Colin Urwin: Crafting Tales | Sharing Stories Changing Lives
Join us as we delve into the enchanting world of storytelling with Colin Urwin, a true virtuoso of the craft.
Dive Deeper: The Full Conversation with Colin Urwin
The Core Story
Join us as we delve into the enchanting world of storytelling with Colin Urwin, a true virtuoso of the craft. Colin's passion for storytelling knows no bounds; from the quaint Glens of Antrim in Northern Ireland, he draws inspiration from local legends and folklore, weaving them into mesmerizing tales that captivate audiences worldwide.
Colin's journey as a storyteller is nothing short of remarkable. A modern-day Seanachaí, he graces stages with his magnetic presence, effortlessly blending music, monologues, and the spoken word to create unforgettable experiences. But his love for storytelling doesn't end there. Colin is equally dedicated to nurturing the storytellers of tomorrow, sharing his expertise through workshops and performances at festivals across Ireland, the UK, and beyond.
In this podcast, we'll uncover the essence of Colin Urwin's storytelling magic.
Time-Stamped Breakthrough Moments
[00:08:45] – The Native Tradition: Growing up in a generation that genuinely believed in banshees and folklore.
[00:14:20] – The Touchstone Ritual: Why Colin keeps a small artifact in his pocket during every performance to stay connected to the narrative.
[00:19:30] – Resetting the Room: Using a bar or two of song to cut through the chatter and instantly grab an audience's attention.
[00:23:15] – The Viking and the Secret: Colin tells the moving story of the Battle of Clontarf and the sacrifice at Garron Point.
[00:35:10] – The Pinnacle of Interaction: Why making an adult audience cry is the ultimate sign of a deep, soulful connection.
[00:42:00] – Advice for Beginners: The importance of listening—to experts and beginners alike—to find your own unique voice.
Full Episode Transcript
KAREN:
I would like to acknowledge the Guringai people and pay my respects to Elders past and present. The Guringai people are the traditional owners of the land where we meet today.
Introduction
We are joined today by the incredible Colin Irwin, hailing all the way from Northern Ireland.
Thanks to the wonders of technology, we get to dive into the world of this multifaceted artist: folk singer, songwriter, storyteller, recording artist and author. Colin not only excels in the captivating art of storytelling, he also shares his expertise in teaching others to master this craft.
Podcast Intro
NARRATOR:
Welcome to Sharing Stories, Changing Lives. The host, Karen Sander, has the privilege of interviewing individuals from all walks of life, each with their own powerful and inspiring stories. The guests share their life experiences, and in doing so, they celebrate the transformative magic of storytelling.
To learn more, visit www.thestoryroom.au and explore the private membership area, The Backstage Pass.
Welcome & Origins in Storytelling
KAREN:
Welcome, Colin Irwin, to the Sharing Stories, Changing Lives podcast. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you became interested in oral storytelling?
COLIN:
Thank you very much for having me on.
How did I get involved in oral storytelling? Well, there are two aspects to this.
There’s the natural, native storytelling that we all do in Ireland. My mother was the storyteller in our family, and I’ve been exposed to that my entire life, from childhood.
I’m the youngest of quite a large family, and she was the youngest of quite a large family, so my uncles and grandparents were very old. I was exposed to a generation that was probably the last in Ireland to genuinely believe in things like banshees and “the little people”. I grew up hearing about these things, and my mother told stories continually. Hers were more family stories and anecdotes, but she was certainly a storyteller.
Then there’s the modern world of the performance storyteller. I didn’t know that existed until about ten years ago. Prior to that I’d been mainly a musician, playing traditional Irish music and folk songs. I would always do a little bit of storytelling between songs.
But then I discovered this world of performance storytelling and, once I was introduced to it, the rest is history. It took off.
KAREN:
You just fell in love with it.
COLIN:
Yes. I realised I had always been in love with it — I just didn’t know there was an opportunity to actually make a living from it.
Genres & Coastline Stories
KAREN:
There are many genres in storytelling, and you’re not one to stick to just one. Tell us more about how you like to share stories — not just in the telling, but in the way you choose and shape them.
COLIN:
There are indeed many genres and many facets to storytelling.
My love is the place I was born and reared: the northeast coast of Ireland. I’ve spent my entire life along this beautiful stretch of coast. It’s one of the richest places in Ireland for folklore and history.
Every mile of the coast has a story — shipwrecks, ghosts, treasure, the Spanish Armada, mermaids. It’s extremely rich. I find I don’t have to go anywhere else in the world to find material. It’s all on my doorstep.
So I tend to stay within a relatively small geographical area with my stories, though that also includes a little bit of southwest Scotland, because Scotland is only about 12 miles across the sea from where I live. It’s a stone’s throw.
There has always been a lot of coming and going. Before there were roads, it was easier to travel those 12 miles of sea than 12 miles inland. People moved back and forth and took their stories, songs, music and dance with them.
So I feel just at home telling a story from Islay or Jura, or any of the little Hebridean islands, as I do telling one from my native Glens of Antrim. And all those stories are related in some way to the sea.
KAREN:
Are you near the Giant’s Causeway — that sort of area?
COLIN:
In Australian terms, it’s literally a stone’s throw away. It’s about a 45-minute drive from where I live.
KAREN:
Wow. I’ve been to that area, but only for a day. I took a trip there and I’d love to come back someday because there’s so much more to learn about your neck of the woods.
Preparation & Rituals
How do you prepare for a storytelling session? Do you have any rituals or practices you follow?
COLIN:
I personally don’t. I see other performers — storytellers, folk singers and so on — who need quiet time, go into a room, do warm-ups and rituals. I just don’t do that.
My preparation is done long before the performance, by immersing myself in the story and getting to know it by telling it to myself.
Once I get to wherever I’m going to tell the story, I just want to get on with it. I want to get out there and tell it. I don’t have any particular quirks or rituals at that point — except maybe one.
When I’m on stage, I like to have some little artefact in my pocket, or somewhere close, that reminds me of the story or connects me to it in some way. Sometimes I’ll show it to the audience, sometimes not, but I like having that little touchstone.
Teaching Storytelling – The Sydney Workshop
KAREN:
I was at one of your wonderful workshops this year in Sydney, Australia. You had us all in a group telling a story we had to make up on the run. It was so much fun — and such a great way to teach people to create story.
Can you tell us a bit about some of the techniques you use to teach people?
COLIN:
All of us have lived a life. We’ve all got experiences.
Very often, when you’re doing workshops, many of the people already have a fair bit of experience with storytelling, folklore, or performance. I’ve always had an interest in where I come from, the natural world and the folklore surrounding it. So I find it relatively easy to incorporate all those elements into some sort of creative process in my mind.
What I try to convey is that people have this vast experience — living, relationships, place, nature — and there’s no reason they can’t incorporate all those facets into something that feels like a folk tale.
Even when I’m telling an ancient folk tale, I always try to incorporate some of myself into it — to make it personal to me, to put my own heart into it.
That’s the overview of what I try to do: get people to use their own experience to create something that sounds as if it’s been around forever.
KAREN:
Our story was about a fork in the Mafia — and you were scared!
COLIN:
That’s right, I remember that!
Techniques to Engage an Audience
KAREN:
As a storyteller, what are some of the key techniques you use to engage your audience?
COLIN:
One thing I often do comes from my background as a folk singer and musician.
If you walk onto a stage and you need to grab attention, I like to sing a bar or two of a song related to the story I’m about to tell. It instantly cuts through chatter and resets the room. Whether I’m the first storyteller or following someone else, it gets people’s attention immediately. Once you have that, off you go.
Colin’s Story – The Viking and the Secret
KAREN:
On that note, do you have a story you’d like to share with us today?
COLIN:
A story I’d like to share… I hate being put on the spot because immediately hundreds of stories rush through my mind!
But recently, in the past few months, I had my DNA done. I assumed there’d be a lot of Irish in there — and there was. But the results were very black and white. No “2% of this or 5% of that”. It was:
40% Northeast coast of Ireland
60% Norse Viking.
I’ve been telling the story I’m about to share for a long time, and I’ve known it for years — but I tell it with a bit more conviction now.
Many Irish stories involving Vikings or “Danes” end the same way: the Irish outwit or defeat the Vikings at the end. Those stories have been around for centuries.
This one is a little different. In this story, the Vikings don’t quite get beaten in the same way. It gives a little bit of credit back to the Viking, if you like.
It goes back to the year 1014. People in Ireland know that date — the Battle of Clontarf — when the Viking hold on Ireland was broken forever. The Irish were led by the High King, Brian Boru.
It was the 23rd of April, Good Friday. And although the Irish won the day, Brian Boru himself died. Some say he died in battle, but he was an old man by then. Others say he was murdered in his tent by a fleeing Viking mercenary named Brodir.
Whatever way it happened, that battle broke the Viking power in Ireland. The Vikings were pushed further and further north. Those who wished to stay could stay — as long as they adopted Irish Christian ways. Those who refused were, of course, put to the sword.
There were two Vikings left who had been pushed right up to the northeast coast of Ireland. They were cornered on a cliff top at a place called Garron Point, just a few miles from where I live now. It was a father and son, surrounded on all sides by Irish warriors.
These two men were the guardians of a secret recipe: the sweet heather mead, or as the Irish called it, Bir Lochlannach — Viking beer.
The Irish leader said to them,
“If you give us the recipe, we will spare your lives.”
The son looked at his father and said fiercely:
“I would rather die than betray the secrets of our ancestors.”
The father could see in his son’s eyes there was no fear. He meant it.
Time passed. The Irish were growing impatient. The father thought for a while, then asked to speak to the Irish chieftain.
He said,
“My son will never divulge the secret of our forefathers.
And I cannot bear for him to see me give you that secret.
Put him to the sword first —
and then I will tell you what you need to know.”
The son was brought out and executed. It was a quick and, we hope, painless death.
The father fell to his knees and cried,
“Forgive me, son, for what I have done.”
You see, the father knew that even if they gave the secret to the Irish, once they were of no further use, the Irish would have done away with them anyway. And if they didn’t give up the secret, his son would be tortured. He couldn’t bear that thought.
So when his son had been killed, he turned to the Irish and spat in their faces:
“Flay the skin from my old bones —
but from me you will learn nothing.”
The Irish did, however, learn something from that old man.
They learned that a father’s love for his son is one of the strongest things in this world.
He refused to give up the secret. It’s said his cries could be heard for miles and miles around, and that the old man took his secret with him to Valhalla.
KAREN:
Oh, thank you. I’m giving you an applause from all the listeners.
I love that story. And how apt too — my live event is in a brewery!
COLIN:
Good, good.
KAREN:
And you’ve been there.
COLIN:
I have, that’s right. And it was a lovely evening too.
KAREN:
I love the way you pause and really show the skill of a storyteller. I was drawn in — the way you shape your sentences and let the story breathe. I was on such a journey with you, imagining what these people looked like and the whole moment. It was fantastic. Thank you.
COLIN:
Thank you.
Community Invitation
KAREN (NARRATION):
If you’re interested in getting more involved in our community and connecting with people who share your love of story, you can do this by visiting our website at www.storyroomglobal.com
Audience Interaction & Emotional Connection
KAREN:
Have you had an experience where audience interaction has played a really significant role in your storytelling?
COLIN:
I like to think I’ve had a good day if the audience interacts with me. That’s what you’re aiming for.
If they don’t, then somewhere you’ve failed, or they’ve failed to connect with what you’re doing.
I love telling stories to adults — adult stories for adult audiences. That’s my favourite. I also get a lot of joy going into care homes, schools, and working with people with special needs.
But my favourite setting is adults in a room, listening.
If you can make them laugh and cry in the same story, that’s the pinnacle. That’s the level of interaction I’m aiming for.
I tend to make them cry more often than laugh, I have to say…
KAREN:
I believe when you make someone cry in a story, they’re deeply involved in the journey. You’ve taken them somewhere they weren’t expecting to go.
You’ve touched something in them — and that’s such a powerful skill: to bring out emotion in your audience.
COLIN:
Yes, that’s the pinnacle of interaction for me. There are “call and response” forms of interaction, of course — but when you move someone to tears, that’s another kind of connection.
Audience Stories & Privilege
KAREN:
Has there been a moment when someone has come up to you after an event and shared something really personal that made you feel emotional, or reminded you that what you’re doing is truly worthwhile?
COLIN:
Oh, that happens all the time, I’m very glad to say. It’s one of the joys of what we do.
Very often I’ll come home and my wife will ask, “What kept you so late?” Because the session might end at 10pm and I’m only leaving the venue at 11, having spoken to people.
I always tell people:
“Be careful what you tell me — it’ll end up in a song or a story!”
But of course, sometimes people share very personal things. When that happens, it’s special, because you’ve tapped into something in them. They might be sharing something they’ve never shared before — or only with a very small number of people. It’s a privilege.
KAREN:
I think that’s one of the great achievements of a storyteller: when someone feels safe enough to share a story they’ve never told, because you’ve connected in such a way that they want to open up.
It’s a privilege, isn’t it?
COLIN:
It is. And it’s also a privilege when you inspire them to want to tell stories themselves. When you can see someone’s potential and their enthusiasm to pursue storytelling — that’s a very nice feeling.
Favourite Audiences & Special Moments
KAREN:
Has there ever been an audience you’ve especially loved — a group you’d love to go back to?
COLIN:
I kind of feel that way about all of them, I really do.
But there are special moments. One very special moment happened in Australia at the convention, when I told the story of Oisín going to Tír na nÓg.
The storyteller Noa Baum had gone on before me and inspired me to add a personal childhood memory as a short introduction to that story. It was a spontaneous moment — the right audience, the right energy.
Those little unplanned moments are very special storytelling memories. I wouldn’t necessarily repeat that exact introduction again, because the moment wouldn’t be the same.
Crafting a Story – Place & Senses
KAREN:
When you’re preparing a story, how do you begin? Where does the story come from, and what do you do when you find that first thread?
COLIN:
Because my stories are set in, and come from, a relatively small geographical area, the first thing I do is go to the place.
If it’s an existing story, I go to where it’s set. If it’s a story I’m creating, I go to where I want to set it.
I’ll walk the beach or the cliff-top path. I’ll be there for sunrise or moonset. I want to feel the place.
That’s where you get the little details — a skein of geese coming over the horizon, the sound of a seal singing. Those details, when you weave them into a story, give it authenticity.
KAREN:
Do you use smell as well?
COLIN:
All the senses. You use everything.
We’re usually telling stories in relatively sterile performance spaces these days. Those old days of sitting beside a turf fire in a cottage are largely gone.
So you’ve got to bring the smell of the sea, the feel of the wind, the cold, the warmth — all those sensory experiences — into that space. I do that by going to the place first, and constantly refreshing that connection.
How Long Does It Take?
KAREN:
Does it take you long to craft a story? Or does it vary?
COLIN:
It doesn’t usually take me long, because once I get an idea or inspiration, it doesn’t leave me alone until I’ve shaped it.
I can’t go to bed with it unfinished in my head — I’ll obsess until I’ve got it to where I’m happy with it.
The story often comes in one piece, and then the work is in deciding how you’re going to tell it: where to reveal things, how to end it.
KAREN:
Do you actually write it with a pen, or another way?
COLIN:
Mostly it lives in my head first.
I have a walk I do every single day to a place called The Madman’s Window — a local beauty spot right on the coast. You’re just a few feet from the waves crashing in.
I’ve a story called The Madman’s Window, tied to a local legend around that place.
The path in and out is about a minute and a half each way. I might walk in and out ten or twenty times, shaping a story in my head.
Eventually I’ll write it down, or at least make a written record. There are a few I haven’t written yet, but not many.
How to Become a Storyteller
KAREN:
I often hear people say, “How do I become a storyteller? What do I need to do to get my stories out?” There’s also fear around being on stage.
What advice do you have?
COLIN:
That last bit — the fear — is a tough one.
But in the first instance, I’d say:
Listen.
Go to storytelling events and listen.
Also read — read folklore, myths, legends — so you get a sense of that world.
For someone unfamiliar with folklore, if they hear a selkie story for the first time — a seal who becomes human and back again — they can be visibly startled. They step back from it.
So I’d say: immerse yourself in story.
Listen to good storytellers. Listen to beginners. See what inspires you, what turns you on.
It’s like learning to sing or play an instrument. People often copy an artist they admire at first. There’s no greater flattery, but eventually you have to find your own voice — your own way of telling.
You can’t really know what that is until you’ve heard lots of storytellers and stories.
That would be my starting point.
The Future of Storytelling
KAREN:
Where do you think storytelling is going in the future now, with technology and global connectivity? What are your thoughts?
COLIN:
We had a glimpse of the future during the pandemic, with Zoom and online performances. It was a lifesaver for performers around the world and connected people who might never otherwise have met — or not for years.
That’s not going away. Podcasts like this, online sessions, digital archives — they’re here to stay, and technology will keep improving.
But I don’t think you can beat live storytelling. You just can’t. The energy in a room, the connection, the shared experience — you can’t fully replicate that on a screen.
We’ve moved from fireside cottage storytelling to performance spaces. A lot of shows now are very polished and theatrical with musicians, lighting, multimedia — almost like theatre. I do a little bit of that myself; we might call it story theatre.
But even so, people often come up after a show and say how refreshing it is to simply hear a story told straight, without all the bells and whistles.
I think there’s room for all of it:
the purist, simple storytelling
the theatrical, multimedia shows
the online and digital spaces
They’ll all move forward together.
Australian Storytelling Convention & Bucketty’s Brewery
KAREN:
I was very lucky this year to meet you and many other storytellers at the Australian Storytelling Convention. It was such a wonderful two days.
You and a few others came to share stories at my live event — at Bucketty’s Brewery. I truly thank you for that experience.
I’m learning to tell stories. I’m more of a producer at the moment, and I’m still learning. But it’s such a thrill to throw yourself in and have a go. It really builds confidence when no one is judging and you have space to develop.
Thank you for coming, for sharing a little bit about storytelling, a bit about yourself and for sharing a story. The event I’ve created is changing lives — and with people like you on the podcast, we can change even more.
COLIN:
Thank you very, very much. I assure you the pleasure was all mine, being in Australia. I loved it. It was such a fantastic environment — such a welcoming place to tell stories. Many of the people I met, I’m still in touch with, you among them.
And to go to your event in the brewery… it was just heaven.
KAREN:
Don’t tell anyone — but yes, it’s the best brewery in the world. And it’s still going strong.
If you ever want to come back to Australia to share another story, or come back on the podcast, you’re more than welcome.
COLIN:
Thank you very much. I fully intend to return to Australia.
Closing Thanks
KAREN:
I’d like to offer a special thanks to the exceptionally talented Colin Irwin for joining us, for sharing his expertise on the magic of storytelling, and for gifting us one of his stories.
Thank you for joining us on this journey as listeners. I hope you found inspiration in this special episode. Take care, and bye for now.
Outro & Backstage Pass
NARRATOR:
Thank you for tuning in to Sharing Stories, Changing Lives.
We’d like to invite you to support us by purchasing a Backstage Pass, costing about the same as two cups of coffee each month. With the Backstage Pass, you’ll gain access to workshops and exclusive content, including videos from our live events.
You can do this by visiting our website at www.storyroomglobal.com
Together, we can continue to show that sharing stories changes lives.
Access Exclusive Extended Videos
Join the Backstage Pass for the extended video interviews where our podcast guests share even more raw, personal, and uncut background details you won't hear on the podcast.