Tales for our Times

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I speak with Irish Storyteller and chief of the Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids, Eimear Burke. We discuss fairy doors and healing wells, the practice of restoring female stories in folklore and myth, and methods of walking stories out on the land an reweaving the tales. We cover grief, love and poetry, seasonal cycles and nature connection, and touch upon sever...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I share a story about a hunter who is haunted by ghosts before encountering a wolf. I reflect upon Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2025 and talk about the storytelling and shadow puppetry show, "A Wolf Shall Devour the Sun'. I mention my substack page "Rekindling the Hearth"  https://deeprootscommunity.substack.com/ aswell as upcoming festivals in the...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features a live telling of an Irish/Scottish folk tale, "The Clever Wish".  Recorded at the Hearth Fire Sessions in Edinburgh in November 24, this episode previews the launch of the sessions again this year, starting on World Storytelling Day. This story is a favourite for all ages ,and it's riddle some quality makes it particularly satisfying to tell....

Send us Fan Mail Live recording from the banks of the River Tweed in the south of Scotland. The sun is shining, the frost is sparkling and the otters are swimming. This episode shares musings on creativity, creating moments of wonder amidst modernity, the polar pulls of to-do-lists and the wild, Fionn's true seeing and the poetry of the Otter. It's a bit different from previous episodes...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I give updates from the Marrakech International Storytelling Festival and share two short stories from the region. The stories are of a character famed through the Arab world, the wise fool, often known as Hodja, or the Mullah Nasruddin, but in North Africa he is known as 'Djoha'. I recently told one of these stories at a school in the Atlas Mountains to...

Send us Fan Mail As a prequel to my upcoming tour of British Columbia I speak with Tad Hargrave, best known for his Marketing for Hippies movement, but also eloquent in culture making and something of a storyteller, improv actor and street magician. You want this guy at your party! In our conversation we touch upon his own path to discover of the richness of his Celtic heritage, learning from cult...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I discuss 'applied storytelling' as well as performance with Glasgow based storyteller Dan Serridge. We dive into story as a tool for community engagement and how it can break down barriers. Dan shares his experience of walking the border between England and Scotland, whilst musing the classic tale of Thomas the Rhymer, and his own experience of loss. How...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I catch up with Lucy O'Hagan about her wilderness programmes in Ireland. We range from local myths of Lugh and Balor of the evil eye, to the Belfast Punk scene, snow shelters in Norway, cave dwelling in Dordogne, and the teepee outside Galway where we met. To find out more about Lucy's work: https://www.wildawake.ie/ To stay tuned for more story offerings...

Send us Fan Mail This episode features a live recording of a story told at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 23. It's a version of one of the stories I first fell in love with many years ago and has sublime musical accompaniment from the talented Rachel Newton...aswell as some random audience participation and suggestion! I also comment on various features of the storytelling f...

Send us Fan Mail In the episode I give a nod to my recent trip to Norway for a primitive skills gathering by telling a hunting tale from Sierra Leone.  I also share a 'Revolting Rhyme' version of the Norwegian folk tale, the Three Billy Goats Gruff, inspired by irreverent British-Danish author Roald Dahl. There is some commentary on my time in Norway and the story too. If you'd like...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I discuss rewilding with Daan Timmers, whom I met at the Lithica ancestral skills gathering in Norway. We reflect upon our experience at the Lithica Gathering highlighting the sense of community and connection and value of reconnecting with nature and each other in a world that often prioritizes individuality.  We discuss the joy of learning and practicing ancient...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I introduce Animate Lands, a live storytelling and music piece that recently showcased at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. I introduce the Fianna and some of the old Celtic myths relating to them before sharing a Scottish story featuring the Old Grey Magician, a mysterious wizard type character in who appears in several old Celtic myths. This is a story you are unlik...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the Tales for our Times podcast! In this first episode (recorded back in the winter time) I share a classic tale from the Scottish Traveller people and give a little cultural context around the travellers, and their role in the modern resurgence in traditional storytelling. This story is a classic, and one of the tales I tell most often as it's a winner with all ag...

Send us Fan Mail This episode shares a local folk tale from the Isle of Skye, first told to me by renowned Seanachie, George 'Seoras' Macpherson.  The tale is set in the time of the Highland clearances, and has themes of co-operation common in rural places, memories of old lore, and the harshness of the Scottish elements. You can support this podcast to the cost of a cup of coffee (that&...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I am joined by Northern Irish storytelling phenomenon Liz Weir. I first met Liz many years ago at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival and was fascinated by her anecdotes of storytelling in Northern Ireland during the times of 'the troubles'. It was one of the strongest accounts of applied storytelling I have heard, and only one of many commun...

Send us Fan Mail Another classic tale about dreaming and unexpected treasures in familiar places and an inspiration for a best selling novel. This story appeals to all ages and whilst discussing with a friend recently, we reflected upon the influence that the novel version of this tale has had on our adult lives. It's a cracking folk tale in it's finest form: simple, engaging and with ju...

Send us Fan Mail Inspired by a community action programme in the North of Scotland, this episode relays a the challenges placed upon green spaces and community resources under the guise of 'green energy'. With anecdotes from Torrie community up in Aberdeen, and reflections upon this folk tale from Central Asia, we explore the contradiction of focusing on carbon whilst ignoring biodiversi...

Send us Fan Mail Celebrating high summer, this tale is a nod to swims in the river and finding new stories for festival season. This tale is a fun one and a new one in my repertoire. You can support this podcast to the cost of a cup of coffee (that's a hipster oat milk cappuccino) or dram (single malt) via my Kofi page. All contributions very much appreciated. https://ko-fi.com/dougiemackayst...