World-renowned UK-based storyteller Taffy Thomas will be visiting Passage West and Cobh Libraries

Cork County Council’s Library and Arts Service has announced that Passage West and Cobh Libraries will host special guest world-renowned UK-based storyteller Taffy Thomas on Wednesday the 13th of March. Thomas will first visit Passage West Library at 11am, followed by an event in Cobh Library at 2pm. Both events are free to the public and no booking is required.

Thomas, who’s repertoire of stories ranges to over 300 tales, will be joined by friends Jimmy Crowley and Eve Telford to a share songs and folklore with the audience in Cobh Library. Thomas and Crowley have performed together regularly in Whitby during the Whitby Folk Festival but have yet to perform together in Ireland.

Once a drama and literature teacher in Wolverhampton before founding and directing the legendary folk theatre ‘Magic Lantern’, Thomas went on to found and direct the Charivari Community Arts Company in the UK. After a major stroke at the age of 36, he went back to his love of storytelling, firstly as a form of speech therapy, and then as a new career which has led him to being the UK’s leading storyteller. Professional storyteller Giles Abbot once commented that “when Taffy goes it will be like a library burning down” such is the breadth of his collection from around the world, including many Irish tales, folklore, songs and riddles.

Speaking about Taffy Thomas’s visit to Passage West and Cobh, Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Frank O’Flynn said

Stories are for everyone; they help us to connect and share memories and experiences. We are honoured to have world-renowned storyteller Taffy Thomas visit two of our libraries, where he will share stories that will open another world to the audience.

Passage West Library

Wednesday 13th March, 11:00am

Cobh Library

Wednesday 13th March, 2:00pm

Both events are free and no booking is required.