THE GLENS STORYTELLING FESTIVAL

Cath Little

Cardiff Storyteller and Singer Cath Little has “rough magic” in her voice, and in her words “the gift of the story comes through.” She has a strong belief in the power of traditional stories to connect us to one another, to the land, and to the people who once lived here. Cath is passionate about sharing the ancient British wonder tales of The Mabinogion.
Cath helps run the Cardiff Storytelling Circle and curate their seasonal concerts, Tales for the Turning Year. She tells and listens to stories at Oasis, a Cardiff Charity which offers a warm Welsh welcome to refugees and asylum seekers.
Cath keeps busy sharing stories in schools, libraries, museums, castles, cafes and fields. She has performed at clubs and festivals across Britain and Ireland and is the author of Glamorgan Folk Tales for Children.

Joe Brennan

Wexford storyteller Joe Brennan is delighted to be returning to the Glens Storytelling Festival to weave tales of magic, wonder and adventure. He has been sharing his collection of traditional and original stories with audiences, of all ages, for over 20 years. He has featured in storytelling and arts festivals including Cape Clear International Storytelling Festival, Kilkenny Arts Festival, Yarn Storytelling Festival to name a few. He has travelled widely with recent visits to Hungary and Norway.
Joe is also a children’s playwright and the author of Donegal Folk Tales.

Olivia Armstrong

Olivia Armstrong is a Northern Irish performance storyteller, who tells stories of wonder and magic. She has created site-specific stories for many heritage sites including Windsor Castle, St Paul’s Cathedral, the National Gallery and the British Library. She has hosted her own regular storytelling evenings at Westminster Abbey and onboard the Cutty Sark. She also works extensively on storytelling projects with isolated and vulnerable adults and children, and devises and leads story-making workshops to enable others to share their stories. She has a rich knowledge of Irish and British folklore and seasonal customs, along with a profound love for both the natural and supernatural worlds.

Liz Weir

Liz Weir is a storyteller and writer from Northern Ireland. She was the first winner of the International Story Bridge Award from the National Storytelling Network, USA, which cited her “exemplary work promoting the art of storytelling”.

Based in the Glens of Antrim, she is happiest when sharing stories. She was awarded an MBE In 2019 for her services to the arts and to education. Liz is also the Director of the Glens Storytelling Festival.

Janice Witherspoon

Janice Witherspoon has been working as a professional storyteller for more than 10 years. Entertaining audiences of all ages across Scotland, England and now back in her native Co. Antrim, Janice has a wide repertoire of legends and lore of these islands. As a former gardener, Janice loves to tell seasonal and environmental tales.
Janice leads Storytelling & Wellbeing walks in nature and regularly performs at sustainability fairs. Deeply rooted in place, Janice also works as a tour guide, bringing the history of the beautiful Glens of Antrim to life with her storytelling skills.

Vicky McFarland

Vicky McFarland, a storyteller and writer based in Larne. Originally from England, Vicky has been telling (and writing) stories for and to children for the last twelve years. Vicky has also been building her repertoire for adult audiences. Drawing on traditional European folktales, fairy tales and myths, Vicky loves to reimagine the stories that speak to her soul and bring a fresh feminine voice to her storytelling.

Anne Harper

Anne Harper is a multi-instrumentalist,
composer and storyteller from County Down.
A professional orchestral musician for more
than twenty years, she loves to weave
musical threads into the fabric of her stories.
Her work reflects her passion for cultural
heritage and the natural world.