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Irish Delegation Bios
Eamonn Wall
Eamonn Wall was born in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford in 1955.His poetry has been published widely in Ireland and in the United States. He has published two chapbooks, The Tame Goose (New York, The Hale Press, 1990); and Fire Escape (New York, Sunken Isle Press, 1988). His poetry is collected as Dyckman _ 200th Street (Cliffs of Moher, Co Clare, Salmon Publishing, 1994); Iron Mountain Road (Salmon Publishing 1997); The Crosses (Salmon Poetry, 2000); Refuge at DeSoto Bend (Salmon Publishing, 2004); and Tour of Your Country (Salmon Poetry, 2008). His prose includes: From the Sin_é to the Black Hills, Notes on the New Irish (Wisconsin, The University of Wisconsin Press, 2000), co winner of the Durkan Prize from the American Conference for Irish Studies for the best scholarly book on Language and Literature published in 2000. In addition to poetry, Eamonn Wall regularly contributes book reviews and articles on Irish fiction to The Review of Contemporary Fiction and other journals. He is currently the Jefferson Smurfit Professor of Irish Studies at the University of Missouri, St Louis.
Helena Mulkerns
Wexford resident Helena Mulkerns is a writer, photographer and editor. For many years, she freelanced as a journalist for publications in Ireland and the U.S. before heading out to work as a Press Officer with UN Peacekeeping Missions. There, she worked a writer, press officer, magazine editor and photographer, often travelling far into the field in Central America, Africa and Afghanistan. This experience has inspired her to produce several personal creative projects in fiction and photography. Her first photographic exhibition, titled Behind the Headlines, captures the everyday lives of people struggling to survive in conflict or post-conflict environments. It showed last summer at the Wexford Arts Centre and during the 2008 Wexford Opera Festival. She is currently working on a project capturing Irish seascapes from its four coastal regions, and completed a residency at Cill Rialaig, an artist’s retreat in Co. Kerry, to this end last November.
As a writer, Helena’s short fiction has been published in the United States, Ireland, the U.K., Australia and Croatia. Her stories have been shortlisted for the Sunday Tribune/Hennessy Literary Awards, America’s prestigious Pushcart Prize, and most recently for Ireland’s Francis MacManus Short Story award. In Spring 2009, the U.S. literary review, Natural Bridge published her short story “A Child Called Peace.”
As part of the Irish community in New York, she worked as Arts Writer for both The Irish Voice and The Irish Echo. She both organised and participated in numerous and varied cultural events there, such as the annual Bloomsday celebrations, the Guinness Fleadh, as well as regular poetry and fiction readings.
Helena also sings (in Irish and English), and currently coordinates and hosts a monthly performance evening of the arts called The Cáca Milis Cabaret. A late-night event at the Wexford Arts Centre, it features local musicians, writers, poets, traditional singers and more. For more details, see www.helenaportfolio.com
Niall Fall
Niall first came into direct contact with Newfoundland through the Festival of the Sea and, following a visit in 2006, admits “falling in love with the enchantment that is Newfoundland”. Niall is a native of Enniscorthy, County Wexford where he continues to live today. He has a long track record in Community Development, Event Management, and Performing and Traditional Arts Administration at both local and national levels. Coming from a talented literary family, his published writings include prose, poetry and literary and music reviews. A founding member of creative writers initiative “LaunchPad”, Niall is also a director of “Scallta Media” publishing group. In 2007 he devised, produced and presented a 13 week literary programme for “South_East Radio” called “The Living Word”. A keen sports enthusiast, he is presently involved as a volunteer coach and referee.
As a traditional singer, Niall is one of the finest exponents of the genre as both a performer and a song writer. In 2007, he won the coveted All Ireland Mens’ Senior Singing Title. He has been active for most of his life in the practice and promotion of traditional music and song, and as a member of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, has vast experience in administration, and festival and event management at local, national and international levels. Niall has been recorded for local and national radio and television productions, and was featured on the “Pikes and Bikes” television documentary which was broadcast throughout Europe in the wake of “Le Tour de France en Irlande, 1998”.
While best known for his passion and style in the delivery of Traditional Irish Music, Niall has also performed as a soloist in cabaret and has extensive stage and performing experience including lead roles in musical theatre productions. Niall Wall was a founding member of the traditional singing group “Whisht”. Their debut album, “the Cuckoo’s Note” was released to critical acclaim in 2007.
In June 2008 Niall performed with Whisht! in the world premiere of HARBOURING (a 50 minute choral piece for multiple choirs) by Ian Wilson (along with Fergus Sheil (conductor), the Irish Chamber Orchestra, Whisht!, Enniscorthy Choral Society, Wexford Festival Singers and Gorey Choral Group)
He is currently Chairperson of the steering group established jointly by the Ireland Newfoundland Partnership and the communities of South_East Ireland in 2008, to provide leadership in the evaluation and development of the Ireland hosting of The Festival of The Sea. The festival is due to be hosted by South_East Ireland in 2010.
Deirdre Wadding
A former primary school teacher specialising in special needs education, Deirdre has from childhood had a deep connection with and love of, Irish mythology, language and dance. During her teaching days she discovered a flair for story and drama and used drama in education and story as a teaching medium where possible. When Deirdre had her daughter in 1993 she gave up teaching to be a stay at home mother but continued to explore her interests in Irish culture participating in set dancing classes in the local village of Saltmills and singing occasionally at weekly trad sessions across the other side of Bannow Bay in Carrig.
Her Storytelling career kicked off with a weekly slot for children in the Wexford Book Centre n 1999/2000 this led to dates with the Co. Wexford Library Service and participation on Wexford Co. Council's Summer Fun Programme.
In 2006 Co. Wexford Library Service funded a Storytelling Practice course in conjunction with University of Glamorgan, Wales.
It was subsequent to this that Deirdre's Storytelling became a more full-time professional vocation with work coming in through the Library Service, Childcare Network, Schools and Co. Council Arts Office..
Work Experience
- Many individual dates at schools, day care centres for the elderly, parent /toddler groups etc too numerous to list..
Noteworthy engagements
- Irish Green Gathering 2007,2008
- Story/Drama /Circus Skills project with school completion project in Wexford V.E.C 2007/2008
- Story project with group of Traveller Students making transition to secondary school at Bunclody Library 2009
- Story workshop with Traveller Women learning literacy skills at Bunclody Library 2008
- Storytelling with a group of local musicians under the collective title of The Storytelling Troubadours..performed Irish Green Gathering 2008, Kilmallock Medieval Fair 2008, Wexford Arts Centre Arts Day 2008 , busked outside Colfer's pub Carrig -on -Bannow at Phil Murphy trad weekend 2008, Show performed for Wexford Festival Fringe at Wexford Library 2008
As one of the organisers of Seanchas festival, Adamstown Co. Wexford, Deirdre offered a 2 day storytelling workshop which shared with students the art of Storytelling using the Irish Epic Táin Bó Cuailgne as a starting point (24-26 July 2009)
Collaborative projects
- Croí na Gréine Performing Arts Co. This is collaboration with Bosch Lyons of S.E.Y.U circus and aims to bring creative and physical education through the Arts
Tall Tales Troubadours
- The newest incarnation of the Troubadours consists of Deirdre and singer/songwriter Fran Greene blending folk song and folk tale / myth together...They are looking forward to performing a new show as part of Wexford Fringe Festival on Oct 29 in Wexford Arts Centre