links.
The mash-up video on the left is Keith's encounter with a famous actor some time ago. Though we are gently taking the mickey in the video (with Keith's blessing!) the point he is making is well made and will hold you in good stead - top man, Keith!

Enjoy seven hours of storytelling

We're delighted to offer over seven hours of storytelling and song from Inishowen up in Donegal. Back in 2009, we produced a six part radio series called Rambling House. In 2021, we remastered and categorised these gems into over 140 audio clips available on all digital platforms from Audioboom to Spotify.
Read more about each episode's theme and how to access it by going to our Inishowen page. This is an great place to hear how a gifted storyteller applies his craft, so bookmark this page for an excellent crash course on this fine art!

Superstitions galore!

Have a look at our Twilight Court page to get full details on a great way of finding out about all of the wacky, scary and downright unusual customs and superstitions that existed in Ireland for centuries.

There may be artistic licence on the characters used in the play, but all of the scenarios mentioned occurred or were believed in certain parts of the country.

Download the 24 page play and recreate it yourselves in time of Heritage Week in mid August.

You're invited!

On the 1st of May 2021, we launched this service on Facebook Live. We used Lá Buí Bealtaine to provide an entertaining and wide-ranging rambling house on a number of topics through song, story and lore. If you missed the show, you can listen back to our podcast that has been divided into 14 chapters to allow you to find what you want with ease. This may be different to the format of your own rambling house at home, but it's all about the story and boy, do we have good ones on this podcast! Click here for more on cross-quarter lore.

Acknowledgment

We're delighted to have received funding for this project from the Arts Council via their Traditional Arts category. The newly established Agility Awards ensure that projects like this can thrive and we are happy to let readers know who has been helping us out - you, the public via this arts body.

Network knowledge

We're proud members of the Oral History Network Ireland for 2022. Oral history is a skillset that is in need of constant development and this organisation have remained busy throughout the pandemic ensuring its members are kept abreast of best practice and online events.

Have a look at their website and feel free to ask about joining - you will be expected to provide material that proves your oral history bona fides! Once in, they have an excellent range of internal tools.

Rambling House - Home Edition!