An Seanachai

Ryland Teifi & Roisin Clancy

Ryland Teifi and Roisin Clancy

unplugged by the Fire     (Ryland Teifi)

Saturday 29th December 9.30pm

All welcome a great night of music, song and story.

 

An Seanchai: Seanachai Christmas Party

An Seanchai: Seanachai Christmas Party: Seanachai Christmas Party Friday 21st December all welcome   Music By Samson 9.30pm Finger Food Spot Prizes Ceol agus Craic

Seanachai Christmas Party

Seanachai Christmas Party

Friday 21st December
all welcome
 
Music By
Samson
9.30pm

Finger Food Spot Prizes
Ceol agus Craic

christmas at An Seanachai


Friday 14th December:    ‘Going Back in Time’  Fundraiser for SERTO

                                              Forever Young Jazz – Christmas party Night
Saturday 15th December  Cor Fear na Deise

Sunday 16th December:  Munster V Saracens Heineken Cup 3pm

Friday 21st December:  Seanachaí Xmas Party – Music by Samson- Finger Food

Sunday 23rd December : Afternoon Trad Session ‘Pure Shite’ by the fireplace.

St Stephens Day; Music Home Brew 6-8pm. Wrenboys welcome

Saturday 29th December :  Ryland Teifi & Roisin Clancy  9.30pm

Sunday 30th December:  Forever Young Jazz Session 5pm

New Years Eve: Party the night away with DJ. Finger Food

New Years Day:  Seanachaí on Tour to Tramore Races.

Saturday January 5th January: Storytelling By the Fireplace

Sunday 6th January : Womens Little Xmas

COR FEAR NA DEISE PERFORM AT AN SEANACHAI

CHRISTMAS BEGINS AT AN SEANACHAI
 
COR FEAR NA DEISE
SATURDAY 15TH DECEMBER
RING MENS CHOIR ARE PERFORMING AT 9.30PM
LETS GET INTO THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
 
SPECIAL MENU AVAILABLE



Starters

Seanachaí Creamy Seafood Chowder 

Mixed Seafood in a cream base served with homemade bread

Homemade Soup of the day  

Served with homemade bread

Chicken Liver Pate

Cumberland Sauce & Melba Toast

Wild Mushroom Crostini

Creamy mushrooms on a garlic Ciabatta

 

Mains

Roast Rib Of Beef

Served with homemade gravy

Chicken Kiev –

Crispy Bacon & Cherry Tomatoes

Seafood Grill

Selection of Fresh Fish served with Garlic Tiger Prawns & Shrimp

Escalope Of Turkey

Cranberry gravy   

 

 

Desserts

Homemade Meringues with Fresh Fruit

Chocolate Fudge cake

Apple Pie with Ice cream

Christmas Pudding

Festive Mince pies

 

Tea & Coffee

€21.50

Fundraiser for SERT

Going Back in Time


Fundraiser for South East Radiotherapy Trust
Friday 14th December 8 pm sharp
Not to be missed
Tickets €5

Followed by Set dancing

Forever Young Jazz band

Dungarvan Storytelling Continues Saturday 8th December

Storytelling At An Seanachai continues this Saturday night 8th December.

9.30 start as usual.

If you have a story, a song, a poem a dance please come along and join in.

We are aiming to be the best Storytelling venue in the South East.

Make a night of it and come enjoy a tasty evening meal At An Seanachai before the event.

Night To Look Back At Olden Times (In Aid Of SERT)

8pm Friday 14th December 2012

A video on  the big screen will be shown in the Seanachai.
  • Cutting the Corn with Binder and 3 horses
  • Threshing in the Haggard with Threshing Machine
  • Threshing Dance in Farmer's Kitchen also
  • Live Set-Dancing after video
All proceeds In Aid Of S.E.R.T. (South East Radiotherapy Trust)

Tickets €5 - Light refreshments Served On The Night

To Book Your Ticket Contact The Seanachai

Storytelling By The Fireplace Saturday November 24th


If you have a story a song a joke or can express your story through music or dance then the Seanachaí is the place to be this Saturday night. If you need transport please contact us and we can arrange transport at a very reasonable cost.

Christmas Menu At An Seanachai

We have just published our Christmas Menu. You can download it in .pdf format below.

Download: Christmas Menu


Storytelling
Storytelling continues this Saturday night November 10th at An Seanachaí. All welcome, if you have astory to tell through any medium please come along and join us on Saturday night. This night is proving to be a very popular and entertaining evening. Why not make A night of it and come for dinner before hand. We can organise transport at a very reasonable rate within an 8 km radius.

Contact Us
For bookings call Mags on 058 46755 or email info@seanachai.ie

Halloween Specials At An Seanachaí



4 Courses & Bottle of Wine €50 (2 people)
Stay for the spooky Storytelling by the Fireplace
Saturday October 27th

More details: 
Phone: 058 46755

An Seanachaí Pulla Cross, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. Transport can be arranged.

What's the Story: Storytelling & Song At An Seanachaí

Photo By John Pelham

What's the Story: by Joe Power 

Everybody has a story, there are very few certainties in this life but that is definitely one. Even the most boring personality has his own story. And in fact if you can get people talking almost everyone has a subject that they can speak volumes about.

In Ireland this 'gift of the gab' the 'Blarney' has become legendary. And this is no coincidence as there is a very long tradition of storytelling occupying an integral part of our cultural heritage, stretching back over 3000 years in Ireland, all the way to the ancient Celtic peoples. (Celtic at least in their culture and language) who developed our myths beliefs & customs years before the Roman empire or even the Holy roman empire.

Photo By John Pelham
The great body of legends myth & story encapsulating their own actual history origins and beliefs, but of course building, elaborating & ornamenting them in the Celtic way existed for hundreds maybe a thousand years before being written down. This was an inherent fact of their religion that none of their most intimate beliefs and myths songs and stories be written down. And this is why they were called Celts. Irish is one of the very few(maybe 6 including Scots, Gallic, Welsh, the language of Brittany, Cornwall, Manx ,& of Course Irish) Celtic languages that still exist in an unbroken line back to the original Celtic language groups. All across the continent the Celtic languages have been subsumed into Latin first and then all the individual European languages.



And in Irish 'faoi ceilt' still means hidden and so the Celts were the hidden people or the people who kept their history hidden from foreign perusal, they chose who they spoke their secrets to and refused to write them down. And so a strictly oral tradition arose which is extremely strong today to the extent that the Irish are much more inclined than any other people I know to have a great many songs, stories, and poems 'off by heart' as we say in a very telling phrase. Like Beethoven said of music it should be “from the heart to the heart” so if it is described as “off by heart” it creates the Celtic triad which is also so important in our ancient love.

All this just goes to show how important it is to continue encourage and strengthen this venerable extremely ancient custom of memorising songs , poems & stories & being able to stand up “at the drop of a hat” to declaim them in public, for your friends in a warm friendly environment . This is what happened in the courts of the early kings subsequently in the house of the Norman overlords when they became more “Irish than the Irish themselves” & down through hundreds of years and more recently in little country cottages around an open fire.

Little country cottages are becoming rarer but fortunately the exact ideal environment is available up in the appropriately named hostelry An Seanachaí. Not only in the name is this great tradition of storytelling preserved but in the beautiful and utterly appropriate setting - an open fire of great antiquity , wooden tables warm friendly ambience that is extremely difficult to create but seems to manifest itself as if by magic when you walk in the door of the Seanachaí.

The sessions that we have had so far up there have been absolutely outstanding by any standards as everyone has stated who have been there, I myself go to many session but it is hard to beat the setting up on top of the hill looking down on the beautiful Dungarvan.

And when you go indoors you are walking back in history, the old traditional tunes are played with great feeling timing and melodic variation at a pace that allows the story the meaning the feeling of the time to emerge slowly & magically to weave and wind themselves around your heart, soul and mind. As I always say ever the instrumental music of Ireland tells a story & this I think is the primary lesson that an instrumentalist should learn. When the classical composers come up with a particularly beautiful & timely melody the marking (usually in Italian of course) they append to it is 'cantabile' meaning as 'if sung' that word itself tells a considerable story.
Photo By John Pelham

And of course most of the songs we sing in the Seanachaí are narrative ballads love songs rebel ballads, traditional songs, country songs -so they all tell a story. The narrative element is played down in a lot of modern pop and rock songs to give greater stress to rhythm funk and repetition, but the vast majority of songs we love best in Ireland are remarkable for the quality of the storytelling infused into them by our own heritage of the bards druids and poets who always occupied the most important part in the Celtic tribes apart from the chieftain or king himself and often indeed had more power than him as he could cause him to be deposed or supplanted with a clever lyric a satire or a piece of inventive correctly aimed.

This same shamanic power infuses the ART OF STORYTELLING itself the Seanachas (meaning Old (sean) turn (cas)- in other words yarn spinning, turning a tale putting a twist on a plain story - a wonderfully expressive word!) The storyteller or Seanachaí's function was to entertain but also to heal to comment to correct the whims and follies of the chief or the tribe or other chiefs or tribes or politicians or priests or other storytellers, indeed in other words he would not only comment on but he would influence the course of history of his race. This is what Aogan O Rathaille, Swift, Synge, Pearse, Yeats, Joyce, Shaw, & Wilde have done following in this great tradition.

On a more rustic scale the great Seanachai Eamon Kelly did the same with the great stories he collected embellished & retailed over the years. He was extremely funny & entertaining but also very sharp in his capturing and sending up of all the foibles & idiosyncrasies of the people around him. An ancient convention of the Seanachaí was the end of the story ' That's my story and if there is a lie in it , it wasn't I put it there'.

But of course every story has lies in it if only to improve it to make it more interesting , but here I will insert one of my favourite quotes, this time from Pablo Picasso 'Art is a lie that tells the truth' What better vindication do we need in Ireland for blarney and bluster. Posidonius an ancient classical writer commented on the Celts.

So to give another of my favourite quotes this time from the great philosopher Nietsche. 'Riad this and then burn it' In other words the wonderful thing about the Irish tradition is that you all don 't have to go around boring everybody with philosophy and the ancient Greeks ' You don't have to know the origin of the craic ' - you just enjoy it .

Photo By John Pelham
So come along to the Seanachai over the winter on Saturday nights and dust off any off any old songs or stories or poems or recitations that you have learned over the years or composed yourself. Otherwise why not start learning some new songs or stories. Even you say you don't sing as I always say you must teach yourself how to sing, just like you must teach yourself how to play an instrument. But everyone has lungs & vocal chords a diaphragm etc. so just start building up those throat muscles. Just because you don't sing doesn't mean you won't sing.

Remember as good as they are in themselves & for the country Riverdance, Bunratty, You're a Star are not as close to the real Ireland as a night of Seanachas song and dance beside a roaring fire on a winters night with a drink in your hand and a smile on your face & your friends all around you. Instead of going to the DVD shop & hiring out the 'Quite Man' or 'Darby O Gill and the little people' you can have the real thing the thing itself. Come out to the old style open fire stone hearth atmosphere of a real country cottage at the Seanachaí and share a story with some of your friends. It will transport you to a time and place that exists perfectly in tune with your head and your heart within yourself and within our collective history.

A familiar greeting on the Dublin streets “hey bud what's the story” again that is no lucky coincidence. Our Irish way of life is built around the story. So make that your watchword over the coming season with the long winter nights settling into the smell of hot port drifting around the glowing fireside .... Hey bud what's the story.

Storyville continues Saturday October 27th and every second Saturday at An Seanachaí Pulla Cross Dungarvan. 05846755
www.seanachai.ie . All welcome - transport can be arranged.

Going To The Ploughing Championship? Call In To An Seanachai


Travelling to the National Ploughing Championship Wednesday or Thursday stop off at An Seanachai for a bite to eat. Food served all day. Located just outside Dungarvan on the N25. Food Served all day.

Storytelling Southeast 
Thursday night. Storyville continues as part of the festival. Stories by candlelight Joe Power, and friends. Start time 9pm

An Seanachai Features On Community Radio Youghal

On Thursday 30th August 2012 An Seanachai was featured on 'The Gallery' a popular programme on Community Radio Youghal.

Listen: An Seanachai On 'The Gallery'

Ryland Teifi & Roisin Clancy - Saturday 15th September


Saturday 15th September 2012 a night not to be missed, playing by the fireplace Ryland Teifi and Roisin Clancy unplugged beginning at 9.30pm

Storyville & All Ireland Hurling Final This Weekend At An Seanachaí


Storyville at An Seanachaí Saturday 8th September. All welcome. Stories and tales throught music & song and sceals. Begins at 9.30pm

Come along and watch the All Ireland Hurling Final with the Galway girl, on Sunday 9th September.

Storyville At An Seanachai Saturday 25th August 2012

Community Radio Youghal are recording Storyville at An Seanachai on Saturday 25th August 2012. Storyville continues every second saturday night at An Seanachaí - stories thru the medium of music & chat.

Storyville - Story, Song & Music Saturday August 11th

Storyville at An Seanachaí every second saturday, next session is Saturday August 11th. All welcome. Story through song, music and  stories.

TG4 Entertainment Series An Samhradh Linn Hails From An Seanchai, Waterford

Chef Mags Hurley & Síle Ní Bhraonáin
TG4's second series of An Samhradh Linn continues next Thursday, August 16th, when host Síle Ní Bhraonáin is in the Déise to bring us the finest Irish traditional music, song and dance, as well as local cuisine the county has to offer - all highlighting some of the many ways to holiday on a budget here at home.

Síle visits John Keane's Pub in Dungarvan, where local musicians Brendan Clancy, Noel Clancy, Joe Brennan and Marian Clancy regale us with some lively reels. Renowned local singer, Alice Fitzgerald, treats us to a beautiful song, while young musicians Sarah O'Gorman and Clara Mannion entertain us with some traditional tunes.

To prove that eating out in Ireland can be both a delicious and inexpensive experience, Síle visits An Seanchaí Bar & Restaurant, just outside Dungarvan, where owner/chef Mags Hurley shows how to prepare and cook one of her signature dishes - Beef & Guinness Casserole - which is on the menu for just €10! (open 7 days 058 46755)

An Samhradh Linn also accompanies the Uí Dhuíbhir & De Paor family from Dungarvan, as they pop across the border into County Kilkenny to explore Jerpoint Abbey, just south of Thomastown, and tell us of their experience. Jerpoint is an outstanding Cistercian abbey, the Romanesque details of which date from the second half of the 12th century. In the transept chapels are the 13th to 16th century tomb sculpture, while the tower and cloister date from the 15th century. The chief attraction of the Abbey is the sculptured cloister arcade with unique carvings.

And An Samhradh Linn also visits the Irish summer college in Ring - where Síle meets Principal, Niall Ó Ceadagáin and some of the students. Local dancer Marianne Ryan performs for the students, demonstrating the local style of sean-nós dancing, accompanied by box player, Seán Kearney.

Beef & Guinness Casserole
Thugamar Féin an Samhradh Linn is the Irish song which gives this TG4 programme its name.  Síle Ní Bhraonáin and all the crew are happy to bring the summer to you, whatever the weather! You can see An Samhradh Linn on TG4 next Thursday, August 16th at 8:30 pm, and online at www.tg4.ie when we visit the beautiful county of Waterford.
Bí Linn!

For further information, please contact: Marian Malone 087 2652843 or email: asltg4@gmail.com We are also on Facebook and Twitter at: An Samhradh Linn!

Going To Sundays Munster Final? We Have Match Specials For You.


Travelling to the match on Sunday - stop off at An Seanachai for winning match specials, €10 a plate.

We serve breakfast to 12 noon and lunch from 12 noon to 3 pm then match specials from 5.30pm

A la carte menu (.pdf file) available also.

Post match music HOMEBREW.

Our restaurant and pub is just a puc off the N25.

Winner of Keeper of the Flame award 2011 Mid Size Pub

An Seanachaí public house has been the recipient of many awards in the recent past, proudly bearing the title of 'Heritage Pub of the Year' and 'Black & White Pub of the Year'. Winner of Keeper of the Flame award 2011 Mid Size Pub.

About An Seanachaí Bar & Restaurant

An Seanachaí Bar & Restaurant has remained unspoilt by the advances of the twenty first century and has remained one of the great traditional Irish pubs and eating houses. An Seanachaí continues a tradition that began way back in the mid 1800's during the famine years.
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