Sheppy Dog Fund Lecture

Irish Folk Tales and Halloween Legends:  An Evening of Storytelling

October 23 • 7:00p • FIA Theater • Free Admission

Storyteller: Mark Ó Géaráin 

This evening recalls legends and tales, for an adult audience, of the ancient feast known now as Halloween. 

Irish Storyteller Mark Ó Géaráin presents the origins of Samhain (pronounced SAH-win) through shadowy, twisted stories marking the beginning of the dark half of the year. These mythologies have inspired and protected Irish people for generations. Ó Géaráin gives a raw and darkly funny look at the stories and traditions that have shaped the legend’s life.

Ó Géaráin is the Experience Manager of the National Leprechaun Museum in Dublin, Ireland, the world’s only museum dedicated to Irish folklore and mythology. He grew up in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains, surrounded by tales of Gods and warriors, heroes and monsters. Coming from a background in fine art and sculpture, Ó Géaráin found the medium of the spoken word to be more fluid and flexible than steel or stone. Storytelling has a commonality which allows people from all backgrounds and cultures to come together. He firmly considers himself to be a “storyteller and conversationalist” and believes there are no stories unless there are people to tell them to.

JOHN ROGERS COX, AMERICAN, 1915–1990. NOCTURNE - SILVER AND GREY, 1952. OIL AND TEMPERA ON MASONITE. 17 X 237/8  INCHES. GIFT OF PAT GLASCOCK AND MICHAEL D. HALL IN MEMORY OF ALL AMERICAN REGIONAL ARTIST, INLANDER COLLECTION, 2003.22

The Sheppy Dog Fund Lecture has been established to address the topics of art, religion, and history prior to the 19th century, and is funded by The Sheppy Dog Fund, Dr. Alan Klein, Advisor.

Media Sponsor

Past Sheppy Dog Fund Lectures

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel… 507 Years Lecture Date: April 9, 2019  Guest Lecturer: Dr. William E. Wallace  Professor Wallace, a world authority on Michelangelo, will illuminate this masterpiece and help you see it with fresh eyes.

Sublime Transmutation: The Art and Science of Alchemy Lecture Date: March 13, 2019 Guest Lecturer: Dr. Justin Sledge  Justin Sledge's presentation is grounded in the history of alchemical art and symbolism. The topic will appeal to everyone from Harry Potter fans, to those interested in the history of science, as well as people interested in the esoteric/occult mysteries of spiritual transmutation.

Unveiling Ancient Beauty: The Hidden Art of Restoration in the Vatican Museums Lecture Date: November 27, 2018 Guest Lecturer: Fr. Kevin Lixey The International Director of the Patron of the Arts in the Vatican Museums will offer an inside view to the fascinating world of art restoration that is carried out on a daily basis in the Vatican Museum’s six on-site restoration laboratories.

Piecing Together the Past: A Curatorial View of Mosaics in Israel Lecture Date: November 14 Guest Lecturer: Tracee J. Glab In Piecing Together the Past, FIA Curator Tracee Glab offers a unique perspective on mosaics she visited during a recent trip to Israel.

Rembrandt’s Representations of Biblical Scenes Lecture Date: August 8, 2018 Guest Lecturer: Dr. Shelley Perlove Dr. Shelley Perlove offers special insights into the trials, passions, temptations, and tragic losses endured by Rembrandt's biblical figures, who were heroic and bigger than life, yet also eminently human and flawed.

The Sheppy Dog Fund Lecture has been established to address the topics of art, religion, and history prior to the 19th century, and is funded by The Sheppy Dog Fund, Dr. Alan Klein, Advisor.

Past Bray Lectures

African Art Making and Use and Western Collectors Lecture Date: March 2, 2019 Guest Lecturer: Nii O. Quarcoopome, Ph.D. This illustrated lecture reflects on the complexities in African art’s creation and use, to its ultimate commodification in the West.

Past Special Lectures

A Conversation Between Artist Isabelle de Borchgrave and Director of the Baker Museum in Naples, FL, Frank Verpoorten Enjoy one last look at Isabelle de Borchgrave’s Fashioning Art from Paper exhibition and other beautiful works of art following the presentation. Soireé sponsored by Neiman Marcus, a Youth Arts Partner