An annual, all-island public event which takes place each year on the second last Friday of September, Culture Night / Oíche Chultúir celebrates culture, creativity and the arts and seeks to actively promote the belief that this rich and varied culture is alive, treasured and nurtured in people’s lives, today and every day.

Special and unique events and workshops are specifically programmed at participating locations and, thanks to the continued support of the Arts Council and local Authorities across the island of Ireland, in our case thanks to funding from Tipperary County Council, all activities are made available to the public free of charge. Read more about the initiative here. 

Roscrea Heritage Society also organised an event, a report of which you will find at the bottom of this page. We thank the OPW, the Arts Council, Tipperary County Council, Cashel-based community artist Rebecca Lenehan and all the participants for making the workshop possible!

Workshop Report

After going round the table for introductions, Rebecca briefly explained what memoirs are, especially in relation to an autobiography: it is a window into a life, showing a part of that life, so not necessarily a chronological summary of events from childhood to old age. It is a story based on real events, including an adversity and overcoming thereof or other positive element. But also a story of emotions and senses, so a personal account of events, where someone's memory stars the show and facts are the supporting act. A memoir does not aim to tell you how things were, but rather how the writer experienced them to be.

The workshop included several writing exercises during which the participants were actively contributing to the evening. Rebecca had created a program that invited the participants to use their senses to unlock memories they would want to write about. Rebecca then offered feedback on the created texts and tips on how to develop them further at home.

Some general tips that emerged from the evening: 

Tell a story from the past in the present tense. This can add a certain energy to the story. 

Close your eyes and picture yourself in the scene, what do you see, hear, smell, feel? Try to recollect not only the events as they unfolded, but also your surroundings, your senses and share them with your readers. 

Zoom in on specifics to create a picture the reader can be part off: descriptions of spaces, smells, colours, etc. Place names and street signs that are part of specific town or place can be very powerful. 

Introduce people in the story, like family members, friends, etc. by describing them: what were their names, what were they like?

Let characters in the story speak for themselves by using 'quotes'. 

As a memoir is not a history book, some facts my prove to be incomplete or incorrect or the timeline of events might be a bit off. Although you should not intentionally mislead the reader, you should not worry about little inconsistencies either: it is a personal story based on your memory and memory is not absolute. 

Finally, rather than writing a book, it might be easier to start with short stories. What events impacted your life in a big way, good or bad? What makes you happy in everyday life and why? Look around the room / space you are in: what objects do you see, what do you hear, what grabs your attention? How does the object feel or smell? What memories do they evoke? Remember with all your senses!

Finally, keep a pen and paper by your bedside or in your purse, as inspiration may strike at the strangest times!