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{{Short description|Traditional Gaelic storyteller/historian}}
{{For|the record label|Shanachie Records}}
{{For|the record label|Shanachie Records}}
{{distinguish|Saenchai}}
{{More footnotes|date=February 2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2022}}


A '''seanchaí''' ({{IPA-ga|ˈʃan̪ˠəxiː|pron}} <small>or</small> {{IPA-ga|ʃan̪ˠəˈxiː|}} – plural: {{lang|ga|seanchaithe}} {{IPA-ga|ˈʃan̪ˠəxɪhɪ|}}) is a traditional [[Gaels|Gaelic]] storyteller/historian. In [[Scottish Gaelic]] the word is {{lang|gd|'''seanchaidh'''}} ({{IPA-gd|ˈʃɛn̪ˠɛxɪ|pron}}; plural {{lang|gd|seanchaidhean}}). The word is often [[anglicisation|anglicised]] as '''shanachie'''.
A '''seanchaí''' ({{IPA-ga|ˈʃan̪ˠəxiː|pron}} <small>or</small> {{IPA-ga|ʃan̪ˠəˈxiː|}} – plural: {{lang-ga|seanchaithe}} {{IPA-ga|ˈʃan̪ˠəxəhɪ|}}) is a traditional [[Gaels|Gaelic]] storyteller or historian, serving as an [[List of oral repositories|oral repository]]. In [[Scottish Gaelic]] the word is {{lang-gd|'''seanchaidh'''|label=none|italics=no}} ({{IPA-gd|ˈʃɛn̪ˠɛxɪ|pron}}; plural: {{lang|gd|seanchaidhean}}). The word is often [[anglicisation|anglicised]] as '''shanachie''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ʃ|æ|n|ə|x|iː|,_|ˌ|ʃ|æ|n|ə|ˈ|x|iː}} {{respell|SHAN|ə|khee|,_-|KHEE}}).


The word ''seanchaí'', which was spelled ''seanchaidhe'' (plural ''seanchaidhthe'') before the [[Irish language|Irish-language]] spelling reform of 1948, means a bearer of "old lore" (''seanchas'').<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://oldmooresalmanac.com/the-seanchai-of-ireland-and-their-stories/|title=The Seanchaí of Ireland and Their Stories|date=July 25, 2019|website=Old Moore's Almanac}}</ref> In the [[Gaels|Gaelic]] culture, long lyric poems which were recited by bards (''[[fili|filí]]''), in a tradition echoed by the ''seanchaithe''.
The word {{lang-ga|seanchaí|label=none}}, which was spelled {{lang-ga|seanchaidhe|label=none}} (plural {{lang-ga|seanchaidhthe|label=none}}) before the [[Irish language|Irish]] [[Irish orthography#Spelling reform|spelling reform of 1948]], means a bearer of "old lore" ({{lang-ga|seanchas|label=none}}).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://oldmooresalmanac.com/the-seanchai-of-ireland-and-their-stories/|title=The Seanchaí of Ireland and Their Stories|date=July 25, 2019|website=Old Moore's Almanac}}</ref> In the [[Gaels|Gaelic]] culture, long lyric poems which were recited by bards ({{lang-ga|[[fili|filí]]; filidhe|label=none}} in the original pre-1948 spelling) in a tradition echoed by the {{lang-ga|seanchaithe|label=none}}.


==Traditional art==
==Traditional art==
''Seanchaithe'' were servants to the heads of the lineages and kept track of important information for them: laws, genealogies, annals, literature, etc. After the destruction of Gaelic civilization in the 1600s as a result of the English conquests, these more formal roles ceased to exist and the term ''seanchaí'' came to be associated instead with traditional storytellers from the lower classes.<ref name=BBCNI>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/11_16/storyteller/pdf/gen_notes_all.pdf |title=Study Ireland:An Introduction to Storytelling, Myths and Legends |publisher=BBC Northern Ireland
{{lang-ga|Seanchaithe|label=none}} were servants to the heads of the lineages and kept track of important information for them: laws, genealogies, annals, literature, etc. After the destruction of Gaelic civilization in the 1600s as a result of the English conquests, these more formal roles ceased to exist and the term {{lang-ga|seanchaí|label=none}} came to be associated instead with traditional storytellers from the lower classes.<ref name=BBCNI>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/11_16/storyteller/pdf/gen_notes_all.pdf |title=Study Ireland:An Introduction to Storytelling, Myths and Legends |publisher=BBC Northern Ireland
|first=Eugene |last=McKendry }}</ref>
|first=Eugene |last=McKendry }}</ref>


The ''seanchaithe'' made use of a range of storytelling conventions, styles of speech and gestures that were peculiar to the Irish folk tradition and characterized them as practitioners of their art. Although tales from literary sources found their way into the repertoires of the ''seanchaithe'', a traditional characteristic of their art was the way in which a large corpus of tales was passed from one practitioner to another without ever being written down. ''Seanchaithe'' passed information orally through storytelling from one generation to the next about Irish folklore, myth, history and legend, in medieval times.<ref name=BBCNI />
The {{lang-ga|seanchaithe|label=none}} made use of a range of storytelling conventions, styles of speech and gestures that were peculiar to the Irish folk tradition and characterized them as practitioners of their art. Although tales from literary sources found their way into the repertoires of the {{lang-ga|seanchaithe|label=none}}, a traditional characteristic of their art was the way in which a large corpus of tales was passed from one practitioner to another without ever being written down. {{lang-ga|Seanchaithe|label=none}} passed information orally through storytelling from one generation to the next about Irish folklore, myth, history and legend, in medieval times.<ref name=BBCNI />


The distinctive role and craft of the ''seanchaí'' is particularly associated with the [[Gaeltacht]] (the Irish-speaking areas of Ireland), although storytellers recognizable as ''seanchaithe'' were also to be found in rural areas throughout English-speaking Ireland. In their storytelling, some displayed archaic [[Hiberno-English]] idioms and vocabulary distinct from the style of ordinary conversation.
The distinctive role and craft of the {{lang-ga|seanchaí|label=none}} is particularly associated with the [[Gaeltacht]] (the Irish-speaking areas of Ireland), although storytellers recognizable as {{lang-ga|seanchaithe|label=none}} were also to be found in rural areas throughout English-speaking Ireland. In their storytelling, some displayed archaic [[Hiberno-English]] idioms and vocabulary distinct from the style of ordinary conversation.


==Modern times==
==Modern times==
[[File:IVRLA 10443 Ó hEinirí.jpg|thumb|243x243px|[[Seán Ó hEinirí]], {{lang-ga|seanchaí|label=none}} from [[County Mayo]]]]
Members of the [[Celtic Revival|Irish Cultural Revival]] took a great interest in the art of the ''seanchaí'', and through them the stories that they told were written down, published, and distributed to a global audience.<ref name=BBCNI />
Members of the [[Celtic Revival|Irish Cultural Revival]] took a great interest in the art of the {{lang-ga|seanchaí|label=none}}, and through them the stories that they told were written down, published, and distributed to a global audience.<ref name=BBCNI />


At events such as [[mummer]]s' festival in [[New Inn, County Galway]], and the [[All-Ireland]] [[Fleadh Ceoil]] storytellers who preserve the stories and oratory style of the ''seanchaithe'' continue to display their art and compete for awards. [[Edmund Lenihan|Eddie Lenihan]] is one notable modern-day ''seanchaí'', based in [[County Clare]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-40071116.html|title=A storytelling tradition that endures: 'Irish people have always been in love with words'|first=Mike |last=McGrath Bryan |date=October 27, 2020|newspaper=[[Irish Examiner]] }}</ref>
At events such as [[mummer]]s' festival in [[New Inn, County Galway]], and the [[All-Ireland]] [[Fleadh Ceoil]] storytellers who preserve the stories and oratory style of the {{lang-ga|seanchaithe|label=none}} continue to display their art and compete for awards. [[Edmund Lenihan|Eddie Lenihan]] is one notable modern-day {{lang-ga|seanchaí|label=none}}, based in [[County Clare]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-40071116.html|title=A storytelling tradition that endures: 'Irish people have always been in love with words'|first=Mike |last=McGrath Bryan |date=October 27, 2020|newspaper=[[Irish Examiner]] }}</ref>


Actor [[Eamon Kelly (actor)|Eamon Kelly]] was well known for his portrayals of the traditional ''seanachaí'', and ran several series of one-man shows in Dublin's [[Abbey Theatre]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/jan/04/guardianobituaries.books|title=Obituary: Éamon Kelly|author=Nuala Hayes|publisher=[[The Guardian]]|date=2002-01-04|access-date=2014-10-10}}</ref>
Actor [[Eamon Kelly (actor)|Eamon Kelly]] was well known for his portrayals of the traditional {{lang-ga|seanachaí|label=none}}, and ran several series of one-man shows in Dublin's [[Abbey Theatre]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/jan/04/guardianobituaries.books|title=Obituary: Éamon Kelly|author=Nuala Hayes|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=2002-01-04|access-date=2014-10-10}}</ref>


==Other uses of the term==
==Other uses of the term==
The term is also found within [[Scottish Gaelic]] and [[Manx language|Manx]] where it is spelt ''seanchaidh'' ({{IPA-gd|ˈʃɛn̪ˠɛxɪ||}}) and ''shennaghee'' ({{IPA-gv|ˈʃɛnaxiː||}}) respectively. All uses ultimately have their roots in the [[bard|traditional poets]] attached to the households of ancient [[Irish nobility|Gaelic nobility]]. In Scotland, it is commonly anglicised as ''shen(n)achie''.<ref>Robinson, M (1985) ''The Concise Scots Dictionary'' Chambers, Oxford {{ISBN|0-08-028491-4}}</ref>
The term is also found within [[Scottish Gaelic]] and [[Manx language|Manx]] where it is spelt {{lang-gd|seanchaidh|label=none}} ({{IPA-gd|ˈʃɛn̪ˠɛxɪ|}}) and {{lang-gv|shennaghee|label=none}} ({{IPA-gv|ˈʃɛnaxiː|}}) respectively. All uses ultimately have their roots in the [[bard|traditional poets]] attached to the households of ancient [[Irish nobility|Gaelic nobility]]. In Scotland, it is commonly anglicised as {{lang-gd|shen(n)achie|label=none}}.<ref>Robinson, M (1985) ''The Concise Scots Dictionary'' Chambers, Oxford {{ISBN|0-08-028491-4}}</ref>


The Shanachies are a cricket club playing in the Inner West Harbour grade competition in Sydney.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mycricket.cricket.com.au/common/pages/public/entitydetails.aspx?entityid=13390|title="CricketNetwork"|access-date=2018-03-17}}</ref>
The Shanachies are a cricket club playing in the Inner West Harbour grade competition in Sydney.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mycricket.cricket.com.au/common/pages/public/entitydetails.aspx?entityid=13390|title="CricketNetwork"|access-date=2018-03-17}}</ref>
Line 36: Line 40:


==References==
==References==
* Padraig Colum, editor, ''A Treasury of Irish Folklore''
* {{cite book|editor-last=Colum|editor-first=Padraig|year=1954|title=A Treasury of Irish Folklore|location=New York|publisher=Crown Publishers}}
* {{cite book|last=DeLaney|first=Frank|author-link=Frank Delaney|year=2004|title=Ireland|location=London|publisher=Time Warner}}
* Frank DeLaney, ''Ireland''
* Patricia A. Lynch, Joachim Fischer, and Brian Coates, ''Back to the Present: Forward to the Past—Irish Writing and History since 1798''
* {{cite book|editor-last1=Lynch|editor-first1=Patricia A.|editor-last2=Fischer|editor-first2=Joachim|editor-last3=Coates|editor-first3=Brian|year=2006|title=Back to the Present: Forward to the Past—Irish Writing and History since 1798|location=Amsterdam|publisher=Rodopi}}
Leabhar Seán O’Conaill. Killrelig Co, Kerry


==External links==
==External links==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Seanchai}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Seanchai}}
[[Category:Gaelic culture]]
[[Category:Gaelic culture]]
[[Category:Irish culture]]
[[Category:Culture of Ireland]]
[[Category:Storytelling]]
[[Category:Storytelling]]
[[Category:Irish words and phrases]]
[[Category:Irish words and phrases]]
[[Category:Irish poets]]
[[Category:Irish poets]]
[[Category:Irish storytellers]]

Revision as of 12:10, 21 September 2024

For the record label, see Shanachie Records.
Not to be confused with Saenchai.

A seanchaí (pronounced [ˈʃan̪ˠəxiː] or [ʃan̪ˠəˈxiː] – plural: Template:Lang-ga [ˈʃan̪ˠəxəhɪ]) is a traditional Gaelic storyteller or historian, serving as an oral repository. In Scottish Gaelic the word is Template:Lang-gd (pronounced [ˈʃɛn̪ˠɛxɪ]; plural: seanchaidhean). The word is often anglicised as shanachie (/ˈʃænəxiː, ˌʃænəˈxiː/ SHAN-ə-khee, -⁠KHEE).

The word Template:Lang-ga, which was spelled Template:Lang-ga (plural Template:Lang-ga) before the Irish spelling reform of 1948, means a bearer of "old lore" (Template:Lang-ga).[1] In the Gaelic culture, long lyric poems which were recited by bards (Template:Lang-ga in the original pre-1948 spelling) in a tradition echoed by the Template:Lang-ga.

Traditional art

Template:Lang-ga were servants to the heads of the lineages and kept track of important information for them: laws, genealogies, annals, literature, etc. After the destruction of Gaelic civilization in the 1600s as a result of the English conquests, these more formal roles ceased to exist and the term Template:Lang-ga came to be associated instead with traditional storytellers from the lower classes.[2]

The Template:Lang-ga made use of a range of storytelling conventions, styles of speech and gestures that were peculiar to the Irish folk tradition and characterized them as practitioners of their art. Although tales from literary sources found their way into the repertoires of the Template:Lang-ga, a traditional characteristic of their art was the way in which a large corpus of tales was passed from one practitioner to another without ever being written down. Template:Lang-ga passed information orally through storytelling from one generation to the next about Irish folklore, myth, history and legend, in medieval times.[2]

The distinctive role and craft of the Template:Lang-ga is particularly associated with the Gaeltacht (the Irish-speaking areas of Ireland), although storytellers recognizable as Template:Lang-ga were also to be found in rural areas throughout English-speaking Ireland. In their storytelling, some displayed archaic Hiberno-English idioms and vocabulary distinct from the style of ordinary conversation.

Modern times

Seán Ó hEinirí, Template:Lang-ga from County Mayo

Members of the Irish Cultural Revival took a great interest in the art of the Template:Lang-ga, and through them the stories that they told were written down, published, and distributed to a global audience.[2]

At events such as mummers' festival in New Inn, County Galway, and the All-Ireland Fleadh Ceoil storytellers who preserve the stories and oratory style of the Template:Lang-ga continue to display their art and compete for awards. Eddie Lenihan is one notable modern-day Template:Lang-ga, based in County Clare.[3]

Actor Eamon Kelly was well known for his portrayals of the traditional Template:Lang-ga, and ran several series of one-man shows in Dublin's Abbey Theatre.[4]

Other uses of the term

The term is also found within Scottish Gaelic and Manx where it is spelt Template:Lang-gd ([ˈʃɛn̪ˠɛxɪ]) and Template:Lang-gv ([ˈʃɛnaxiː]) respectively. All uses ultimately have their roots in the traditional poets attached to the households of ancient Gaelic nobility. In Scotland, it is commonly anglicised as Template:Lang-gd.[5]

The Shanachies are a cricket club playing in the Inner West Harbour grade competition in Sydney.[6]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "The Seanchaí of Ireland and Their Stories". Old Moore's Almanac. 25 July 2019.
  2. ^ a b c McKendry, Eugene. "Study Ireland:An Introduction to Storytelling, Myths and Legends" (PDF). BBC Northern Ireland.
  3. ^ McGrath Bryan, Mike (27 October 2020). "A storytelling tradition that endures: 'Irish people have always been in love with words'". Irish Examiner.
  4. ^ Nuala Hayes (4 January 2002). "Obituary: Éamon Kelly". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  5. ^ Robinson, M (1985) The Concise Scots Dictionary Chambers, Oxford ISBN 0-08-028491-4
  6. ^ ""CricketNetwork"". Retrieved 17 March 2018.

References

  • Colum, Padraig, ed. (1954). A Treasury of Irish Folklore. New York: Crown Publishers.
  • DeLaney, Frank (2004). Ireland. London: Time Warner.
  • Lynch, Patricia A.; Fischer, Joachim; Coates, Brian, eds. (2006). Back to the Present: Forward to the Past—Irish Writing and History since 1798. Amsterdam: Rodopi.
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