“Storytelling connects us to our shared past and reminds us that whatever experience we are going through, no matter how profoundly frightening or isolating it might feel, it has been felt before,” says Sorcha, who – along with her brother, Aron – started CandleLit Tales in November 2014.

Although they are currently based in Dublin, Aron and Sorcha were raised in County Cork

“It’s a place with a strong regional identity,” says Sorcha. “People from Cork sometimes refer to it as ‘the People’s Republic of Cork’ or say that Cork City is the ‘real capital’ of Ireland.”

Growing up, Sorcha did her fair share of reading – both to herself and to Aron, who is six years her junior. She even introduced him to the Ulster Cycle: a series of ancient Irish legends.

Although the pair pursued separate careers (as an actor and a writer, respectively), they both found themselves in the Emerald Isle’s “official” capital by 2014. Their shared interests in storytelling and mythology remained. Sorcha dove deep into mythology at the Bard Summer School, while Aron told audiences those same stories while working part-time as a tour guide.

“We realized that we were doing the same thing for different audiences, and that neither of us were completely happy with how nor where we were telling stories,” recalls Sorcha. “We started to talk about what we would like to do: to find a way to bring storytelling into a more accessible place, and reclaiming storytelling as a normal part of the culture. This would also allow us to tap into our own creativity and play with performance.”

Within weeks, the pair took their skills to a pub in the Dublin city centre. At first, this was merely an experiment: they wanted to test the waters and see if people were interested in the stories they had to share. The answer turned out to be a resounding yes. “Aron invited musicians to collaborate with us, and it grew in popularity each week, until there were queues out the door and around the corner. There was nothing like it elsewhere and we were hooked from then on.”

Since then, the siblings have sought to inspire others through CandleLit Tales, sharing stories with people of all ages while musicians play an original score live in the background.

“We have found that there are more stories in scattered fragments, and the material we draw from is deeper than either of us realized,” shares Sorcha.

“The joy and validation we’ve gotten from other people who have taken delight in the same stories that delight us keeps us inspired…”

In addition to performances, CandleLit Tales also runs workshops and online courses. Since 2019, Sorcha and Aron have co-hosted a podcast as well, which helped them continue to connect with their audience during the COVID-19 lockdown. It took the siblings some time to get used to talking in an empty room instead of a venue, but the podcast is still going strong, with more than 250 episodes to date.

However, nothing can beat the feeling of a live performance and the effect it has on people. “The atmosphere is amazing: when you make people laugh at the start, the giddy energy in the room dissipates, the music starts, and we know we have them in the palm of our hand. The moments of silence are amazing, as you can hear a pin drop, and people are on the edge of their seat listening,” Sorcha explains. “People are clearly hungry for these stories, and we’re delighted to keep telling them. Recently, a woman who works as a psychotherapist told us how helpful our storytelling course has been to her in her work. So, the rewards are endless and often unexpected.”

Aron and Sorcha agree that storytelling has gone through a resurgence in Ireland – and it wasn’t until they started CandleLit Tales that they realized just how many people are working to keep the local folklore alive in their own communities. Stories of survival, pain and love are as relevant as they have ever been, and it seems people are happy to share in them. The pair have no plans to stop stoking the flame – and they’re even scheduled to launch a book in August.

“A good story is one you will want to hear again and again,” says Sorcha. “An even better one is one you want to retell yourself, from many different angles, over and over.”

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