Twenty-Third Autumn School – Literature of Irish
Dr Donald Smith

Come along to this special lecture where the stories of our common identities are linked to landscape and the power of place by master storyteller, Dr Donald Smith.

Dr Donald Smith will discuss the close ties between Scotland and Ireland and how this has been portrayed through storytelling traditions. We’ll be looking at themes of memory, identity and connection – connecting with ourselves, others and our environment. Dr Donald Smith is Director of the Scottish Storytelling Centre, and himself a storyteller, playwright, novelist and performance poet. Born in Glasgow of Irish parents, Donald has worked in theatre and literature in Scotland since the seventies. Director of the Netherbow Arts Centre from 1983, Donald Smith became founding Director of the Scottish Storytelling Centre in 1996. He was also a founding Director of the National Theatre of Scotland and first Chair of the Literature Forum for Scotland.

In addition to his creative work Donald has written and lectured widely on Scotland’s cultural and religious life, past and present. Donald heard his first traditional tales as a child, but has been an active student of Scots and Irish storytelling for over thirty years. Donald is interested in the recovery of local storytelling traditions, in site specific events and story walks, and working with community and church groups.

Booking Details

Location: Mellon Centre for Migration Studies
Tel : 028 8225 6315