‘Not every country has such a rich folk culture’ - Leitrim dancer explores Irish folklore in her new book

Leitrim dancer Edwina Guckiam celebrates ancient cultural traditions of the Celtic calendar in her first book, 'Sparks from the Flagstones' - a reminder of joyful communal gatherings, feasts, and celebrations. 

Speaking to the Leitrim Observer, the author, who is originally from Drumsha, details these traditions are bound up in her Leitrim childhood and encourages young generations to keep these cherished traditions that mark the round the year alive. 

Each page beautifully describes traditions associated with Crossroads Dances, St Brigid's Day, Cake Dances and Cart Dancing of bygone fair days. It reminds children of traditions still held on calendar quarter-days that coincide with the old-world fire festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Bealtaine and Lunasa.

"I've written the whole book in the present tense because I wanted to show children that these situations are still alive, and now we're passing on these to them. It's their job to continue to keep them alive and, at the same time, empower them to keep and create these traditions themselves.

"I also look at traditions that happen all year with no specific dates. And how we celebrate culturally, how people gather in each other's houses and share stories and music. It's very personal to me. I tell stories of things that I've grown up with. 

"Folklore is also a story of other people. It's a way of life. It's how we speak our language, music, song, dance and poetry. It's this huge thing that makes up a nation that people can look to and say, oh, well, that's what that nation they're about," Ewina said.

'Sparks from the Flagstones' explores the Irish folklore of Strawboys with boots mysteriously like Edwina's grandfather's, of Mummers and Biddy Boys, at Crossroads Dances and on Nollaig na mBan, on Wren Day, Halloween, St Brigid's Day, Cake Dances and Cart Dances from past fair days.

"What the children are doing today, in today's world, in Ireland, in 200 years' time, the children in 200 years of Leitrim are going to be looking back and say, well, this is our country. 

"They have the power to continue on, just like people have done for thousands of generations beforehand. We're very lucky to have this. Not every country has such a rich folk culture that has survived, and we can trace it back," the local author told the Leitrim Observer.

Edwina is a dancer, folklorist, environmentalist and educator. She won the TG4 Award for her contribution to culture in Ireland in 2022 and was awarded the 2023 Markeivicz Award by Minister for the Arts Catherine Martin.

She has also been awarded Leitrim County Council Arts Person of the Year, Art Council's Next Generation Award and Business Person of the Year by the Irish Enterprise Board.

Edwina started to work on the book about three years ago and said is "excited to let it out into the world." She learned her dancing from her mother and the local dancers of Leitrim and Roscommon.

'Sparks from the Flagstones' is an enchantment for younger and older readers and an encouragement to keep alive the cherished traditions that mark the round of the year and our passage through it.

The Brazilian illustrator and painter Andrea Rossi has worked together with Edwina on the book's illustrations. Her work is inspired by her love of home, community, and everyday life in the West of Ireland.

Illustration by the Brazilian illustrator and painter Andrea Rossi who joined Edwina on the program 

She was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and lives in Connemara with her husband and two children. Andrea loves experimenting with traditional materials and using various media on anything that can be illustrated. She applies the Irish language in most of her arts and crafts to express gratitude for the community that dearly embraced her.

"She's wonderful. I found her on Instagram years ago and have been a fan of her work. I always said if I ever publish a book someday, I hope that she would be the illustrator working with me. It's just been amazing having her as a partner in this whole program," Edwina said.

Since 2016, with the support of The Arts Council of Ireland, Dance Ireland and the Leitrim Arts Office, Edwina has hosted the Leitrim Dance Festival, supporting traditional percussive dancers worldwide. She also organises many events in her community throughout the year such as the Effrinagh Crossroads Dance. 

She is currently curating a Creative Ireland project called Sowing the Seed with her Leitrim community and further afield encouraging the return of old farming techniques to work with nature once again and looking at the traditions and folk customs associated with the land.  

'Sparks from the Flagstones' is published by Lepus Print and set to be launched on St. Brigid's Day at Lough Rynn Castle on February 01. "I started to work on the book about three years ago, so I'm excited to let it into the world," Edwina has said. The book will be available at bookshops across the country or online at https://www.edwinaguckian.com/product/book/.